Dukenukemx

Installed a cam a couple of years ago and it's been making a ticking noise and I've been told that it's normal that it sounds like an old sewing machine, but recently the tick got louder. Seems louder when it's a cold start but quiets down. Removed the valve covers and checked the rockers because they're still stock. They have side to side play, but I removed one and noticed a bit of play that's not side to side. Is this normal? Do I need to get a trunnion kit and rebuild my rockers? Does it sound like something worse is going on?

wannafbody

iTrader: (2)

Pull the valve covers and wiggle the rockers to see if any are loose.

Dukenukemx

I did that and didn't notice anything. I did use a long screw driver and listened around and the tick is coming from the drivers side valve cover. It makes the sound the loudest dead center between the front and rear of the engine. I'm going to remove the valve cover and those nearby rocker arms to see what's going on, but a storm just appeared and I gotta wait.

Treburkulosis

Its hard to tell, but that sounds like piston slap. That is not normal. Mine does not sound like that.

01CamaroSSTx

iTrader: (3)

That sounds valvetrain related to me.

Dukenukemx

Here's the two rockers and pushrods from that area I hear the tick. I noted a mark on one of the pushrods but don't know what caused it or if it came from BTR's factory that way. I show the wiggle in the center of the rocker but again I don't know if that's the cause of the tick. I put this on YouTube because I don't think people see the .MOV file from before.

wannafbody

iTrader: (2)

I'd change pushrods and upgrade to bronze bushings in the rockers and see if that solves the problem.

Dukenukemx

The pushrods came new with the cam 2 years ago, but you think that needs to be changed? I did order a BTR trunnion kit to see if that removes the ticking noise.

wannafbody

iTrader: (2)

If the pushrods are straight they're fine.

Rodney Wesling

Make an appointment with your local Chevy Dealer and have your lifters adjusted ! DO NOT LET YOUR FREIND DO ANY WORK ON YOUR VETT Unless you want to have an expensive "YARD ORDIMENT" sitting next to your nomes and elves !

grinder11

iTrader: (1)

Please explain how you adjust hydraulic lifters. Other than preload, they're not adjustable, which is the whole point of hydraulic lifters!! As for the Chevy dealer adjusting much of anything, no thanks.....

Htech

If the pushrods are straight I think they're Ok

G Atsma

What, are you a mynah bird today?

grinder11

iTrader: (1)

LMAO!!!!

Dukenukemx

I got it all situated. I think it's quieter, but I can also still hear the tick. Definitely right side upper area.

Dukenukemx

Decided to make a better recording. At this point I'm thinking the dual spring nature of the BTR valve springs is making this noise? Found someone who also installed the BTR cam kit and had a similar issue. Apparently it's normal?

RB04Av

Yes dual springs can make noises; the various layers can rub against each other, get slightly hung up as they pass, etc.

I had an engine once that always ticked kinda more than I thought it should. (back before LS motors were a gleam in their grandmother's eye) Big solid cam, "triple" springs (double w/ damper), yadda yadda yadda. Then one day I was adjusting the valves and heard a "rrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeekkkkkkk" sound as I was turning the motor by hand. Probably almost certainly the spring parts rubbing each other. Just, with the motor running, it sounded like a tick. A couple of the springs did that.

Another one, had used stock (non roller tip) rockers; the groove worn in the tip, didn't exactly line up with the current alignment, so as the engine turned over, the valve would be up on the un-worn part of the tip, then at some point in the cycle, would "fall into" the old groove. Made a REALLY LOUD tick even at 0.01 RPM.

So yeah, diagnosing a "tick" can be much more complex than just blaming it on a lifter.

wannafbody

iTrader: (2)

These engines all sound like a sewing machine. Even BMW, Hemi and Coyote engines tick.

Dukenukemx

Maybe when I installed the cam I didn't line up the springs correctly on the right side? I wonder if there's a way to tell without removing the springs. I did something similar to my BMW with the N62 engine and changed all the valve seals without removing the head. Maybe I can grab the inner spring with a thin pliers and tug on it to see if it isn't placed right?

**EDIT**
Did a bit of searching and these cam kits do give the engines a tick. This engine sounds just like mine.