Tappets ticking?

[steveplym]

Been driving the P-15 a bit lately. Wanted to get a couple hundred miles on it before I start to repaint it this summer. New motor runs really good and goes down the road with no hesitation. I've got a ticking noise in the motor, sounds like the tappets to me.

I've readjusted the valve tappets as they were a little too tight and I didn't want to burn a valve. Noise has not changed and it does not sound like a wrist pin or piston to me.

I took a video of the car running and you can definitely hear the tapping sound.

What do you guys think just tappets and valves tapping or have I got a more serious problem?

[martybose]

I hate to ask this, but did you take a close look at the valve springs when you readjusted the valves? The ticking noise that I had several years ago turned out to be a broken valve spring! It happened twice; after the second one I replaced the entire set of springs, no problems since then.

Marty

[steveplym]

I looked at the springs and didn't see any obvious problems. May need to check again. Thanks for the tip.

[martybose]

I looked at the springs and didn't see any obvious problems. May need to check again. Thanks for the tip.

You might be okay; my mechanic thought that my problem might have been that my original springs had been plated; my new ones aren't.

Marty

[Norm's Coupe]

Are you sure its not the fuel pump. It will make a tapping noise too sometimes.

[Captain Neon]

Yeah, mine sounded like that when it had a broken valve spring. BTW, I think your engine bay looks nice. I repainted my air cleaner this spring and I am surprised at how much just that one little thing dressed up my engine compartment.

[steveplym]

Well after watching that video again I noticed a slight oil drip. Looks like I didn't get the side panels real good and sealed. So I will need to pull them anyway, might as well check the springs while I've got them back off. I'm glad I haven't reinstalled the inner fender panel yet.

[steveplym]

So while I'm asking what do you have to do to change the valve springs while the motor is in the car? Do you have to pull the head and remove the valves? or can you get the springs out without removing the valves?

[Captain Neon]

My spring was replaced by going through the valve cover, compressing the broken spring, and replacing the keepers. All readily available from Vintage Power Wagons.

[steveplym]

My spring was replaced by going through the valve cover, compressing the broken spring, and replacing the keepers. All readily available from Vintage Power Wagons.

So the springs will come out without removing the valves?

[JIPJOBXX]

Sorry to hear your engine making so much noise. The engine and the rest of the car looks great! I checked out my repair manual and could not find any information about removing the springs out the inspection cover area. But maybe the mother of inventions will work out in this case. I would definitely try to take out one spring out the side. My book shows a spring compressor for checking the compression on the spring itself. Maybe if you could get one out then you could take it to a repair shop and test the spring itself. Best of luck with your problem and I hope it turns out to be an easy fix. Jon

[martybose]

So the springs will come out without removing the valves?

The head and manifolds have to be off so that you can get a valvespring compressor on them. You don't have to completely remove the valves, but once the keepers are removed you will have to lift the valves up enough to get the springs off and back on. I replaced all of mine in the car after removing the manifolds and head.

Marty

[Normspeed]

Steve, it does sound kinda like loose tappets. If that noise came up right after the adjustment I'd say re-adjust the valves to stock specs, and don't worry about leaving any extra clearance. While you're there you can do a visual on the springs. With the motor off you can rotate the springs that are uncompressed, to see how they look all the way around.

When you adjusted them last time, was it with the motor running or stopped?

[steveplym]

Steve, it does sound kinda like loose tappets. If that noise came up right after the adjustment I'd say re-adjust the valves to stock specs, and don't worry about leaving any extra clearance. While you're there you can do a visual on the springs. With the motor off you can rotate the springs that are uncompressed, to see how they look all the way around.

When you adjusted them last time, was it with the motor running or stopped?

I adjusted them with the motor stopped. Motor was warmed up and hot, but I shut off the motor to check and adjust the clearances.

[blueskies]

Here's

Not as loud as yours, but I can hear my tappets too. I have not re-adjusted my valves since my rebuild, and probably need to. Reason I have not done it yet, is I will have to remove the intake and exhaust on my engine, becasue I can not remove the tappet covers with the Langdon tube headers in place. Not sure if there is any way for me to adjust them hot because of this...

Pete

[steveplym]

Here's

Not as loud as yours, but I can hear my tappets too. I have not re-adjusted my valves since my rebuild, and probably need to. Reason I have not done it yet, is I will have to remove the intake and exhaust on my engine, becasue I can not remove the tappet covers with the Langdon tube headers in place. Not sure if there is any way for me to adjust them hot because of this...

Pete

Yeah removing the intake and exhaust would be a pain. If mine sounded like yours I would probably leave it alone too.

I think I'm going to just check for a broken valve spring and try to readjust the tappets with the engine good and hot again.

[Normspeed]

Steve, it might just be me, but I tried adjusting mine using the procedure in our tech section for adjusting with the engine off and I repeatedly got one valve that was way too loose. If you use that procedure, either re-check with the engine running, or double check every valve to be sure it is completely off the cam lobe when you adjust it. I hope it's just an adjustment problem, much easier than replacing springs.

[Don Coatney]

Like Pete I have not adjusted my valves sense I assembled my engine. I adjusted them cold at .014" for both the intake and exhaust per the recommendation of my cam grinder Earl Edgerton. With the head removed it is easy to adjust them on the bench as I simply brought each cylinder to TDC on the compression stroke to insure visually that both valves are fully closed. It is always best to favor the loose (too much clearance) side when adjusting valves. If you set them too close you run the risk of burning the exhaust valves. I little ticking does not hurt anything.

[Reg Evans]

Here's

Reason I have not done it yet, is I will have to remove the intake and exhaust on my engine, becasue I can not remove the tappet covers with the Langdon tube headers in place. Not sure if there is any way for me to adjust them hot because of this...

Pete

Pete , I had a buddy adjust my valves in the car with the Langdon headers because one of mine was making a lot of noise. He said he got them all perfect but the noise is still there. That cylinder dropped from 110 lbs like the rest to 75 right after it was installed. I wonder if maybe I have a broken spring?

[Norm's Coupe]

Like Don mentioned. A little ticking is better than no ticking. I've owned several 6 clylinder mopars and most of them were new. They all ticked. Whenever I ask the dealer about that the answer was always the same. They are supposed to tick a little. Get them too tight and you'll burn the valve.

[blueskies]

Pete , I had a buddy adjust my valves in the car with the Langdon headers because one of mine was making a lot of noise. He said he got them all perfect but the noise is still there. That cylinder dropped from 110 lbs like the rest to 75 right after it was installed. I wonder if maybe I have a broken spring?

Or, maybe one valve is sticking? or maybe not seating correctly? Hard to say, without getting in there...

I really with I had put studs in the block for the tappet covers. There is no way to pull the thumb screws out with the headers on the engine. When I do eventually pull the headers to get at my valves, I'm going to put studs in, and use nuts on the outside of the covers. I think there might be room to slip them off if it weren't for the long thumb screw bolts holding them on.

Pete

[blueskies]

....I adjusted them cold at .014" for both the intake and exhaust per the recommendation of my cam grinder Earl Edgerton...

I set mine to the same cold spec's, but my engine is quite a bit louder than yours, Don. Wonder how much of it is due to the Hi-Po valve springs that VPW sold me. The springs are quite a bit stiffer than stock. But then again, all the better to assure my valve's won't float during THE BIGGER RACE.

Pete

[Don Coatney]

I set mine to the same cold spec's, but my engine is quite a bit louder than yours, Don. Wonder how much of it is due to the Hi-Po valve springs that VPW sold me. The springs are quite a bit stiffer than stock. But then again, all the better to assure my valve's won't float during THE BIGGER RACE.

Pete

If your valves float at 5 grand or less you need stiffer springs yet. I am using standard springs and they are galvanized.

[steveplym]

Like Don mentioned. A little ticking is better than no ticking. I've owned several 6 clylinder mopars and most of them were new. They all ticked. Whenever I ask the dealer about that the answer was always the same. They are supposed to tick a little. Get them too tight and you'll burn the valve.

Norm, I think I'm with you and Don. If there is no damage to the valve springs I may just live with the noise. Car is running great and does not miss at all.

[jimwheeldon]

I had no ticking noise until I replaced my fuel pump...hopefully thats a minor annoyance and not a real problem.