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Old Aug 9, 2004 | 10:39 PM
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Angry valve chatter

I have a 1990 ford f150 with the 302. The problem is I have valve chatter and I can't seem to figure it out. I have tried new rotor button and distrubutor cap, fuel filter, had injectors cleaned, changed to synthetic, can of engine restorer,and octane booster to no avail. Plugs and wires look fine. Does it sound like spark knock and need to retard the timing or could it be a more complex problem?
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Old Aug 9, 2004 | 11:57 PM
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Does it do it all the time, or just under acceleration? If it does it all the time I would be checking the oil pressure, if it's only during acceleration back the timing off one degree at a time until it's stops doing it.
 
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Old Aug 10, 2004 | 12:17 AM
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if it is at startup the 302s are notorious for it. If it happens all the time you may want to check your cam/lifters out. The lifters do wear and as stated, they tend to do this in these motors. Mine clack pretty loudly upon startup (until my rollercam motor transplant) and gradually subsided after a couple of minutes.
 
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Old Aug 10, 2004 | 02:55 PM
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It is wierd my truck only does it after it has gotten up to operating temp. when it is cold you never here it. When the valves do chatter it is on acceleration after you have let off the gas and get back into the throttle.
 
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Old Aug 10, 2004 | 03:30 PM
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huh.. well either your oil pressure is low due to a bad bypass valve in your oil pump, a bad oil pump, or bad lifters.. that is my diagnosis with the information given. Thatll be $70.00 . LOL.. have you tried thicker oil and see if it doesnt relieve it somewhat? What is your oil pressure at? Do you have an actual gauge?
 
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Old Aug 11, 2004 | 07:29 AM
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don't have an actual gauge to give a reading just the low and high gauge on the truck. The gauge on the truck always reads midway of the normal range. No haven't tried thicker oil.
 
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Old Aug 11, 2004 | 11:27 PM
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Are you sure it's valves and not wrist pins or bearings? THey can sound similar.
 
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Old Aug 12, 2004 | 07:56 PM
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Valves don't chatter! Where did you get that idea?
By what you described it dosen't sound like bearing noise either!
I love to laugh at some of the feedback of these columns.
Sounds like you should just buy a new truck!!!
To me, by the way you are describing it, it sounds like;
something is keeping you ignition timing too far advanced when you come out of the coast mode resulting in "spark knock"
or
your timing chain is so worn, it's about to jump ship!
Your next question should be "how do I check the timing chain?"
Steve G.
 
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Old Aug 12, 2004 | 10:07 PM
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Brettddglas
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Steve,
No such thing as valve chatter?????? True, the valves themselves dont chatter but the valve train indeed can. Lifters can collapse, cam can go flat, etc... I dont know what your backround is but you should get some facts together before making statements like that.
 
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