BlackStallion5.0

Hey guys, I think I need some help determining if I have a problem or not. I just finished wrapping up my engine build/install. I was working through what I thought was a timing issue that turned out to be a bad injector on cylinder #2. It caused the engine to shake at idle but otherwise ran okay for only running on 7 cylinders.

Once I finally figured it out, I swapped in a new injector and the motor runs strong but seems to have somehow developed a noisy passenger side valve train back near #3 or #4 (or it at least sounds like it). Upon first start up the valve train noise was minimal and at this time the drivers side remains the same which tells me that valve train geometry is most likely correct but clearly something changed on the passenger side.

I have a few ideas of what it could be but I'm hoping someone can point me in the right direction. I'm thinking my stock pushrods may have been bent, I have and exhaust leak(wishful thinking) or worst case scenario....I have a rod knock. I am thinking of getting hardened pushrods and re adjusting the valves and seeing what happens. If anyone has any other ideas I am all ears.

To give you guys an idea of what im working with....I have a stock 302 bottom end, GT40P heads w/stock valves, ford racing lifters, trickflow spring upgrade, stud mount conversion w/ 1.6 magnum roller rockers, tfs 1 cam, stock length pushrods.

Any help is appreciated

bluebeastsrt

You probably just need to re-adjust your valve lash if you've had the heads off recently.

dawson1112

start the engine cold and feel around the header flange on the passenger side for an exhaust leak. I suspect number 2 exhaust port is now leaking since that is the cylinder that wasn't making any power until after you fixed the injector issue. You wouldn't have noticed any leaks on a missing cylinder until it actually started making power.

BlackStallion5.0

Update...After reading your responses(thanks for your help!), I tightened up the headers to the cylinder head as all of the bolts had done a good job of working their way outward. In addition, I pulled the valve cover on the passenger side and adjusted all valves on each cylinder 1-4. I hand cranked the motor over until the intake valve closed and the exhaust opened slightly ensuring it was on the base circle(...and vise versa for the exhaust). I then backed the nut off of the stud and and allowed the lifter to pump back up for a minute or two. Then I carefully ran the nut back down checking the push rod for slight resistance. Once I had resistance, I applied a 1/2 turn of pre-load as per comp cams directions.

I put everything back together and fired her up. At first the tick was loud and then evened out as the car warmed up and it quieted down a little bit. I took it for a ride and it runs awesome but I still have a noticeable tick(even though it sounds better than before) on the passenger side near cylinders 3 and 4. I do have an exhaust leak where the headers meet the H pipe as well as where the stock emissions tube is open(haven't been able to close it off yet). I am going to swap it out for an off road pipe and see if it helps any.

However, I cant help but think my push-rods may be incorrect even though the drivers side is pretty quiet and has been the whole time. In my estimation, if the off road H pipe doesn't help, I'm gonna have to tear the top end apart again to check push-rod length, unless anyone has any other ideas. As always, any and all advice is appreciated!

Maxwelhse

You have a massive exhaust leak if you've left the thermactor system open to the world. There is literally no way to tell which exhaust leak is causing the tick you're hearing.

I'd start by fixing what you know is wrong before you move forward. Maybe it is something else, maybe its not? Who knows?

tinman

1 bent pushrod is all you need to have things acting up.
Use a piece of window glass from the hardware store to check them.
Window glass is the least expensive flat surface I know of to check stuff with.......