Projected horsepower
Most guys use the LS7 lifter, that's what is in my car currently, I'd get a set of those from BTR.
Yard the other head off and put a set of those in or go big and get some Johnson lifters.
The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time
The lifter could have collapsed internally and just doesn't hold its pump.
Push on the rockers and see if any of them move.
Did you check the valve springs too?
One may have broken, it happened to me not long ago and mine made zero noise, just lost 2-3" of vacuum.
Get yourself a cheap stethoscope from Harbor Freight, fire it up and put it on the valve cover, you should be able to zero in on which side of the engine it's on.
Plus, the speed of the tap will tell you if it's in the valve train or rotating assembly, slow tapping is valvetrain, fast is rotating assembly.
Do you have video?
Did you check the valve springs too?
One may have broken, it happened to me not long ago and mine made zero noise, just lost 2-3" of vacuum.
Get yourself a cheap stethoscope from Harbor Freight, fire it up and put it on the valve cover, you should be able to zero in on which side of the engine it's on.
Plus, the speed of the tap will tell you if it's in the valve train or rotating assembly, slow tapping is valvetrain, fast is rotating assembly.
Do you have video?
Hopefully, your issue is something not very serious, but I think it is better policy to just pull the head and check.











