335 Series Engine Forum - Lifter tick won’t stop!!!

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Lifter tick won’t stop!!!

Printed From: The Ford Torino Page
Category: Powertrain Specific Forum
Forum Name: 335 Series Engine Forum
Forum Description: 351C, 351M and 400 engines
URL: https://forum.grantorinosport.org/forum_posts.asp?TID=21307
Printed Date: 26-March-2026 at 5:43PM
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.06 - https://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: Lifter tick won’t stop!!!

Posted By: Grodiekitty
Subject: Lifter tick won’t stop!!!
Date Posted: 22-June-2024 at 2:42PM

It’s not often that I get stumped but by 72 Gran Torino sport is absolutely cursed. If it wasn’t a one of one car I’d have sold it by now. After figuring out quite literally 6 or more issues all I had left was a lifter tick. Easy right? Upon further inspection it was not getting any oil through the rocker arm on the cylinder with the tick and adjusting it wouldn’t stop the tick I ended up replacing the lifter with a new one and put in all new roller rocker arms. The push rod was straight and clean. Installed with lube but not “pumped up” so I wasn’t surprised when it ticked when I started it up. I had initially set it with a half turn of preload after contact on top dead center. I ran it with my test valve cover on it and loosened it until it clattered like mad and revved it up for a minute or so to make sure that it was oiled. I was now getting oil through the lifter but when I gave it a half turn after the clatter subsided it still seemed to be ticking a little. I verified this with a stethoscope. I went a little more and then a little more. And at best it was quieter at certain RPMs but was still making noise and it seems I have too much preload now as it is running rough. When I loosen it up it smooths out but ticks louder. I’m going crazy here. It’s a 72 grand Torino sport 351CJ 4 speed with with a comp cams extreme energy cam, hardened push rods, adjustable valve train with nylon guides and roller rockers. Any thoughts before I put a third lifter in the same hole? Thanks

Replies:

Posted By: Inkara1
Date Posted: 22-June-2024 at 4:23PM

Did you make sure everything is good with the cam? Since you put in a new rocker but didn't go through the break-in procedure, I hope it hasn't damaged the cam lobe. Is it an exhaust valve ticking or an intake? Have you compared the pushrod length to the other pushrods to verify it's the same? By adjustable valve train, I assume you mean the studs instead of the pedestals the non-adjustable rockers sit on -- is that stud in all the way? Could putting a shim on the valve spring help?

Just spitballing a few ideas.

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1972 Gran Torino station wagon, light blue, 351C 2V, prior owner upgraded to 4V (2V heads), originally had a C4 but prior owner changed to C6 for some reason.

Posted By: handsofstone
Date Posted: 22-June-2024 at 4:34PM

Sticking valve perhaps?
Had it in my first 351CJ in high school. Ended up breaking a pushrod.

Posted By: aquartlow
Date Posted: 23-June-2024 at 12:16AM

Could be the camshaft design itself. It has been noted in many forums that the Comp Cams extreme series have lobe design can and will produce nosier valvetrain operation. You can do a search and verify this.

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www.supermotors.net/22468
Yeah, It's a Hybrid...It burns gas and tires.

No matter how good she looks, somebody, somewhere, is tired of her sh*t.

Beauty is skin deep, ugliness goes clear to the bone.

Posted By: Grodiekitty
Date Posted: 23-June-2024 at 12:43AM

It has the screw in conversion that does not require machining and the tick is only on number eight intake side. It can be easily verified with a stethoscope that it’s the only offending valve. This was a complete rebuild and the heads had new guides valves and seats. I am going to contact comp cams for suggestions, however if it was a design issue it wouldn’t be isolated to a single valve. What makes me crazy is that from loose to too much load it still doesn’t stop ticking and I have changed the lifter and rocker. I am now wondering if somehow it’s a loose seat but I have never heard of that and I would think there would be another indicator. I will next check the lift of each lobe and see if there is a difference and post results.

Posted By: handsofstone
Date Posted: 23-June-2024 at 5:37AM

That really sucks. I would rather it be the cam as opposed to a the valve seat.

Posted By: Rockatansky
Date Posted: 23-June-2024 at 5:45AM

weak or broken valve spring?

sometimes a broken spring can be hard to spot until you focus your peepers

a worn guide could be allowing the valve to seat out of position, bad situation as this exerts side force on the valve and leads to a stem / head separation

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72 GT Ute

Posted By: Booyah45828
Date Posted: 24-June-2024 at 2:30AM

Did you use comp lifters? I've read a lot of horror stories online about quality issues with their lifters in the last few years, moreso then your normal amount of flat tappet issues. I think they switched to an overseas supplier. Anyways, like others have said, the extreme energy lobes don't have the softest ramp rates, but if you have it narrowed down to one lifter, I don't think that would be the issue.

Brent Lykins recommended and sold me a set of trend lifters with an edm hole a handful of years ago, I can't comment on if their good or not, as I have yet to use them or the camshaft. I doubt Brent would have sold me junk, though. I'd try a different manufacturer.

Posted By: Grodiekitty
Date Posted: 27-June-2024 at 1:29PM

I think I may have figured it out, at least I hope so. I know had to of had a bad lifter as there was no oil at the rocker arm. The new lifter cured that but I still had a tick that I couldn’t adjust out. When I took it all apart I could find anything wrong with the pushrod, rocker, spring or valve. I rapped the valve up and down without the spring to see if the seat was loose and dropping somehow but it seemed fine. When I went to reassemble the rocker arm shafted looked as though I may have put it in with the round side up instead of the flat. I made sure it was installed properly and for now the offending noise seems to be gone. Thanks so much to everybody that chipped in to give me some ideas. Just getting a different perspective can really help.

Posted By: Rockatansky
Date Posted: 27-June-2024 at 2:51PM

yes it's easy to invert the fulcrum shaft if you're not aware and watching closely

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72 GT Ute