L16 Ticking noise after head work

[datzenmike]

Loose is better that too tight. The exhaust valves are cooled only by contact with the seats. They need the most clearance. Too tight and you can burn the valve the seat or both.

[racerx]

Buy a stethoscope at harbor freight and listen for ticking noise. And when u do buy a compression checker make sure its the screw in type, much more accurtare.

[d.p]

I cant see the long t-stat bolt anywhere near the chain underneath the valve cover.  Ill add another washer to it just to see if it helps.  And can't do the lash without some new wrenches and I would just rather pay someone to do it for me at this point.  

 

Compression tester is the screw in type (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EVU89I/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1) it worked the first time I checked it but the second time it looks like its not sealing.  Maybe the o-ring got mashed IDK.  It came with a shorter fitting too but I just gave up after trying it again and getting no reading.    I got no problem buying a stethoscope but not sure its going to solve my problem even if I do find where its coming from.  I have tried everything short of ripping it apart again which I don't want to do.  

[d.p]

You guys need to understand that all these older engines are noisy, they will never sound like your modern engine in your modern vehicle.

I have a tick in my LZ23 I built, I have learned to ignore it, half the time it's not even the engine, it's something bolted to the engine.

 

As noisy as mine?  Cause I don't remember it being that loud before all of this.  

[wayno]

All that really counts on the valve lash is that they are not too loose or too tight and the lash pad be there where it is supposed to be.

I cannot fathom why anyone would need special wrenches to do the valves, I just find a position that the wrench will work without removing my battery, if the battery was removed it should be really easy, but then one would have to use jumper cables to rotate the engine or do it by hand.

I did my valves Friday on the work truck, I pulled the coil wire, removed the cap and put it over on the battery/fender, removed the valve cover and did my 1,2,3,5 valves, turned it slightly and did 4,7,8, then turned it slightly and did 6 as I recall, I then put it back together and started it, I still had the tick, but I have so many leaks in my exhaust I cannot hear the tick unless the hood is open, and it's likely an exhaust leak in the header anyway, it's likely going to get another new one this summer sometime anyway, it's been around 5 years now since I put this one on.

Get a large screwdriver with a big handle on it, stick the handle against your ear and start touching the block near where you think the noise is coming from, then remove the valve cover and check the rocker arms in that area, make sure the lash pad is there, and that the rocker arm is not excessively loose or tight, and a tight exhaust valve will make a tick/miss also.

As for the timing chain, ever since you said something about the chain not having the block in it I have been suspect, but if the tensioner had come out and you had turned it over it would have likely been over with anyway, the destruction would have been epic.

[d.p]

Lash pads are there, rocker arms are where they need to be as far as I can tell.  Some have some side to side to play but no up and down.   Ill try to do the lash again, but I do have one question, do the lobes need to be facing up to measure the gap?  

 

Noise is coming from the front of the engine, either the chain or something close to it.  I figured if the chain, tensioner or something around there was the issue the motor would have grenaded already but it hasn't so who knows.

[wayno]

As long as the lobe is pointed up in some form(10am-2pm) I am good, as I said all I care about is that it is close.

I can feel a little up and down play(.012) in every rocker arm without the feeler gauge in it, if you cannot feel a slight bit of up and down play then they are too tight, your supposed to do them warmed up, but I started with them adjusted cold when I rebuilt the engine, I then later did them warm.

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

Tried to do compression test at WOT and the gauge didn't read shit in any cylinder so I think it shit the bed. And I don't have a wrench thin enough to adjust the lash. Head guy did adjust to .010 .012 while it was out.

 

Does sound chain related. Louder under the engine towards bottom of timing cover.

Hold on. You still haven't adjusted the valves?

 

Adjust the damn valves before posting up about a noise.

[banzai510(hainz)]

noise mayb be a tensioner popped out at 45 deg angle and wearing(look down front cover and see)

thermostat bolt to long pushing the tight side chain guide into the chain

or slack side guide bolt loose.

[d.p]

I added a washer to long thermostat bolt, didn't make any difference.  Looking down the front cover you see this, which again is the same as it looked before I took the head off.  Whether the tensioner is off kilter I have no idea.  

 

Truck is at the shop now getting looked at, I asked them to find and fix the noise and adjust the lash. 

 

[racerx]

Did u stick a big screw driver where it sounds like it ticking, be careful though, car has to be running.

[d.p]

Yeah I did and it seemed to be the loudest in the front around and below the timing plate cover area.   Truck was running.  

[racerx]

Meant stick a huge screwdriver, while cupping it by your ear and listen to where noise is coming from.

[d.p]

Meant stick a huge screwdriver, while cupping it by your ear and listen to where noise is coming from.

 

Yeah that is what I did.  Like one of them old timers with the horn for a hearing aid.  

[racerx]

So did u adjust ur valves?

[d.p]

Damn truck sitting at the shop still not looked at yet...If I would have known they would drag their ass I would have kept it at home and continued to fuck with it.    :poop:

[racerx]

Dp, did u adjust ur valves? This is something u can do. Fudge the shop, save ur money and learn.

[d.p]

Yes and no.  I did 6 out of 8 of them but the other two I couldn't get a wrench on the adjuster because it was right up against the jam nut.  Plus if the noise wasn't the valves then I wanted someone else to figure it out because I was over troubleshooting it on my own.  If it turns out to be the lash than fucking A because I will then know I did everything right up to that point.  

 

I learned a shit ton already with help from all you dudes here but I was at the point of getting nowhere and just wanted it fixed.  

[flatcat19]

Go to Walmart and buy a bicycle pedal wrench.

 

There should be two open ends. One is a 15mm, the other is 14mm.

[d.p]

Go to Walmart and buy a bicycle pedal wrench.

 

There should be two open ends. One is a 15mm, the other is 14mm.

 

Yeah I was reading about them thin ones used on bikes.   Any tip on getting a wrench/socket on the crankshaft from below?  Doing it from the side inside the engine bay is a PITA with the fan getting in the way. 

[racerx]

The reason i said to adjust valves is to eliminate what could be. U can also grind the 14mm or 17mm if you have a grinder so its thinner. Good luck.

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

X2 on the grinding. I modify tools for special use all the time and grinding a wrench to fit the rocker pedestal is common. Use a 4" grinder with a flap wheel. You may have just inadvertently found a problem right there though. The rocker pedestal should not be adjusted that low. Either the rocker geometry is off (too thick lash pad), or the valves are too long, or the retainers used aren't letting the pash pad hit the tip of the valve. There's a few things that could be going on there and I'd have the shop look into that too. Hell, maybe the valve adjustment is just that loose and that's your noise. Wouldn't that be awesome...

 

For the crank pulley, I do it from the top and I let the fan skip over the ratchet. It's a plastic fan and it will flex.

[d.p]

Update: Shop said chain tensioner is out, said too much slack in the chain and can see the tensioner spring loose behind the passenger side chain. What all involved in getting the tensioner back in place?

 

"pull distributor, oil pump, water pump, and loosen all the oil pan bolts to let the pan drop about an 1/8 inch... than you can take off the cover"

[Stoffregen Motorsports]

I would just drop the oil pan, to make is easier. Then oil pump and distributor, upper and lower radiator hoses, but leave the h20 pump on the cover. Remove ALL the front cover bolts that hold it to the block and the head (don't forget the two 6mm bolts on each lower corner, or the two 6mm bolts where the head bolts to the cover.  You may want to get the alternator bracket out of the way, but that's up to you.

 

Since you'll be draining the coolant, you may also want to remove the radiator to make visual easier.

 

Be sure to put it on TDC before you remove anything.

[datzenmike]

Don't forget the crank pulley. There's one 10mm bolt behind the oil pump, easy to over look.