Ticking from engine.........vari's with rpm's
 

I have a 68 w/ a 302 that i bought recently from a guy that thought it was completly dead and needed to be junked. All it needed was a new battery and alternator. After getting it running again i noticed there is a ticking noise coming from the passenger valve cover area. I can seem to isolate it anywhere specific though. I have re-tightened everything to specs in the book and still its there. I even put up a drop sheet and ran the engine with the cover off hoping to isolate the sound better. Nothing but a mild mess. Im nothing more than a weekend grease monkey thats still learning, the only idea i have left is maybe a small exaust leak around the header gasket but if it is i cant seem to find it. Any help from you guys with more experience would be very appreciated. thanks.......mac

------------------
66,289,coupe,MT-3
68,302,coupe,AT
Gotta love the true american car.....

Lifters? Did those cars have hydraulic lifters? Sorry that you asked for someone who knew what they were talking about and only got me.

Could be a number of things. I had a cracked valve once and swore it was a lifter or an exhaust leak. Replaced the heads and it was fixed. Pretty expensive fix though.
I guess it was air coming through the crack.
I;m not an expert either.

You might try to run some STP engine cleaner or some AFT in the engine (just idle it for a while so the stuff circulates) and then change the oil. One of the hydraulic lifters could be collapsed and have some crud in it preventing it from pumping back up?

It could be many thing, leaky exhoust gasket
will sound like alifter problem. I would get
a tube to use as a listening devise. I piece
of conduit or something. It will help isolate
all the other engine noise. A screwdriver will work also. Put your ear on the handle
and push the blade against the valve cover
area.

Regards
Billgear www.289mustang.com