Valve Tappet Help

[Noah H]

Hello,

My Flathead has been running well during the start of the cold here. I have read up on the forum about preforming a valve adjustment and attempted to do so while the engine was running.
 

After adjustment my motor quiet with soft ticking. .10 int. .10 exhaust.  After an 800 mile journey and daily driving for months, I have noticed the ticking has became more of a chatter.
 

I feel like the car can have more power. It idles great with steady 17 inches vacuum. 

 

This is the second time I have had the tappets adjusted to try and reduce noise. One after the rebuild and one before the road trip.  I feel like I am doing it incorrectly. I know some noise is wanted, but at times it  makes driving unpleasant. 

What can I do to help with this? 
 

thanks. 

[Dodgeb4ya]

Was the cam re-ground?

I've had a couple re-ground cam  engines that the valve train could not be clatter free no matter how well the valves were adjusted.

New guides, new valves.

[Sniper]

Keith has a pretty good tappet adjustment video.

 

 

[Matt Wilson]

Is it possible that you have an adjustment screw the doesn't fit as tightly in the lifter as it should?  I read of one guy who had a loose-fitting adjustment screw in one tappet, and that tappet lost its adjustment, resulting in excessive clearance.  I Seem to remember it getting bad enough tuat his engine started miss-firing in that cylinder. I think the only solution would be to replace the adjustment screw and/or lifter. 

 

Just a thought....