So i have a 1980 camaro z-28 with the original 350 in it. But it's been rebuilt about 2-3k miles ago. But now theback left liftertaps all the time and it's been adjusted 3 times, and has had all new lifters put in itas well asall new pushrods put in. I have hydraulic lifters and everyone says i should just put some stock lifters back in it and it should be fine. What seems to be the problem?? some people have told me it's my timeing chain. If you have any info. please help me out. Im only 17 and im tyring to learn as much as i can about engines, i've been around cars my whole life. Thanks guys- James

 

The stock lifters were also hydraulic also and with that many miles the cam is broke in ..used lifters on a used hydraulic cam usally is not a good idea. Does the ticking sound louder right after you start it and quite down a little. Inspect the rocker arm and the push rod for problems. I assume it didnt tick after the prior lifter adjustments? If the prior adjustments worked and you find no problems with the rockers or pushrods I would pull the cam and lifters inspect and replace.

 

This is a classic case of lack of experience. New lifters on an old cam is nothing short of a time bomb ticking from the moment the engine is started up. That old cam wore a grooveor mark into that lifter and now the lifterhas worn itself and the lobeflat.

The reason it needs constant adjustment is you are wearing out more of the lobe every time you re-adjust the valve and are flattening the lifter and lobe more and more. Hopefully you can get the lifter out of the block now. I didsomething similaronce on a new cam and lifter set that I put in my car. I was hoping to pick up a tenth or two on this cam swap. The car was running 10.60s at the time and new this particular swap would benefit the heads well.

Anyway, I broke the cam in, THE PROPER WAY, and rechecked lash after normal cooldown procedures. I had one rocker that was .005 loose. Yes only .005 loose and I blew it off. I made one, yes ONE pass down the track. The car ran the exact same E.T. as the old, smaller cam and tooling back too the pits I hear a whooping sound. I knew what it was. A FLAT LOBE! DAMMIT. Pulled the intake at the track, (was planning on running home to get the old stuff as I only lived about 20 minutes from the track)and the lifter had mushroomed on the bottom so bad that I couldn't pull it out. To make a long story short, I had to disassemble the whole engine to get to the lifter from the bottom. Well I really didn't have to but with metal in the engine it was the prudent thing to do.

The only other option (keep your fingers crossed) is that your rocker arm stud is trying to pull itself from the head. This is a normally cheap and easy fix. I would check that and then plan on pulling your intake manifold if you don't find anything.

RM

 

Well i know i dont know much about engines. But the engine was completl rebuilt and everything was brand new..everything. So we never put any used parts on it. It justs start to tap when someone gets a little "rev happy" in my car and i have no idea what it is and im trying o get it fixed right so when i sell it i dont have someone pissed at me or think i sold them something broken.

 

And no...when i start it up and it idles it's not that loud but then whn you get on the gas it gets louder and louder

 

Did the noise go away when you adjusted the rocker before and how are you adjusting them are they stock style rockers? Do you have headers on it? Are they stock heads. One of the reasons the lifters fail especially in the used scenario is that they do not rotate like they should the cam grinds away at the same spot untill a groove is formed then it is all over this is compounded with higher spring pressures.