All right guys, I try to avoid asking questions on here till I'm stumped. My FE has a really annoying tick coming from the driver side bank. It rises up with consistent rpms and gets slightly louder also. The noise seems to be the loudest with my ear next to cylinder 5&6(two cylinders to the front on drivers side) right above the exhaust manifold (more like inbetween) there's no bent push rods, rocker arms are set properly and I completely went through the exhaust manifold and sanded down all surfaces clean and smooth. Any suggestions? It's just as loud with the valve cover on and off. It's been doing it since I purchased it, changing viscosity of oil doesn't not affect it.

So in all, before I rip off the intake thinking it's my lifters (replaced a few already, didn't solve it) I want to be able to confirm before I break my back

 

Lifter or exhaust leak. WAG alert. . . . .

 

Sounds like you've looked at the usual suspects. Any chance the valley splash shield is rubbing a push rod? Actually happened to me once...drove me up a tree until I found it.

With at least some of the original cast iron intakes, you can replace all lifters through the push rod holes, btw.

 

First, does it tick when you're on OR off the gas? Or does it get louder when you're into the go-pedal?

If not, with the valve cover off, crank the engine and observe the rocker arms. Is one (or more) not moving as much as the rest?

If so, it's an exhaust leak. Loose plug?

 

Before I pulled the intake I would pull the exhaust manifold and look for that obvious leak. Before I switched to headers that tick would make me park the truck for months at a time.....hearing it was like listening to a presidential debate on CNN and FOX News in stereo.......

 

it ticks regardless of me being on the gas or not, only time it doesn't tick is when the rpms drop to about 500. It gets louder with gas but it's not a huge audible increase. Checked the rocker arm movement and they seem to move the same amount. It doesn't seem to be exhaust leak as I took off the manifold, wire wheeled each port on the manifold and the heat shield so no buildup was there AND added a steel/fiber? Gasket to it, sound did not change at all.
I replaced all lifters that I could pull off without pulling the intake manifold(so #5 intake? And #8 exhaust? We're not changed), no change.

 

So it's not an exhaust leak, if it does it when you let off the gas.

Get an automotive stethoscope and go hunting.

 

tried to use that too, nothing on valve cover and nothing in between cylinders. So the lifters I didn't get to is the issue?

 

Or maybe even a cracked rocker arm shaft.

More than likely, though, a collapsed lifter. With the valve cover off, rotate the engine and when a valve is complete closed, check if the rocker arm can be moved up and down. Repeat as necessary until you check them all.

 

This is your issue. Karma has a way of saying hello for not checking them all. Hopefully you have 2 lifters left in your set and can swap these out and be on your merry tickless way....

 

I'm hoping so. Can someone tell me how I post videos? I have a video of the ticking but of course I cannot figure out how to post it

 

YouTube it.......make an account with your FT name and upload to the Tube and them post the link here.

 

, here ya go. It's an old video so don't mind some of the untidyness

 

Sounds a lot like mine. Subscribed.

 

Anyone got suggestions? It sounds like a lifter correct?