Well i haven't posted much here but i've definately been reading up on my motor. A lot of good info here.
Heres my question. I have a 76 f-100 with a 360 2 barrel. it is making a ticking noise. I read up on ticking so i'm sure it's either the lifters, pushrods, or rocker arms. However I want to double check with you guys because I am having a real hard time pinpointing the exact location of the problem.
So far all i've done is a couple oil changes, but i've been doing them fairly often. Used rislone engine treatment with 20-50 and that seemed to help, but the ticking came back. Put a hard 300 miles on it and did another oil change this morning. This time 10-40 with marvel mystery oil, since you guys seem to prefer it. Haven't been able to drive it much cuz i'm broke at the moment, but in the two miles i drove it it was still ticking. Should I keep going with the oil changes or pony up for lifters and such? Thanks.

 

Ticking with an FE could easily be pushrods. I had my father-in-law's '71 with a 390 that started ticking. Poped off the intake(ohhh my back) took out the push rods(easy to do) and tested them by rolling them across plate glass, they click, tick when rolled. Found three slightly bent. Bought a set for $65 put them in with new intake gaskets, went out and toasted the tires to make sure she worked.

 

dont forget your exaust manifolds ( a leak ), a loose spark plug, or bad wire to plug connection (bad wires too ) can make ticking like noises.........

 

Take a length of garden hose, engine idling, place the end of the hose all around the exhaust manifold to cylinder head and around the exhaust manifold pipe. A exhaust leak will make the same noise as a lifter. Then pull the rocker arm covers (one at a time), start the engine and push on the rocker arm at the valve to see if the noise changes. After locating the one that is clicking, take off the rocker arm assembly (post back for instructions), and roll that pushrod on glass to see if it is bent. Look down in the engine at that lifter (if the pushrod is not bent), can you fish it out with a mechanics magnet? If not you'll need to pull the intake, a real PITA and unless it is really clacking I'd let her click. After you get that lifter in your hand examine it for scuffing and unusual wear on the bottom. Then cartefully inspect the chamshaft lobe on the lifter that was clicking. Wear, scuffing or scratches should not be visible. As you can see it would be better if it turns out to be a exhaust leak, then a bent pushrod, then a bad lifter that can be fished. Good luck and please post back. Don't pull the rocker with out additional instructions these are easily damaged.

 

Well I broke down and took it to a mechanic. I have a bud who runs a shop and he checked it out for me for free. A huge part of it was that there was an exhaust leak on the egr gasket, so it made the noise sound worse than it actually was.

So with the exhaust leak taken care of, heres the situation. The tapping noise is still there. It is much lighter and somewhat more irregular. It also seems to fade off some as the rpm's increase. The mechanic mentioned that it could be timing chain slop, but that would make the truck run poorly, right? Could I still be looking at lifters/pushrods/rocker arms? If so i'm gonn try and change most of that out thios weekend. THanks

 

Whoa, hang on a minute. This sounds like one of those "if it ain't broke don't fix it" deals. Lifters wear out and over time will click a bit, fuel pumps will click and so will wrist pins. Sometimes the push rods will interfere with the intake and also make a clicking noise. Leave it alone! Keep it full of oil (some run an extra quart, myself included) and drive on. Report back after 10000 miles and we can discuss this.

 

Take a stethascope and listen on the timing cover near the fuel pump.If thats where the noise is coming from its your fuel pump ecentric. It will sound like a lifter but will be irregular. Some late model fe's had a 2 piece eccentric that rattled around, you can us
an older 1 piece unit to eliminate the noise.

 

Thanks fhe help guys, i'm a lot less worried now than I was before. I'm gonna leave it alone for the moment but if it gets any worse i'll definately be back here lookin for help. As for that running a quart extra, i thought that was just for cars? I run 6 quarts as is, should I still add one?

 

Nope, six is good!