Tapping noise

Sspangler13 · #1 (**permalink**) 04-28-2015, 06:40 PM

Hello, I am looking for some help diagnosing a tinny tapping noise from my engine. The noise started one day after driving for an hour or so, non-rhythmic and seems to be coming from front driver side. I bought this FFR MK3 from the second owner so he did not know much about the engine build. Here is what I do know. Engine is from a 89 GT Mustang, has about 9800 miles since build. New crank, bearings, rings oil pump, forged Pistons, Comp cams Gordon Levy cam profile( whatever that is), edelbrock performer rpm intake, edelbrock aluminum heads with 202 valves, edelbrock 600 carb, and MSD pro billit distributor. I have ran the motor and tried to locate noise with a stethoscope, no help, pulled the oil pan and checked what can be seen inside all looked good. Ran engine with no valve covers and all looks good, all Valves opening and closing well. There is no engine miss and seems to have all the power it did before the noise started. Have been told may be a sticking lifter, but shouldn't I be able to detect it with one of my methods tried so far? I can replace anything it needs but my diagnostic skills are lacking. Any ideas are most welcome. Thank you.
Sean

DWRAT · #2 (**permalink**) 04-28-2015, 07:24 PM

My old FFR developed a tick after switching to Mobil-1 oil and it started eating the flat tappet cam.
Did you switch to mobil-1 by any chance?

Gaz64 · #3 (**permalink**) 04-28-2015, 10:43 PM

Sean,

If you can run the engine with the rocker cover off, then get a 5-10 thou feeler gauge and slip it between each rocker/valve stem. If you hear a difference, that's the one.

Does it have adjustable valve train, and if so have they been adjusted correctly? You may find one is backing off.

Sspangler13 · #4 (**permalink**) 04-29-2015, 08:12 AM

Thanks Gary, I will try that test. I'm not sure on the adjustable valve train part, I may call/email Edelbrock and see what info I can get on those heads.

DanEC · #5 (**permalink**) 04-29-2015, 08:20 AM

Is it still a hydraulic roller cam type?

Could be a slight exhaust leak which sounds like a light ticking, but typically they are the most pronounced on a cold start and then seal up to some extent as the motor gets hot. But since you described it as sounding like it's at the front and on the driver side and you can't distinguish anything on the engine itself with a stethescope - that's sure what it sounds like.

Paul Kane · #6 (**permalink**) 04-29-2015, 11:42 AM

If it sounds like a valve train tapping noise but you cannot find it with your stethoscope, then get a piece of fuel line and place one end in your ear and slowly run the other end along the exhaust header gasket until the leak is picked up by the hose and thereby isolated for your hearing.

Dirty Harry · #7 (**permalink**) 04-29-2015, 03:09 PM

Do you have the large oval air cleaner? I had an instance, years ago, where a boot on a plug wire had failed. The air cleaner base was just above this boot, where the spark plug wire pushed into the distributor cap. The spark was jumping to ground, through the wounded boot to the air cleaner base, causing what sounded like a somewhat rhythmic tapping noise. You might try watching your engine running in the dark and see if you notice any spark jumping to ground. In the noisy engine bay, the snap of high voltage can sometimes sound like a mechanical tick. The stethoscope might not pick that up clearly.

Sspangler13 · #8 (**permalink**) 04-30-2015, 11:33 AM

Yep, they have hydronic roller lifters, roller rockers. My first thought was exhaust leak also but it sounds too metallic, but as so many have suggested exhaust leak I am going to recheck that more closely before I pull the intake. Thanks will post again after this weekends work.

Sspangler13 · #9 (**permalink**) 04-30-2015, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul Kane

If it sounds like a valve train tapping noise but you cannot find it with your stethoscope, then get a piece of fuel line and place one end in your ear and slowly run the other end along the exhaust header gasket until the leak is picked up by the hose and thereby isolated for your hearing.

Thank you Paul, will give this a try.

Sspangler13 · #10 (**permalink**) 04-30-2015, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dirty Harry

Do you have the large oval air cleaner? I had an instance, years ago, where a boot on a plug wire had failed. The air cleaner base was just above this boot, where the spark plug wire pushed into the distributor cap. The spark was jumping to ground, through the wounded boot to the air cleaner base, causing what sounded like a somewhat rhythmic tapping noise. You might try watching your engine running in the dark and see if you notice any spark jumping to ground. In the noisy engine bay, the snap of high voltage can sometimes sound like a mechanical tick. The stethoscope might not pick that up clearly.

Yep do have that air cleaner, but noise still there when air cleaner is gone. I checked for that type of miss, but did not find any sign of one. Will recheck in darkend garage just to be sure.

zrayr · #11 (**permalink**) 05-01-2015, 11:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DWRAT

My old FFR developed a tick after switching to Mobil-1 oil and it started eating the flat tappet cam.
Did you switch to mobil-1 by any chance?

what weight oil did you use. Only the Mobil 1 15w-50 and 0w-40 have enough zinc/phosphorus (zddp) for flat tappet engines. Not counting the racing or M/C oils of course. I've used the Mobil 1 15w-50 in about 3 or 4 hundred vintage Ford engines for my customers and myself since 1998, some of them were worked pretty hard. No oil issues.

Z.

RET_COP · #12 (**permalink**) 05-02-2015, 06:11 AM

I had a tick on my race car and it drove me nuts. Ended up being a rod end (Stroked) just touching the oil pan Light Tick- Has to be the valve-train, Gaz has a good idea. How about the mechanical fuel pump if you have one.

jhv48 · #13 (**permalink**) 05-02-2015, 08:04 AM

I like the sticking lifter suggestion.

Had one, could barely hear it.

scootter · #14 (**permalink**) 05-02-2015, 08:22 AM

I had a spark plug wire go bad once on the drivers side. I could have swore it was a bad lifter. Once I got the car in the garage where it was darker, I could see the spark jumping to the header.
Scott

Sspangler13 · #15 (**permalink**) 05-03-2015, 11:26 PM

No luck on the spark, took a look in the dark garage. Oil is Mobil 1 10-30 full synthetic but noise was there before I changed it. Checked the exhaust no detectable leaks. I found some info about the Gordon Levy cam profile And am calling his shop tomorrow. Looks like am back to the lifter idea, going to have a Mobil mechanic come by and check it out.

Sspangler13 · #16 (**permalink**) 05-09-2015, 03:06 AM

Well, it looks like my first thought was correct., turns out the noise is a exhaust leak from a partially blown out header gasket on left head. The mechanics I brought out thought valve train at first too. He checked and found left rockers were much tighter then the right. So he adjusted them all and noise was still there. We then tried to locate with stethoscope and piece of hose, found it quickly. Now waiting on new header gaskets from Summit and the world will be right again. Thank you all for the help and tips.

DanEC · #17 (**permalink**) 05-09-2015, 06:12 AM

Good deal - at least that's a pretty easy fix. My tapping was from a header leak also. My header flanges are slotted and when I slipped one in on the partially threaded in lower header bolt, it slid in between the bolt head and the washer, trapping the washer in between the block and the gasket. With black bolts and black coated headers, it took me awhile before I managed to spot it.