CashDudeHomie

iTrader: (5)

Yes they are stock gaskets and they are leaking around the #1 cylinder (black soot). But the sound seemed to be coming from somewhere else. If I unplug that spark plug wire, could I rule out this possibility?

CashDudeHomie

iTrader: (5)

Just an update, the sound is not coming from the header gaskets. Also, the torque converter bolts are ok. The sound has gotten faster. It seems to tap/knock at every revolution now.

The weird thing is, every now and then, the tap will be replaced with more of a click sound for a few revolutions, like tap tap tap tap tap click click tap tap tap tap tap tap click click click or something like that. Sometimes the sound stops for a few seconds. But it always comes back and is much louder than the regular valve train noise. It does seem to be coming from the left side, but I used a piece of hose and could not isolate the exact source of the sound on the valve covers, block, and oil pan.

Any other ideas? What does a broken inner valve spring sound like?

viciousknid

iTrader: (8)

when you checked the valve train did you pull up the pushrods to see if any may have been bent?

CashDudeHomie

iTrader: (5)

NEW VIDEO

The sound has gotten faster now. It knocks 30 times in 5 seconds which comes out to half of the engine RPM. So another member told me that this means it is valve train related.

I pulled both valve covers and ran it and the sound just seems to be coming from inside the engine. Could this be a lifter? At what RPM do the lifters move? Do they make this sound if they are failing? I've pulled almost everything out of this truck, but I've never touched a lifter, so I'm not familiar with how they operate. Thanks for looking.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hSWcpxP3jo

budhayes3

iTrader: (19)

Man, it's kinda hard to tell from my computer, but the noise almost sounds like it has a sort of squeak to it. It's the right speed to be a lifter, but doesn't seem to have the right "tick" to it that a lifter would have. Is the oil pressure gauge steady or is it bouncing or anything? I hate to say it, but the "squeak" that I heard almost makes it sound rotational, like a cam bearing or something (I hope not). What are the specs on the cam/valvetrain?

CashDudeHomie

iTrader: (5)

Thanks for looking.

The cam is a TR 220 (I forgot which LSA it was) with hardened pushrods and Patriot Gold double springs. The oil pressure is steady and normal, not bouncing around or anything. It was the first thing I checked since I put a new oil pump and timing chain in a few months ago.

The sound is like metal to metal if that helps. I'm guessing cam bearings are a b***h to check.

I am just trying to make a list of things to check next week when I finally have a day off.

budhayes3

iTrader: (19)

If a cam bearing was wiped I'd think that there would be marks on the cam also. FWIW, the front most cam bearing is the most common one to show wear, so if that were the case it would be easy enough to inspect and replace if necessary.

*EDIT* It's also possible that one of the rollers on one of the lifters is seized...have you tried draining the oil and filter and checking for metal shavings?

03sierraslt

iTrader: (22)

It could be a cam bearing but I still feel a lifter seems like a more likely choice. Its so hard to break down a sound over the computer. Like Budhayes said, I would drain the oil in a clean pan and removed the filter and cut it apart to look for metal.

skeet

iTrader: (18)

i can hear the so called ticking noise at .24-26 seconds the other screetching noise sounds like the belt? you have to listen past that.. the ticking does sound like a lifter, when you bring the rpms up alittle does the noise ( ticking ) get faster?

CashDudeHomie

iTrader: (5)

Yes it increases proportionally with RPMs. If it is a lifter, would my cam be damaged? I can pull the cam and check if the easier inspections don't show anything.