tick, tick, tick

Reply Subscribe

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

Jul 14, 2004 | 06:36 PM

grw289

Thread Starter

New User

Joined: Feb 2003

Posts: 16

Likes: 0

tick, tick, tick

I have a 72 f250 with a 390. Tick, tick. Gets louder as it warms up. Lifter gone bad? It starts and runs great. Not to long ago I put a edelbrock intake and carb, accel distributer and deul exhaust. It woke the truck up a lot. If I start it up with the valve cover off, will it **** oil all over the place? thanks in advance for any wisdom.

Jul 14, 2004 | 06:49 PM

debestuss

Elder User

Joined: Feb 2004

Posts: 835

Likes: 0

From: Fort Rucker, AL

Have you pulled the spark plug wires off individually to see if the ticking goes away?

Jul 14, 2004 | 09:20 PM

led sled

Senior User

Joined: May 2004

Posts: 367

Likes: 0

it might be a small exhaust leak. sounds like you have good oil pressure. does the ticking get faster as you accelerate ?

Jul 14, 2004 | 09:56 PM

fordman428

Posting Guru

Joined: Nov 2003

Posts: 1,888

Likes: 1

From: Iowa

yes if you take the valve cover off while its running it will spray oil all over. not a good idea.

Jul 14, 2004 | 11:02 PM

rusty70f100

Post Fiend

Joined: Jan 2003

Posts: 8,600

Likes: 4

From: Iowa

Hook up a timing light to determine if the tick is at engine speed or half engine speed (twice or once per timing light flash, respectively). If it's at full engine speed it eliminates the entire valvetrain as a possibility, and points toward the bottom end, like a wrist pin. If it's half engine speed it could be in the valvetrain (lifters) or an exhaust leak, or *possibly* a main bearing.

Jul 15, 2004 | 09:44 PM

fordpilot

Senior User

Joined: Oct 2003

Posts: 191

Likes: 0

From: Portland Oregon

What you describe is often a collapsed hydraulic lifter. If it is there
is no easy fix. The hydraulic lifters have close tolerances so
dirty oil with a speck of something can hang one up. Often
a oil change will make it go away or at least go intermitent.
If it is a lifter there is a tool that in theory lets you go
down the pushrod hole and pull the old one out. Hope this helps!

Jul 16, 2004 | 07:31 AM

debestuss

Elder User

Joined: Feb 2004

Posts: 835

Likes: 0

From: Fort Rucker, AL

You'll have to pull the intake off because the lifters won't come through the manifold. Been there done that. I have a Edelbrock Performer intake and was thinking the same thing so I bought the tool. Didn't work, had to pull the intake. If it's any comfort, it's an easy job.