ryeguy187

i've recently finished a cam install on my 96 trans am due to a lifter going bad and taking my stock cam with it. it has a 230/236 dur. 544/555 lift cam with 1.6 roller rockers, .600 lift double valve springs, new lifters and hardened pushrods. i also install pacesetter midlength headers and an obd1 conversion pcm tuned by pcmforless. now here's my probem......

ever since my car has ran great. i have zero issues at all except i have a bad ticking noise which sounds like it is coming from my roller rockers. i adjusted them to 1/2 turn preload when i did the install. the noise is loud when i start the car and quiets down as the motor warms up but is still faint yet audible. oil pressure is at 40 at start up and goes down to 20 when fully warm and seems good. it also appears all the rockers r getting oil and i run 10w30 oil. i have since checked many times for exhaust leaks with no success and made sure all my bolts were torqued down. i have also readjusted the rockers at least 5 times now anywhere from 3/4 turn preload(which sounded like crap!) to a 1/4 turn which it is at now and runs great yet the same ticking is there. the noise is directly related to rpms and is there under load and no load likewise. i have also used a stethoscope and could hear nothing under the valve covers that seemed out of the ordinary but can hear it best from both sides of the car near the front wheels.

does anybody out there have a suggestion????? cus i am stumped and have been searchin the forums for a possible solution. i find it hard to believe it could b a bad lifter again cus that was a lot louder and went away with rpms.

thanks guys sorry soo long but wanted to be descriptive as possible.

RaM AiR 97

iTrader: (1)

what RR are you using

RaM AiR 97

iTrader: (1)

only help i could give is that if they are ProMags they are going to be noisy.

z28hustle

pro mags are noisy huh? thanks because i woulda been on here whining as soon as my car cranked up..

solarofthesix

iTrader: (1)

fuel injectors sometimes make a pretty loud ticking too.

1997bird

iTrader: (2)

What brand of lifter's did you use? The Comp (#875-16) "R" series lifter's are noisey and have a .002"-.004" preload requirement with the engine oil warm.

3pnt4maro

iTrader: (2)

my crane gold are noisy as well..i thought something was wrong too

jb442

iTrader: (4)

+1 for it possibly being injectors. Put your stethescope on the intake and see what you can hear. Personal experience - Years ago, I had an aftermarket port-fuel injection setup on a turbocharged SBC. It was not sequential injection... It would pulse the injectors from bank-to-bank and you would swear that something was was hitting in the valve train.

ryeguy187

Well As Far As The Injectors Go They Are Making The Same Noise As Usual And The Noise Im Hearing Is Different. I Am Honestly Not Sure What Rockers Im Using But They Are Full Alumium Roller 1.6 Type. The Lifetrs Look Like Brand New Stock Replacement When I Compared Them To The Old Ones. I Saoked Them All In Oil For A Few Days Prior To Installation Too And Have Tried Adjustment Both Hot And Cold. Im Beginning To Think They Are Just Noisy Since I Have Heard This Noise Since The Beginning But I Havent Heard Another Car With Full Rollers Before To Compare So Im Just Not Sure. Thanks For The Input Though Guys I Appreciate It And Any Ideas You Got Please Keep Em Comin.

maybe2fast

iTrader: (4)

I too am worried about noise under the VCs but they are ProMags and I think they are just noisy. Its not a huge tick and is all over under each VC so I think it is just noisy rockers.

ele-blue95

iTrader: (10)

I have the same tick. I have had my motor together for three years and it runs awsome! But as stated By others, its my pro-mag 1.6s. I have adj. them over 16 times with no luck, so i know it is just the way the rockers are (Just because of the metal there made of). But on the same note my number 8 primary is leaking (but have fixed in the past) and the tick still there. I have a set of pacesetter LTs going on this weekend, which should fix the problem.

ryeguy187

What Do U Guys Think The Chances A Set Of Tall Valve Covers Might Tone It Down A Lil Bit?

LTSpeed

Exhaust leak from the back ports on the heads? Pretty common in LT1's and sounds like valvetrain noise.

maybe2fast

iTrader: (4)

nice CAPS LOCK j/k

I have long lubes and it still ticks. glad its a common noise and not something wrong with the ride.

3pnt4maro

iTrader: (2)

yeah lt's here too no difference still noisy mine are full aluminum

ryeguy187

thanks for the input guys, sorry about the caps. one more quick ?.... do u guys with the noisy rockers have it loud when u first start then quiet down a bit when things get warmed up some?

F8L LT1 Z28

I would say Exhaust leak

F8L LT1 Z28

Do you have headers on the car?

Ls1Bait

I get some ticking from under the car but thats fully normal with headers,cam,rockers. When Im under the hood and the car is running it just sounds like a smooth running sewing machine.

ryeguy187

i guess u could say mine kinda sounds like a sewing machine also..... i do have pacesetter midlengths.... i did have the car up in the air though with a stethoscope and found a couple really small leaks and sealed em up then and i checked the torque many times on the header bolts and theyve never come loose since i installed them.... im not completely ruling out a header leak but it just doesnt sound like one to me for some reason.... i thought i read somewhere if u hear it on accel. but not decel. then it probably an exhaust leak but i just hear mine all the time.... quieter when warm and louder when cold