455 Engine making a ticking noise.

Discussion in 'Street/strip 400/430/455' started by Stg1Regal, May 31, 2009.

  1. Stg1Regal

    Stg1Regal Yep Traction Issues!:)

    Until today my Regal with a 455 has been fun.... untill the TICKING sound.

    I pulled it out of my garage to let it warm up abit before driving to my daughters Graduation open house.

    At idle it sounded fine, put it in gear and started to drive and got to the end of my alley and "thought" I heard a slight ticking noise, "exhaust maybe" I thought.


    As we drove it progessively got worse and louder it even effected the performance, th engine seemed sluggish and missing.

    Eventually forcing me to turn around and bring it home.

    Now this has happened before twice and after an hour or so of sitting, it starts quiet and remains so for at least a year.

    Seems to be coming from the #2 cylnder area on the passenger side of the engine block.


    thoughts suggestions?

    Thanks
     
  2. Joe65SkylarkGS

    Joe65SkylarkGS 462 ina 65 Lark / GN

    SOunds like you collapsed a lifter or two. I would pull the intake if it was me.

    But lets see what else people suspect is the problem.
     
  3. Stg1Regal

    Stg1Regal Yep Traction Issues!:)

    Ok

    Just went out to start it,

    It really ticked loud and ran rough, very hard like a big cam, with one cylinder bad.

    I shut it off....

    Restarted... ran somewhat smoother, no loud tick, but just a slight tick, and can be heard, very well, when I put my ear to a breaker bar extensionand place the other end to the valve cover.


    Joe65SkylarkGS

    You might be on to something
     
  4. Joe65SkylarkGS

    Joe65SkylarkGS 462 ina 65 Lark / GN

    Yea Chris i'd pop the intake off asap. Whatever you do, don't run it anymore. imo.
     
  5. 71skylark3504v

    71skylark3504v Goin' Fast In Luxury!

    I would pop a valve cover first.:pp There is plenty to check under there.
     
  6. Joe65SkylarkGS

    Joe65SkylarkGS 462 ina 65 Lark / GN


    Yea true. But i'm thinking it has to come off anyways so I don't waste time when it comes to my rides.

    Get er done and running!!!I always say.
     
  7. 71skylark3504v

    71skylark3504v Goin' Fast In Luxury!

    It's possible there could be trouble with a valve spring or rocker and a valve cover takes 5 minutes to remove. Hope you get it running!:TU:
     
  8. Stg1Regal

    Stg1Regal Yep Traction Issues!:)

    Joe65SkylarkGS & 71skylark3504v

    Thanks guys....

    I'll take a look in both areas.

    But once there, how do I determine if it is a bad spring, or a bad lifter?
    Are there signs that one can see visually to indicate thay are bad?

    Yes I do wanna get up and running, I wanna race at the BUICKS @ BUNKER Here in IN. July 11 and run it up the track a few times at the BPG!!

    Thanks again
     
  9. Smartin

    Smartin antiqueautomotiveservice.com Staff Member

    Check for loose pushrods. Rotate the engine by hand and watch the rockers.

    I think the worst case would be flat cam lobe.
     
  10. rmstg2

    rmstg2 Gold Level Contributor

    If I'm understanding your problem the noise comes and goes. I'm thiinking lifter
    a flat lobe, broken spring, or bent pushrod doesn't come and go. Once things
    are flattened broken or bent they stay that way. If you know what side it is pull that valve cover. You should be able to find the source. of the problem.
    If you start it cold and it's quiet and smooth try a can of Shaler Rislone
    it's worked for me more than once.

    Bob H.
     
  11. Stg1Regal

    Stg1Regal Yep Traction Issues!:)

    OK ...... ummm

    Went to start it last night for a neighbor to hear the ticking noise,before we starting working on it....

    Its quiet as a church mouse, no ticking, runs smooth??????:Dou: :Dou:

    Must been the lifter??:Do No:
     
  12. Opa

    Opa Torque/a 8 piston figure

    Sounds like an oilpressure problem or a bad lifter.
     
  13. LARRY70GS

    LARRY70GS a.k.a. "THE WIZARD" Staff Member

    How's the oil pressure?
     
  14. Stg1Regal

    Stg1Regal Yep Traction Issues!:)

    Thanks guys....... Ill check the oil PSI.

    and I'll let you know
     
  15. yacster

    yacster Lv the gun tk the Canolis

    Could be as simple as a lifter hitting the valve cover. Some times when you lean on the engine to adjust some thing you can move the VC slightly and it can make contact with a lifter. Some thing I expirienced on my nail head. Pulled off my VC and notice some scratching on the inside where it was contacting a lifter. Replaced, resarted heard a slight tick. Then all I did was hit the VC with a rubber mallet a little and voila noise gone:TU:
     
  16. LARRY70GS

    LARRY70GS a.k.a. "THE WIZARD" Staff Member


    That's it Antney, beat that engine into submission:laugh: I think you mean rocker arm/valve cover interference. If the lifter got out of the galley, you'd have bigger problems than noise:bla:
     
  17. Mark Demko

    Mark Demko Well-Known Member

    I would say a collapsed lifter too. I had a similar problem years ago on a 307 Olds, I put a new intake gasket on it to fix the common coolant leak on those engines, fired it up and clack clack clack, knock knock knock, engine was shaking like crazy, I changed the oil and all was well for the next 100,000 miles. Mark
     
  18. GS1

    GS1 Well-Known Member

    Sounds like you may have found the problem if it was a lifter. I had a much more serious problem that could have been disastrous one week after I bought my car 25 years ago (when I was 18). I would encourage you to at least look under the valve cover. Here is my story:

    First mistake was I let my brother borrow the car. When returned, it had a slight ticking noise like you have described. I decided (not sure why) to drive to the local gas station (back when they were full service garages) for some STP oil treatment and some fuel additive, I am still not sure why, probably trying to avoid the obvious. On the way home, the ticking quickly turned into a rap about 1/2 mile from home. I could tell it was something on the top end. I parked the car, cried and didn't look at it for 3 days. I figured I had ruined my motor and I had only owned the car or 7 days. After getting my courage up, I pulled the valve cover (that was now dented from the underside) and found one valve spring broken in three places, completely collapsed, the valve spring keepers laying in the valve spring area along with the nylon button that keeps the rocker arm centered. The rocker are had slide to the side allowing the pushrod to freely (and violently) contact the valve cover. Finally, the valve with nothing to hold it in place, was just sitting there, still in the guide. In the course of repairing, I called the previous owner to ask him if he had ever had this problem. He had and he had fixed it with a used valve spring from a set of heads he had taken off a junked car. I was able to get the heads from him as a result! I did a temporary fix while waiting for a new and complete set to arrive. I purchased a complete set of valve springs and a KB valve spring compression tool that used air pressure in the spark plug whole and changed them all. I also had to replace the bent pushrod. I have never had another problem (and of course it probably has not been revved since like my brother did either). I do not let anyone else drive my car without me in it!
     
    Last edited: Jun 13, 2009
    MrSony likes this.
  19. Stg1Regal

    Stg1Regal Yep Traction Issues!:)

    Come to think of it I did experince this years ago in my 1966 Impala SS, 396, 4speed.
    It happened while at a cruise in,a couple of local guys I knew as good mechanics, (you know they where they had tools in their rides), pulled the valve cover off (passenger side) and proceeded to tighten down the rocker that had the lifter issue till it quit, afterward he back off the and reset everything.
    Told me it was a collasped lifter then.

    Never had a problem afterwards on that engine.

    Gonna pull the valve covers off the 455 today, to make sure, I did start the motor again ( nope didnt get the oil psi), and put my ear to a breaker bar to see if I hear anything, just normal ticking noise from the pushrods and rockers,I compared both sides they both sound the same.

    Im also gonna do a oil and filter change. and I will get the oil PSI before the change, hot and cold readings.

    again thanks for the inputs
     
  20. yacster

    yacster Lv the gun tk the Canolis

    Ohhh Geeze!! Talk about having the brain fart of all brain farts. I kept reading lifter this and lifter that my brain was stuck on LIFTER!!! ARRGGHH:laugh:

    I meant Rocker thanks Larry. You should have been an editor:TU:

    I hope I didnt confuse anyone. . . . DOH!:Dou:
     

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