Strange Ticking Noise
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Joined: Feb 2006
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From: North Georgia Mountains
Originally Posted by nokeman
If your pushrods is bent...will it be a VERY visible, because i checked all mine and they looked good but the ticking didnt go away at all. Im starting to think its an exhaust leak.
All I have to do is remove the valve covers correct? No surprises? Forget labor costs. The labor to check is the same labor to replace. Re-read post number 4, short directions on how to check. You can usually find user PR's cheap in the for sale section, but im not sure how much new ones are at the dealer.
I recommend you remove all of them and roll em on a flat surface to check them. The instructions were posted onthe 1st page and there are no suprises. don't unplug the plug wires from the plugs just the coils since they're a PITA
Actually, yes I do have sound clips....here you go....
http://video.ls1tech.com/video/662C7...3CD10C2046.htm
http://video.ls1tech.com/video/04B7A...AE6EB40A79.htm
http://video.ls1tech.com/video/662C7...3CD10C2046.htm
http://video.ls1tech.com/video/04B7A...AE6EB40A79.htm
Well the reason why you should go with the facotry ones for now is cost. Also to answer your question for over reving, if you have that cam installed you should have valve springs also done. In that case you rev limit will change depending on power band or if you change pushrods or not. So in theory, you would have to rev it even higher to over rev it by then. If you do it again the you'll definitly be puting money into that shift.
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 963
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From: North Georgia Mountains
Originally Posted by GuitsBoy
Forget labor costs. The labor to check is the same labor to replace. Re-read post number 4, short directions on how to check. You can usually find user PR's cheap in the for sale section, but im not sure how much new ones are at the dealer.
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 963
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From: North Georgia Mountains
Originally Posted by MannyZ28
Actually, yes I do have sound clips....here you go....
http://video.ls1tech.com/video/662C7...3CD10C2046.htm
http://video.ls1tech.com/video/04B7A...AE6EB40A79.htm
http://video.ls1tech.com/video/662C7...3CD10C2046.htm
http://video.ls1tech.com/video/04B7A...AE6EB40A79.htm
Originally Posted by spazzyfry123
My only problem is that I don't know what is involved in replacing them. I understand that it is pretty straight forward to check them out, but I have never actually looked in there to know how to remove and replace them.
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 963
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From: North Georgia Mountains
Originally Posted by GuitsBoy
Replacement instructions. Grab pushrod. Pull upwards out of head. grab new pushrod. drop down into head. Drink beer. repeat 15 more times. Might not want to drive too far after 16 beers though. 

Easy 1.Unplug wires from coils. 2.Remove entire coil bracket and anything else in the way to uncover the valve covers. 3. Unbolt and remove valve covers. 4. Loosen rocker arm nut enough to allow you to swing it. 5. Pull out pushrods.
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2006
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From: North Georgia Mountains
I finally have some time off away from everything to finally sit down and do this. Now I'm still a kid in high school and live with my parents, so my dad insists that there is no way I can do this myself. He is wanting me to take it to the dealership and all of this crap to get it fixed for a ba-gillion dollars when I can just buy the part for $9.66 and do it myself. So just to back up myself, there are no "surprises" that I would encounter if I did it myself? I have a feeling that my father just doesn't have enough faith in me to do something myself...when I am going to be in the automotive field...sheesh. Anyway, so I can take off a valve cover (once the motor cools off and such) no problem and not have oil spill all over or anything else "not so good"? It just seems too easy
Before you do that make absolutely sure that all your spark plugs aren't loose and that the wires are snug! I took my car for some hard runs on the highway, and came home with the EXACT ticking that you are describing. Pop the hood and plug number one is actually moving around!!!! Tightened it up and ticking disappeared. Just make sure before you go through all the trouble.
Originally Posted by spazzyfry123
I finally have some time off away from everything to finally sit down and do this. Now I'm still a kid in high school and live with my parents, so my dad insists that there is no way I can do this myself. He is wanting me to take it to the dealership and all of this crap to get it fixed for a ba-gillion dollars when I can just buy the part for $9.66 and do it myself. So just to back up myself, there are no "surprises" that I would encounter if I did it myself? I have a feeling that my father just doesn't have enough faith in me to do something myself...when I am going to be in the automotive field...sheesh. Anyway, so I can take off a valve cover (once the motor cools off and such) no problem and not have oil spill all over or anything else "not so good"? It just seems too easy 
Here's what I recommend:
Go to the regional forum and explain your situation. Ask if there's anyone near you who would be willing to lend a hand.
Or if you still want to try convince him how easy it is, go here:
http://www.ls1howto.com/index.php?article=23
Scroll down until you get the paragraph beginning with:
"Now remove all 8 plug wires" Only unplug the end of the plug wire that connects to the coils though since it will make your lifea lot easier.
Once the rockers are removed, the pushrods will free to remove and then:
Insert all 16 pushrods, place the rocker pedestal back on the head, apply MEDIUM STRENGTH! Loctite® to all the rocker bolts and reinstall all the rockers. Torque the rockers to 22lb/ft, rotate the crankshaft 180 degrees and double check the torque on all the rocker arm bolts.
Remember, MEDIUM STRENGTH Loctite.
when you put the valve covers back on, be careful to make sure valve cover the gaskets are all happy and don't get pinched or you'll leak oil.
Make sure you use a torque wrench on the rockers.
Don't overtighten the valvecovers. All they do is hold splashing oil in so they just go nice and snug. Start on a friday night or saturday morning so you have plenty of time.
If you run into a question or problem, post a question in the internal engine section with the word HELP in the title.
Good luck man
Yeah, youll have no problem. Just be careful not to crossthread anything, or overtighten the valvecover bolts, otherwise youll make a mess for yourself. Go slow and careful and youll be amazed just how easy it really is.
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Joined: Feb 2006
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From: North Georgia Mountains
All right...It's done. I didn't do it myself because my father insisted on having it done by a professional (They did a great job by the way! I recommend any motor work or anything like that to be done by these guys--PM for information). But anyway, about $500 poorer, it drives better than it did when I first got it. I will be having this same company do all of my body-work from my hit-and-run accident soon, along with my new exhaust, and perhaps the cam install later on unless I decide to do it myself.
Please tell me you didnt really pay someone $500 dollars to change your pushrods...you couldve spent that money on a cam, and springs or a dyno tune or SOMETHING!!! you coulda flushed it down the toilet and it would have been better spent. Did you at least watch them do it so you learn how to do it yourself. In all reality man, it is such a simple task. I think they majorly ripped you off. I dont mean to be hard on you or anything but thats crazy!
Originally Posted by nokeman
Please tell me you didnt really pay someone $500 dollars to change your pushrods...you couldve spent that money on a cam, and springs or a dyno tune or SOMETHING!!! you coulda flushed it down the toilet and it would have been better spent. Did you at least watch them do it so you learn how to do it yourself. In all reality man, it is such a simple task. I think they majorly ripped you off. I dont mean to be hard on you or anything but thats crazy!
Anyway, glad you got it all taken care of, but seriously, we wouldnt try and steer you into doingsomething thats over your head. If you can do something as simple as a brake job, this isnt any harder. Next time ask your dad to read the posts online and maybe he'll be more receptive. LS1howto.com has step by step pictorial directions on how to do all sorts of internal mods like cam and head swaps. Pushrods are covered in the step by step. You could have taken a look with your dad and then decided on wether or not you wanted to try and tackle the project. For 500 bucks i would have atleast given it a shot first, but thats just me. Maybe you arent as tight on cash as I was when i first started ripping into cars.
None the less, glad shes back up and running! ENJOY!!! 

