Hello all, and thank you for this awesome forum! I am fairly new to the Nailhead, and am posting to try and narrow down the issues, and get back on the road again. I have owned my '62 LeSabre since June of '20, and have driven her around 5k miles since then! There has never been any unusual noise from the top end until last Thursday. I noticed the very loud ticking on my way home, and this noise is very loud. I had a mechanic friend come by on Friday with his stethoscope, and we ruled out bottom end issues, based on the stethoscope. He isn't familiar with the Nailhead, so he suggested valvetrain issues. I pulled the rocker covers and physically inspected everything. Nothing is loose or out of place at this time. I then pulled plug wires one at a time and ran her, and the noise still didn't stop. I know that the cam sprocket teeth from factory had plastic coating, and they can fail and knock. I realize that without actually hearing my engine, this is shooting in the dark, but it can't hurt to ask the experts here. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you!
Check the pockets in the rocker arms. Years ago I had a 340 develop a loud tap oa the pocket where the pushrod end sits had broken. Patrick
If you can't narrow the noise to left or right, I doubt whether it is upper valve train noise. If it is making that much noise, then there should be something very obvious with regard to pushrods and rockers. I have heard a loose flexplate make awful knocking/ticking noises. Not really sure about a 62, that would be a Dynaflow. I would think they have the same type of inspection cover at the forward bottom of the transmission. Check the converter to flex plate bolts? Also, water pumps can make a lot of noise. See if the pulley is wobbling with the engine running. They wobble and make noise before leaking. With the engine off, grab a hold of the pulley and try to wobble it. You should not be able to.
Thank you for the responses. I am going to work on her when I get home from work. I will report my findings in the morning.
This could be a reach but a leaky exhaust manifold gasket causes a tick that sounds like a valve tap sometimes. But you said you pulled every plug one at a time. That should should have eliminated the tick one out of 8 times if so.
Well, when I got home I decided to check the flywheel bolts to converter. Of course like a dummy I broke one of the 3 bolts off in the converter. Thankfully I was able to use small vice grips and extract it from the rear. I had extra bolts from another trans, so we're all buttoned back up, but noise is still there. I had to shut it down early tonight to put my kids to bed. I work from home Thu and Friday, so I'll have more time to work on er then. I'll keep you guys posted. Thanks again!
Nailheads are notorious for sticky valves. When that happens, you end up with a significant tick. Pull the rocker shafts and check that all valves are level with each other. Can you post a video of the noise?
Just took this video. Hope it helps to identify the issue. Thank you! https://photos.app.goo.gl/AWx9BFYAnrwUcFmz7
All, I forgot to mention yesterday that I changed the oil and filter the day after this noise started. I cut the filter a part and inspected it. There was no metal in the filter at all, not even a sparkle. Thanks
Right rear seems worse...is it just me or does the engine shutter slightly with the noise? The front also seems noisy like the fuel pump arm lost its pad.
Mine was the same. Odometer stopped at 136K. Timing gears were completely stripped, noisy lifters. I rebuilt the engine but probably could have gotten away with a valvetrain replacement and left the bottom alone. Mine was a ticking time bomb.
Wow! Unfortunately rebuilding the engine entirely is just not financially wise for me. I love the nailhead, but parts ain't cheap. If it ends up being bottom end, I will be looking for another nailhead to swap in(401 or 425, 59-66). As cool as it would be, an LS swap is also cost prohibitive, and doesn't make sense long term. This car is my first "project car" that I am working on, and it has already provided me with tons of education! I have thoroughly enjoyed cruising her this whole summer, and the side pipes on my car sound amazing. These cars are cool as heck, and I hope I can her going asap. https://photos.app.goo.gl/VSk8pY6MagD1Wjut6
