Harwich

Short version is I have tick/knock in my number 2 exhaust valve. With the engine running I put my mechanics stethoscope on each valve stud and the sound is much louder and more pronounced on the #2 exhaust stud. It is not just and adjustment issue. I replaced the push rod, checked for coil bind, and swapped rocker arms to see if the noise moved. no luck. It's a 65 289.

The whole story.

Last fall I put in a new thumper cam, new lifters, competition cams high performance springs, comp cams roller rockers, and swapped out my 66 heads for 65 heads with the machined push rod slots. I put new valves, locks and seals in the heads before installing them. After doing this I had valve train noise. At least part of that noise was me having difficulty getting the valve lash set correctly and keeping the roller rockers from coming loose (first experience with roller rockers). Fast forward to to this spring. I was never happy with the thumper, in my 289 I could never get a decent idle out of the damn thing. Finally got fed up and replaced the cam and lifters, again. Still have a valve train tick, sounds a lot like a rocker that is not adjusted right. I got the driver’s side adjusted to where it sounds good but could never get rid of the tick on the passenger side. Finally today I cut a slot in an old valve cover and adjusted them with it running. That is when I determined that it was the #2 exhaust. It is definitely not just an adjustment issue because I can loosen the rocker and until it starts to tick and it is obviously a separate sound, and then I can tighten it down and that sound goes away. Pulling the spark plug wire to the cylinder does not seem to make any difference in the sound. The valve does move up and down and turning it by hand it looks like it opens all the way. It is not the valve hitting the piston, I have heard that sound before and this not nearly that bad. Probably not relevant but I did notice that the push rod on this valve sprays out far more oil with more pressure than the others. I have good oil pressure, at least 20lbs idling hot at around 500 rpm.

That is everything I can think of that you might need to know.

So, anybody have any ideas? Can anyone think of anything it could be that can be fixed without pulling the head? Because I will try that first before pull the head, I hate taking my headers on and off.
current cam is 274/274 and .475/.475, nothing radical.
Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Thank You

fastbackford351

Just for the schits and giggles I'd throw in a bit of Lucas oil see what happens to the sound.

I have seen it eliminate goofy noises on Windsors, FE's and Modulars.

bop11

You may be hearing wrist pin or piston skirt slap.

Harwich

fasftbackford351 - I did add some marvel mystery oil to the oil and gas just for the hell of it. I have only run it in the garage since then, haven't actually driven it since I added it but so far it didn't help.

bop11- That is a possibility. I would think though that I would hear that equally through both valves in that cylinder but the noises is much louder on the exhaust valve than the intake valve.

Thanks Guys.

fastbackford351

Try the Lucas. I've never been overly impressed with Marvel's.

Harwich

fastbackford351 - which of their products is it I should try. I have only used their break in formula not sure what they have that might help with this.


Thanks

fastbackford351

This is what I used.

http://lucasoil.com/products/engine-...oil-stabilizer

Harwich

Fastbackford351 - thank you

Mark Hone

Again, just for ****s and giggles, I had a ticking/tapping on my /66 289 and just before I pulled the head, I listened to the fuel pump. It was a broken spring on the pump lever. There is one on each side of the lever to hold it in the middle position. 1 was broken and the arm was slapping back and forth. Just my $.02 Mark

P Zero

What weight of oil are you running in that thing?
How clean is the engine internally?
How many miles are on the lower end?