I recently built a 428. It has a tick that will come and go with no real predictability. Sometimes it is quiet but other times it will tick fairly loudly. Loud enough it makes me cringe and want to pull over to check everything out. The motor has not been running warm. Please help me figure this out.

Here are my specs:
-68-69 428 Block bored .030 over
-D2TE-AA heads with a little home porting with CJ size valves (2.09 intake, 1.65 exhaust)
-Edelbrock Performer RPM intake
-Edelbrock 800CFM Thunder Series Carb
-Comp Cams 280H - with the matching Comp lifters
-Hooker Headers

I broke the engine in with straight 30 weight oil with Comp Cams break in additive. Ran it for a little more than 30 minutes total varying the engine speeds between 2000 and 2500 RPM. I dumped the oil and changed it and the filter refilling the motor with 10W30 oil.

Now, the only things that I have concluded about the tick are that it is less noticeable when the motor is cold. It will run fairly quiet without ticking for a couple of miles and then begin ticking. After running about 2000 RPM for 10 miles or so the ticking gets very loud. Occasionally I can pop the clutch in and give it a rap or two up to about 3000 RPM and it will stop ticking for maybe 30 seconds and continue again. Other than that, the ticking basically just comes and goes as it pleases. Sometimes slightly noticeable, sometimes it sounds like it bent a pushrod.

Do I have a bad lifter? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Big wag, but take a light and look for discolorization around your exhaust manifolds.

 

They look normal. Looking for exhaust leaks? Or something else? I don't think I have any. I have checked and tightened the bolts several times as they heat cycle. Plus, I've never really heard an exhaust leak that went from a teeny tick to a bent push rod sound at the same engine speed just cruising.

 

> DO YOU HAVE ADJUSTABLE ROCKERS IF YOU DO DISREGARD THE FOLLOWING < Have you had the valve covers off and started after you discovered the noise??/ and watched the side of the engine where the noise was coming from??/ Reason being is that my 390 had a lifter noise after removing the valve cover, started and watching the valve train I discovered that one of my rocker arms was falling off the valve(none adjustable valves), you probably won't have that problem if you have adjustable rocker set up,the only thing that keeps the rocker separated are a set of weak springs between the rockers!!/ correction to the problem was at then either Summit or Jeg's auto parts carried a set of aluminum spacers that replace the weak spring that separate the rockers (sleeves) that fit over the rocker shaft!!/ They work but you won't know if thats the problem until you remove the valve cover and start the engine??/

 

You may have a weak spring on the fuel pump arm letting the arm come away from the cam and causing a tick.

 

So I figured out that if I start it cold, let it warm up for a couple of minute then go drive around it doesn't tick. It ticks when I drive to college. About a 10 mile drive at 55 mph so RPM's are between 2000 and 2500. By the time I get there the ticking is so loud it makes me cringe. I tested the fuel pump by taking the lines off and running it. Ticking was still there. Was that an adequate test? I read about it on here somewhere.

 

Disconnecting the fuel lines and running it will not tell you about the tick, the rod is still running on the com. Old way of listening, is to use a solid metal rod and put one end on the pump and the other in your ear and listen.

 

Well I did that check this morning. Not the fuel pump.

 

Good, that is one thing out, now back to the valve train. Use the rod trick to see if you can see if you can tell what side of the engine the tick is on.

 

Well, embarrassed to admit what my issue was. At least what I believe my issue to have been. I took another drive and looked up to see smoke pouring out behind me. Stopped and popped the hood to find oil burning everywhere under the engine bay. After getting home and trying to locate the leak I decided it was either coming from the front crankshaft seal or from the front intake seal. It looked like it was dripping on top of the timing cover so I pulled the intake and replaced all of the gaskets. Changed the oil and topped the radiator back off and took it for a spin. Ticking gone. When I drained the oil, I had more than 6 quarts still left in it so I knew that wasn't the issue. I concluded that with such a large leak in the front intake seal that there wasn't enough oil for the lifters to stay pumped up, therefore causing my tick.

I could be wrong. Does anyone else have any insight on this?

Thanks for the help.

 

There is an exhaust gas crossover that runs through the intake manifold that is designed to supply heat to the carb and aid in warm up. Its ports are on the #3 and #6 cylinders. Many people don't realize that this mating surface between the head and intake is another point of possible exhaust leaks.
It is also a serious PIA to locate with the valve covers on.
When I am trying to nail down a leak I will use a timing light and move the pickup to the different plug wires to find which cylinder the "tick" coincides with.
If it falls on #3 or #6 then you can use a rod or stethoscope to determine which side of the head the leak is on.
My thinking is that you inadvertently fixed it when you pulled and replaced the intake.