Tick,tick,ticking noise

WZ JUNK · February 25, 2006, 08:20:02 PM

I have a SBC that has ticking noise. It is not noticeable at idle but when you speed up the engine you can hear it. My hearing is not as good as it once was and I can not isolate the noise. Today I pulled the right valve cover and I checked all the springs and the push rods and reset the lifters. In the morning, I will do the other bank. I think it may be an exhaust leak but I can not find the leak if it has one. If it still is ticking after I check the left bank in the morning, I guess I will change the header gaskets. Do any of you have any thoughts?

enjenjo · February 25, 2006, 09:16:00 PM

Check the fuel pump pushrod, and the pump, to see that the return spring isn't broken.

phat46 · February 25, 2006, 09:16:47 PM

Quote from: "WZ JUNK"I have a SBC that has ticking noise. It is not noticeable at idle but when you speed up the engine you can hear it. My hearing is not as good as it once was and I can not isolate the noise. Today I pulled the right valve cover and I checked all the springs and the push rods and reset the lifters. In the morning, I will do the other bank. I think it may be an exhaust leak but I can not find the leak if it has one. If it still is ticking after I check the left bank in the morning, I guess I will change the header gaskets. Do any of you have any thoughts?

I've cured that noise a couple times on different cars by just tightening the header bolts, hope it's that simple for ya!

1FATGMC · February 26, 2006, 12:13:07 AM

Remember my Jeep when I kept changing exh. gaskets and it ended up being a blow head gasket that just made noise, but didn't leak fluids? Hope it isn't that.

John, Jim's going home in the morning. We had a good visit the past couple days and he said to say hi. He likes the truck. He brought his 40 over and we went down to Bluff tonight for a Chinese pot luck at the fire station to celebrate the Chinese New Year. With all of our money they now have I'll bet they celebrate our New Year.

c ya, Sum

Carnut · February 26, 2006, 12:31:43 AM

Don't know if you remember my ticking problem last spring:

http://carnut.com/iown/40eng1.html

WZ JUNK · February 26, 2006, 01:47:56 PM

Quote from: "WZ JUNK"I have a SBC that has ticking noise. It is not noticeable at idle but when you speed up the engine you can hear it. My hearing is not as good as it once was and I can not isolate the noise. Today I pulled the right valve cover and I checked all the springs and the push rods and reset the lifters. In the morning, I will do the other bank. I think it may be an exhaust leak but I can not find the leak if it has one. If it still is ticking after I check the left bank in the morning, I guess I will change the header gaskets. Do any of you have any thoughts?

I did the left bank this morning and everything seems fine. I checked the fuel pump rod. The truck has and electric pump, so there is a block off plate. I removed the plate to see if there was a rod, but it is gone. The noise is only when you first increase the RPM's and then it seems to go away. So I am still looking and listening. Thanks for the help.

donsrods · February 26, 2006, 02:06:42 PM

Wrist pin?

Maybe start pulling one plug wire at a time to see if it changes?

Don

enjenjo · February 26, 2006, 02:09:40 PM

Check the flex plate bolts.

WZ JUNK · February 26, 2006, 02:52:30 PM

Quote from: "enjenjo"Check the flex plate bolts.

Good idea. I will do that this afternoon.

BFS57 · February 27, 2006, 09:05:46 AM

Hello;
I've had troubles locating maddening sounds before! One trick that kind of helps is, Using a piece of small diameter wood, place it in various locations on and about the motor. Have someone rev the motor a bit (you said the sound came at that point) Stick your ear to the other end of the piece of wood. This acts like a doctor listening to your heart! You would be suprised what you hear!
I have also had exhaust leaks that acted this way!
Just my $.02
Bruce

entodad · February 27, 2006, 11:33:24 AM

I've done the same using a 1/4 inch vacuum hose about 5-6 feet long, stick one end into your ear and hold the other where you think the sound might be coming from.

It was using this method that allowed me to find a partially broken flex plate. The slight clicking was maddening and sounded like it was coming from all sides of the engine. Only when I put the end of the hose close to the flex plate, did it come in loud and clear. The plate was broken 3/4 away around the outside of the mounting flange on the rear of the crankshaft.

Doug

Quote from: "BFS57"Hello;
I've had troubles locating maddening sounds before! One trick that kind of helps is, Using a piece of small diameter wood, place it in various locations on and about the motor. Have someone rev the motor a bit (you said the sound came at that point) Stick your ear to the other end of the piece of wood. This acts like a doctor listening to your heart! You would be suprised what you hear!
I have also had exhaust leaks that acted this way!
Just my $.02
Bruce

WZ JUNK · March 01, 2006, 11:32:30 AM

Quote from: "WZ JUNK"I have a SBC that has ticking noise. It is not noticeable at idle but when you speed up the engine you can hear it. My hearing is not as good as it once was and I can not isolate the noise. Today I pulled the right valve cover and I checked all the springs and the push rods and reset the lifters. In the morning, I will do the other bank. I think it may be an exhaust leak but I can not find the leak if it has one. If it still is ticking after I check the left bank in the morning, I guess I will change the header gaskets. Do any of you have any thoughts?

Case is solved. Previous mechanic had pinched the exhaust header gasket at the #7 port and it was leaking. I replaced the gasket and the noise is gone. Cheap fix compared to the altenatives. I think if I could hear better I would have found it sooner.

Crosley.In.AZ · March 04, 2006, 12:10:16 AM

I like easy repairs....... although sometimes gettin there is not easy