FoxTa

well after finally gettting the car on the road, after driving for about 10 minutes just cruising nothing over 3k a wierd valve tap starts so i pull over and let it idle for a minute or 2 and it goes away.

it keeps doing this but its been taking longer to come back.

could it be a collapsed lifter??

i'm still kind of a newb so if anyone could help me out that would be great

GuitsBoy

iTrader: (4)

Does the oil pressure look normal? half or full engine speed? Can you hear it from the top or the bottom of the engine. A lifter will be a sharp noise up top but still sound like a loud slightly duller knock down below the engine.

Doc

iTrader: (9)

Is it coming from a particular side? Pull the valve cover(s) and check the valvetrain. Check the valve cover gaskets. Eliminate the simple before you jump right in to pulling the heads.

FoxTa

sorry i've been having computer problems too.

it's definatly coming from the drivers side on the top of the engine.

oil pressure is normal, but yet it almost sounds like its oil starved?

i took the valve cover off today and pulled all the rockers and pushrods and inspected everything. they all seemed fine and i retorqued everything to spec and it still does it.

so i guess the next step is to pull the head?

Doc

iTrader: (9)

Was this just a cam? What brand / specs? Stock heads, lifter, rockers, pushrods, oil pump? What was you're preload at top dead center? What kind of computer problems?

01350ss

iTrader: (18)

are 100.000% sure your exhaust is not leaking?
if the gasket for your exhaust is leaking at one cylinder, it's going to "tap" at a normal interval during the engine cycle. take a look around the primary tubes for any carbon deposits.

Azrael

iTrader: (10)

Shoot after our cam install I swore up and down we had dropped a lifter or had a rocker tapping, checked everything, oil pressure was good, rockers were torqued down right...

It was an exhaust leak, and it sounded at first like it was coming from the valve cover. So I will +1 the possibility it is just an exhaust leak. Did you use the MLS or paper gaskets with your headers? We used the PaceSetter papers and after the bigger cam they blew like a $2.00 hooker. Loud and nasty...

Replaced with brand new stock GM MLS gaskets. Tapping/ticking fixed! If you need new gaskets let me know we ordered 2 sets by accident...

Doc

iTrader: (9)

If it was an exhaust leak, wouldn't he be getting the tapping sound at any and all rpms?

Azrael

iTrader: (10)

Not really, if it is just starting then at lower rpms it may be masked. Also if it is a small leak then it may only do it when the engine is under load. Ours wasn't consistant until the gasket actually blew out.

FoxTa

i didnt even think of an exhaust leak. i used the metal gm gaskets. i'll pull the headed off tomorrow to rule that out.

that would make sense though it only does it under a load or after it gets up to temp.

thanks a lot guys i'll keep ya posted