I have an all stock 68 Buick GS 400. With 60K original miles on it. I have a couple questions I’m hoping you can all help me out with. I’ve developed a notable ticking noise in the drivers rear side of the motor. I believe the noise is either Cam/Lifter noise. Or possibly flywheel noise. I haven’t ruled out the rocker assembly either. When the engine is cool there is no noise. When the engine is hot I can hear the noise as the car is stopped and idling but if I give it gas the noise is near impossible to hear. Or goes away completely. Here are my questions. 1) I would love to hear any suggestions on the simplest way to determine where the noise is coming from and if it’s serious or not. Or what I should be checking into as possibilities. 2) I’m thinking of doing a mild tear down this winter to inspect the cam, lifters, rocker arm and possibly flywheel. Once in there I would like to do a cam upgrade. I also have a B4B intake I figured I’d install also. I’d like to hear suggestions on the best cam for near stock components. I’d mainly like a more aggressive sound and choppier idle. I could care less about fuel economy but I don’t want a cam that’s too aggressive for the stock valve train or torque converter. 3) If I end up dropping the trans as well. I figured I’d do a light converter upgrade to allow me a few more cam options. If I go this route could you name a cam, converter combo that would work well with a stock motor with a B4B intake. A few points. I have tried removing the spark plugs wires one at a time and didn’t see any changes in the noise. Tune up was done about 100 miles ago. Oil pressure is good. And the car had a recent oil change. The noise sounds lower than the rocker assembly but it’s really hard to tell exactly where it’s coming from. So that’s why I haven’t totally ruled it out. I’m leaning towards the cam/lifters as the probable cause. I am hoping it’s not something serious like a rod knock.
How did you rule out exhaust leak?? That certainly has the characteristics you describe. But you can take a long screwdriver and put it in the valve cover over each valve and you will hear where the noise is coming from. Most the time valve train noise is more prominent when cold vs hot Exhaust leak is the opposite A rod knock has a much different sound as does a wrist pin than a valvtrain tap. With any aftermarket cam you should really upgrade the valve train and possibly even perform a valve job and service the guides that's just how it goes imo
Sounds like a lifter. I would do a compression test on all the cylinders before tearing into it to see if a bad lifter is causing a compression reduction.
