valvetrain clicking noise
Staging Lane
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 92
Likes: 0
From: Souther Minnesota
Did you find the cause of the noise?
I didn't see anything about the retainers and locks did you use them over and what about the valve seal if any of those have fitment issues it could cause a clicking noise.
I've seen this before so I thought I would mention it.
I didn't see anything about the retainers and locks did you use them over and what about the valve seal if any of those have fitment issues it could cause a clicking noise.
I've seen this before so I thought I would mention it.
I re-used everything on the valves except the springs. I don't hear the noise with the heads off so its obviously a valvetrain problem. Originally thought it might be a loose connecting rod bolt that clicked against the crank. I am going to clean the heads really well and put them back on and hope for the best. The lifters look like they are in pretty good shape, some had a little gunk on them but they roll smooth. I am hoping maybe the valves hit against the mud in the last cylinder so cleaning it will take care of the problem. Although, mud shouldn't make a click so I might still be in trouble.
Couple things that others haven't discussed that might help: Was the junkyard truck involved in a rollover? If so, check and make sure all 8 pistons stick out the deck an equal amount. All the oil swishes around during that and can bend connecting rods and sometimes does minor damage to the wrist pin area. Do a compression check of all the cylinders(AFTER you clean all the mud/carbon), if 1 is lower than the rest you have pinpointed the cylinder.
Any bent valves in the heads or when you clean the pistons look for any indentations/marks on the piston tops. A Bent valve can "click" the piston but a valve THAT bad would be easy to spot.
Gonna agree with most of the guys posting, cam isnt a tooth off, sounds like a valvetrain issue. Sounds like your on the right track and hopefully it is just a minor adjustment on the preload.
Lastly, if your worried about dirty/rusty water passages an old school trick is to steal your wife's panty hose and put it in the upper radiator hose as a filter. Double it up so it doesn't tear apart inside, dont need alot just use enough to act as a filter/screen. Run the motor to operating temp then let cool down and remove the panty hose, you would not believe how much metal you will catch on some motors.
Any bent valves in the heads or when you clean the pistons look for any indentations/marks on the piston tops. A Bent valve can "click" the piston but a valve THAT bad would be easy to spot.
Gonna agree with most of the guys posting, cam isnt a tooth off, sounds like a valvetrain issue. Sounds like your on the right track and hopefully it is just a minor adjustment on the preload.
Lastly, if your worried about dirty/rusty water passages an old school trick is to steal your wife's panty hose and put it in the upper radiator hose as a filter. Double it up so it doesn't tear apart inside, dont need alot just use enough to act as a filter/screen. Run the motor to operating temp then let cool down and remove the panty hose, you would not believe how much metal you will catch on some motors.
The driver's side pistons appear to be reaching the deck height. I am getting a head bolt kit in a few days and will re-install the cylinder heads and ill check the rockers. I did see some very tiny round dents on the piston toward the back that had mud in it. I'll take a picture and see what you think about it. Nice panty hose trick, don't think my girlfriend would let me borrow some; she still doesn't like the whole car thing but she will learn 
So took some really bad phone pics of the piston head. There are some tiny divots or pock marks on the piston but I dont think those came from valves cause they are spread out.
I've always wondered if a bottle of that CLR cleaner would work in a rusty block like yours. And I'm talking about pouring it in there with the heads and water pump off. Cause I'm sure it would eat up a seal or mess up a water pump if you ran it through the radiator. If you don't stop that rust your gonna be having freeze plug problems before its over with.
