Valve train noise after head rebuild swap

[optmaxx]

So interesting update. I drove it to Walmart to get some Engine Restorer cause I've read some reviews of people having good luck with their Jeep valvetrain chatter, and I don't know if the valvetrain finally adjusted to the smaller pushrods or if it was the Restorer cause the chatter is pretty much gone. If it was the Restorer then that stuff worked fast!

There is a faint tapping noise that stayed, that is in time with the spark cause when I unplug the #6 sparkplug, it totally goes away. I suspect that I'm running too hot plugs cause I switched to the stock plugs, and the tapping appears after it's warmed up, or maybe I have a bad injector? I already changed the connecting rods.

Here it is after the drive and adding Engine Restorer for 6cyl engines, you can hear a faint tapping: https://youtu.be/6t60srsk9LA?si=5KfOLpgw9qOFMgCO

Here the video starts with the #6 plug disconnected, and then I reconnect it at around :48 seconds: https://youtu.be/NV3NSXrnFDw?si=q4xrVWCfiXsbL731

Here it is with the #6 plug disconnected: https://youtu.be/lEo_X2k7RWM?si=RVostJkOkBuO9yLF

Here it is with the #6 plug connected: https://youtu.be/shwVfMmrzxs?si=5elds9rgi_uOC_A4

I suspect too hot stock plugs or a lazy injector. Head was replaced after previous head cracked leaking coolant into the oil. I don't suspect the connecting rods cause they're new.

[optmaxx]

Well, this is what it sounds like after checking preload and changing to smaller 9.594" pushrods. I also added Engine Restorer, but I'm not sure if that is what cured the clacking cause it sort of fixed itself after doing both; either way, it sounds way better and this is after driving it too. I also changed from stock temp plugs to colder ones, and I plan to get a new set of Mustang injectors soon hopefully. Pretty happy with the results so far. https://youtu.be/mmMYD3KiK_8?si=07KgAyXI0qbe6b6F

Big difference huh?

[optmaxx]

Here's another update. I changed the oil to 10w30 Castrol GTX and added another can of restorer, because I had 10w40 in it while on this journey to improve the valvetrain clack/chatter thinking that it may have needed thicker oil, and now it seems to sound better to me after running errands. I still have a sloppy timing chain that could be causing some minor noise, but for now it just sounds way better.

So changing to smaller pushrods started to quite it down, adding restorer after as well, but who knows if that help cause the lifters may have needed a day to adjust. Having water in the oil, and having it sit for some time could have created some some sludge and varnish in the lifters that may have started to clear out. I did notice sludge buildup around the lifter area when replacing the head that I thoroughly cleaned out too, so hopefully these frequent oil changed have done it good.

Here's a before changing to smaller pushrods: https://youtu.be/8PC4vwWpvJI?si=8ecTc1b1N4xZEBUA

Here's a recent after:

1: https://youtu.be/9N4ADG_MDcg?si=C-dZAHCAlm7YJHhj

2: https://youtu.be/hwyHEdKRzms?si=IKiOb3igAUCSv6wx

[optmaxx]

I'm also running a set of Autolite Platinum AP104 that I had in the garage that were pretty much new cause they were colder plugs. Not sure if it's the plugs, or having better length pushrods, but my stroker seems to have more pep.

[optmaxx]

The Clacking was beginning to come back, so I decided to do a few things like change the valvecover back to stock cause I had that aluminum aftermarket one on, but I doubt that had anything to do with it...unless the aftermarket one would amplify the valvetrain noise somehow.

I also went back and reinstalled the Distributor at TDC to make sure the timing was correct cause I had to reinstall it after changing the oil pump during the head swap, and I may have reinstalled it sloppily the first time and I maybe retarded the timing. Now, it sounds better after driving it around all warmed up, it idles better and it has more power.

Could incorrect timing cause engine noise? I think a mechanic once told me that incorrect timing could cause noise even in noninterference engines by causing the lifters to land on the cam harder because of the incorrect timing. What do you guys think?

Oh, I almost forgot to mention that I sprayed some PB blaster into the pushrod holes both on the head, and on the pushrods themselves hoping it'll reach the lifters, but I don't know cause it wasn't that much...

https://youtu.be/ArFqbLJLPOg?si=z1afPx5_Fl_mBDH8

[amcinstaller]

If your distributor is out in older engines it can cause a knocking sound because the fuel is ignited too soon. That sound would be similar to the rattle you hear while shaking a spray paint can. In this days you could effectively adjust ignition timing by simply turning the distributor. I'm not sure turning the distributor has the same effect on these engines but it definitely wouldn't help anything.

[Cheromaniac]

The ignition timing on these engines is fixed. Rotating the distributor only changes the timing of the injector pulse as that has to be synchronized with the valve timing.

[optmaxx]

Cool, yeah I remember that you can't mess with the dizzy.

When I put the dizzy back in after changing the head and oil pump, I remember that I did move the dizzy body counter clockwise so that the tab can line up with the bolt hole after stabbing it in thinking that it didn't matter since the PCM controls the timing, but the rotor stayed in place - so I moved the body, but not the rotor.

Wondering if that could have been a cause of the clacking, or the cause, I went and re-indexed the dizzy; but this time I would reposition it over the hole until the whole unit slid in with the tab lined up with the bolt hole when seated, without having to adjust anything and the rotor lined up for the 6 cylinder engine.

Well, it sounds much better than it did before. I'm not saying that's what fixed it, I'm just glad it sounds better.

[optmaxx]

Ahhhh! Some bad news! My lifters or rod bearing is toast!

Well, not surprising if it's my lifter since I've been having noise issues. Not shown, but oil would shoot out of some rockers, and hit the top of the hood which isn't normal...so maybe the lifters? This happened after going about 80 trying to pass someone that wouldn't let me on the freeway. I drove home, but it wasn't far.

So oil shooting out of the rockers usually means lifters right? A spun rod bearing wouldn't do that...right? Here's a video of the noise

https://youtu.be/46w6s3NW9FI

[Cheromaniac]

That sounds more like a tappet noise. Spun rod bearings usually produce a deeper, heavier knocking sound.

[optmaxx]

Yeah, I took it apart, head and pan and couldn't find anything wrong with the bearings at all. The lifters look good visually with really good wear especially on the base, but internally who knows right? Serious question, what would make oil shoot out of the rockers? This happened on the #4 intake rocker, but then it happened in the #1 intake rocker after turning it off and the on again, then it went back to the squirting oil on the #4 rocker. I wonder if the engine restorer plugged the oil filter cause there was material of it on the bottom of the pan that looked sludgy but copper in color but there isn't any evidence of a trashed bearing, and I was getting good oil pressure.

I'm going to pop out some pistons to inspect and change the rings while I'm at it next, cylinder walls looked good. Oh, I did notice that the valve stem seals in two valves were sitting a bit higher than the rest, would that mean anything? Looks like I can press them back down with a screw driver.

[optmaxx]

Whelp, it's the #6 piston...I knew I heard that sound before. It's really stiff on the pin so it seemed to have seized on the pin for some reason, and the marked areas don't have gouges or nothing to hang a nail on.

I popped out the #5 piston just to inspect it and it looked great and it's not stiff at all.

[optmaxx]

They should sell one 944 .020 piston too right? I'm pretty sure I just need one. Or what are my other options for one 4.0 rod? I also have a 4.2 rod lol, jk.

[optmaxx]

So I'm finally done, and in the end, it was the #6 piston that gave me my ticking, that turned into clacking, and then eventually turned into knocking and not the valvetrain making noise.

My machinist recommended that I run it without the girdle just in case that it limited oil splashing to the pistons, and since it's not really made for a stroker, so I didn't install it and it's been fine.

I pretty much did an in frame rebuild by changing the rings, bearings, new ebay lifters, re-honed all cylinders and one bought new 944 piston. I reused the other pistons cause they were still good, so I just cleaned them up. I also bought rebuilt 24lb injectors.

Here's it is after driving it for a few days, and this is after running some errands. It definitely sounds better to me.

https://youtu.be/k1pQpU1W5jw?si=A4epPERZz8u_9QXf

[Cheromaniac]

It's purring like a kitten now.