Loose rocker? Tightening process in car
 

Finally got my brand new 461 home from the shop and on its first drive after breaking in and multiple test drives where everything sounded fine. I started to hear a loud ticking on its longest drive yet. Sounds to me like a loose rocker tapping and get much louder as rpms go up driving. .

I’m going to pull the valve cover and check them and tighten where necessary. Do you guys have any pro tips on doing this? Check push rod looseness and how much play should the rockers have? I was also thinking maybe the valve covers are to small and it might be hitting them. I can’t tell but when I pull them I will look for marks.

They are enduro 1.65 rollerized rockers

Thank you all as usual!

I don’t have a warm a fuzzy feeling about your issue taking place!
A loose rocker noise should not get louder with increased load on the motor due to opening the throttle up, it’s rate of noise should just increase with rpm.

This noise to me that gets modulated by throttle application is classic rod knock!

The very first thing I would do before even thinking about starting the motor again is to cut the filter open and inspected it for metal and bearing material.

In terms of if it’s a valvetrain issue we need to know if your still using the factory studs and nuts that get torqued to ft lbs, or if you are running poly locks on those roller rockers?

https://youtu.be/lLdxRF7-zic

Here is a video of it…let me know what you think…….your description of rate of noise increasing with rpm sounds more accurate than getting louder

yup yup on the rocker tick!!! hope thats all it is!

doesnt sound like a rod knock at all so the glass is half full on that... its a very light lifter/rocker tapping sound to me. if it sounded ok the first few runs & break in, its not a rocker hitting the valve cover as that would have made noise on 1st start up. also with E-heads & roller rockers im sure they are poly lock nuts.

with this being aluminum heads & you said the noise showed up after a long drive (heat soaked) it may be from the alum heads expanding & the initial lifert adjustment not being enough preload. what type/brand of lifters?

if you want to re-adjust them i would suggest doing all of them using one of the procedures for adjusting rockers, cam on bottom of lobe & adjust the correct valve, there are instructions for that on here or can google them. dont try & adjust with engine running or guessing which rocker it is & tightening an unknown amount. some on here go further past the 1/2 turn past zero lash or run the nut all the way down then back off a certain amount. do a search for rocker arm adjustment, lots of good info on here.

X2 or 3 on excessive rocker lash. Just hoping it's not yet another flat cam/defective lifter.

I had this issue on my 400 build and it ended up being a wiped cam lobe. Hope it’s just an adjustment for you.

Hyd Flat tappet or Roller lifters? Sounds like a lifter and hoping it’s not a flat lobe. Re-adjusting a rocker would be a win.

If you think its a rocker hitting the valve cover, just put your hand on the cover, you should feel it hitting.

Thanks guys! So I’m gonna pull the valve cover tomorrow and check it out what specifically should I be looking for to confirm the loose rocker how much play is to much? Will one be much looser than the rest? Sorry for the probably obvious questions…..also how can rule out and diagnose the cam lobes being an issue?

They are Johnson short Travel Hydraulic Roller lifters
enduro stainless steel rollerized 1.65 rockers

Since now you have supplied the info that you have roller lifters, this makes for a possible different story.

Your cam is likely fine, which is good because if it was a flat tappet cam you would be pulling the intake and valley pan off to confirm that the cam lobe in question is good or not.

I hope your issue is just that your poly lock has come loose.

sounding like a loose lash deal, or a relaxed valve cover gasket causing a hit, so far. :ranger: HIS

Exhaust leak?

If you guys have any links or threads that do a good job walking through the proper way that would be great! Also when I take off the valve cover probably better to re do them all? Or just the noticeably loose push rod and rocker?

Easiest way is with a cheap trigger/remote starter. Pull all the plugs and use that.

Use the EO/IC method to check lash/rocker adjustment.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMX9994mTnA

that link is a guy do that in principle - just skip all the homemade remote starter nonsense .

Keep reading/learning. HR's will tic - if you are like me, you'll mess with it until you are positive that its just HR lifter noise.

And 100% agree w/ HIS and others - make sure it is not something else...

I take it those marks tell the story no?

Since it is a new build with new heads you should be able to set a straight edge across the top of the polylocks and look for one that stands out. Something could have hung up during initial lashing that has now settled down allowing additional clearance. Works well on new heads and not so well on older heads that have had a valve job. Well, a Sunnen machine gets things really close and it would probably still work. Anyway, it's a down and dirty quick check that might save you some time.

What marks are you talking about?

Those length wise scratches inside the valve cover can not be from the rockers!

If you zoom in to the tops of a few of the rockers it looks like they got some damage marks no?

Stainless steel is very hard and aluminum is very soft. Those scratches are not witness marks from any contact. All you might see if there was contact is some aluminum discoloration at the very outer tip of the rocker and a polished spot on the inside of the valve cover. I see neither.