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Technical 327 tick has me stumped

Discussion in 'Traditional Hot Rods' started by 47streamliner, Jul 19, 2017.

  1. 47streamliner
    Joined: Feb 24, 2014
    Posts: 160

    47streamliner
    Member
    from Huntley il

    Hey guys looking for a little help .

    I'm trying to trouble shoot a 327 with a tick . Not my engine but trying to help a buddy out with an engine he recently picked up.

    The PO replaced the cam ( still trying to the cam card with specs ) , timing chain and gears , lifters (hyd ) , valves .

    PO claims it ran fine until it it gets hot then the tick starts .

    It sounds like a collapsed lifter to me but I'm trying to pick the brains of folks that have run 327s . I've never had a 327 that didn't run right and run strong.

    Thanks for any help you can give .






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  2. Oilguy
    Joined: Jun 28, 2011
    Posts: 663

    Oilguy
    Member

    If he is using the original style valve covers, they can contribute to lifter type ticking if installed backwards. If you look carefully you can see that the wall on the intake side is vertical but the exhaust side has a bit of a taper. If installed backwards (or upside down?) the rocker arms can contact the ID of the covers resulting in a "tick tick" sound. Just one possibility.
     
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  3. Another possibility is not a lifter tick at all. I chased a noisy lifter for a month a few years back then just by chance I passed my hand over the rear of the engine and felt hot air, my lifter tick was a leaking exhaust gasket.

    It is worth a try before you pull out all your hair.
     
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  4. i have had a mechanical fuel pump on a SBC make a ticking noise
     
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  5. olscrounger
    Joined: Feb 23, 2008
    Posts: 4,770

    olscrounger
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Had the same issue on a 327 as 36-3window-replaced rod and pump.
     
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  6. scrappybunch
    Joined: Nov 16, 2011
    Posts: 412

    scrappybunch
    Member
    from nj

    Another vote for fuel pump. Easy enough to check, the little return spring on the arm will be broken.
     
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  7. 32v
    Joined: May 20, 2007
    Posts: 952

    32v
    Member
    from v.i.

    cracked flex plate, exhaust leak, fuel pump rod. I have experienced all of these
     
  8. Bad Eye Bill
    Joined: Sep 1, 2010
    Posts: 841

    Bad Eye Bill
    Member
    from NB Canada

    Another vote for fuel pump possibly ticking. Encountered it several times.
     
    els likes this.
  9. dinglebarry
    Joined: Jul 15, 2017
    Posts: 21

    dinglebarry

    You mentioned you get the noise when the engines hot. If the parts are from China the materials used often expand at a rate greater than an American parts will. I have used a child's small/promo bat, to see if the if the noise changes when pressing the bat at the valve side and the pushrod side of the rocker, slightly loosen any offenders. Modify a old set of v/cvrs, to retain oil while running w cvrs off. Heavier weight oil may help too. Good luck


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  10. Could be anyone of the things previously shared,I had a strong running 327 in my 40 Ford sedan and it developed a ticking sound on the way home from the N.S.R.A. Nationals in Columbus in the late 80's,when I got home I checked for exhaust leaks but found none so I decided to drive it until it blew up.

    I drove the car for another 7 or 8 years and sold it to a friend,he drove it a few tears and put a new crate 350 in the car and his son was building a Chevy II and tore the engine down for a rebuild.

    He found one loose wrist pin. HRP
     
  11. solidaxle
    Joined: Jan 6, 2011
    Posts: 662

    solidaxle
    Member
    from Upstate,NY

    Old mechanics trick. Take a hose and hold it up to your ear and start chasing the noise around. Keep your hands out of the fan!
     
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  12. Bad Eye Bill
    Joined: Sep 1, 2010
    Posts: 841

    Bad Eye Bill
    Member
    from NB Canada


    Yep, that'll work. I prefer these though, you can get them pretty cheap and if you happen to touch a moving part you won't get stabbed in the ear.

    image_22652.jpg
     
  13. With the engine off, lay a straight edge across the tops of the rocker studs. See if you might have one or two that are noticeably higher than the rest. If the engine has press-in studs it may have some trying to back out of the heads. :oops: Not uncommon when running stiffer valve springs. :rolleyes:
     
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  14. tinkirk
    Joined: Jan 16, 2017
    Posts: 111

    tinkirk

    First thing readjust the valves


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  15. 47streamliner
    Joined: Feb 24, 2014
    Posts: 160

    47streamliner
    Member
    from Huntley il

    Thanks guys ! I'll take a look at all these .

    It really threw me that it only ticked after all those new parts were put in .. and then only when hot .


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  16. 61Tudor
    Joined: Aug 5, 2009
    Posts: 47

    61Tudor
    Member

    This is a long shot but possible. With the noise present, spray soap or belt dressing on the belts. I had one that sounded like a bad rod once it warmed up! Easily checked and then stroked off the list!
     
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  17. Happydaze
    Joined: Aug 21, 2009
    Posts: 1,904

    Happydaze
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I got one of these a year or so ago. I can't recall whether there was a particular issue i was chasing down but I've used it many times since. Amazingly sensitive - totally different from a dowel or socket extension. You can really hear what's going on and it's interesting to just listen to things for the heck of it! It's surprising to find how quiet most things are - water pumps, rockers, superchargers - does kinda make you wonder where the noise comes from! That'll be the combustion / exhaust I guess. Excellent tool.

    Chris
     
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  18. rusty rocket
    Joined: Oct 30, 2011
    Posts: 5,053

    rusty rocket
    Member

    I had a 327 in my 47coupe that was built in the late 80s. Had a small tick in it also. Never did find out what it was and just drove the damn thing. Fuel pump and rod sounds like a good place to start.
     
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  19. Ralphies54
    Joined: Dec 18, 2009
    Posts: 772

    Ralphies54
    Member

    Listened to a tick for years in a 67 327, sold the engine to a friend and he listened to it for a few. When torn down turned out to be a wrist pin, probably would have went on forever. Ralphie
     
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  20. GMBOWTYE
    Joined: Oct 21, 2006
    Posts: 24

    GMBOWTYE
    Member
    from Ames IA

    ck lower balancer pulley may be cracked if original or get up to temp where the noise is there and take off fan belt and see if gone. cracked pulley if gone water pump or lower pulley
     
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  21. slowmotion
    Joined: Nov 21, 2011
    Posts: 3,330

    slowmotion
    Member

    Like mentioned, get these:
    [​IMG]
    With the mention of new parts installed, I'd also be suspect to a shitty lifter. Taking into account the quality of some of these 'new' (read off-shore) parts.
     
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  22. deucemac
    Joined: Aug 31, 2008
    Posts: 1,483

    deucemac
    Member

    Me too, pull up on the pump with the engine running and you can feel the tick. I found 305 doing it the most. Broken return spring on the cam lever. First one drove me nuts!
     
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  23. tinkirk
    Joined: Jan 16, 2017
    Posts: 111

    tinkirk

    Only starts when warm?
    When it starts to tick take the belt off and restart it
    Had an alt lock a motor up once
    Worth a try


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  24. I had an elusive tick in the 307 in my '38 Ford pickup. Turned out to be a cracked water pump pulley. Took the fan off, discovered that the fan was all that was holding the pulley together. When I took the pulley off, the center of it fell out, one continuous crack connecting all of the bolt holes. Stock '55-'68 SBC single groove water pump pulley. Never saw another one fail like that, but now I know to inspect used pulleys very carefully for cracks. Had a good pulley on hand, changed out the pulley and the tick was gone.
     
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  25. footbrake
    Joined: Sep 3, 2009
    Posts: 148

    footbrake
    Member

    Exactly what porknbeaner said, I had one that we swore was a collapsed lifter, or bent pushrod or fuel pump rod etc.. everyone is waaaaaaaaay overthinking this one. It is surely a header gasket exhaust leak.
     
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  26. I too have had the header leak.
     
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  27. slowmotion
    Joined: Nov 21, 2011
    Posts: 3,330

    slowmotion
    Member

    ^^^^Header leak is a good first check too. If it does happen to be the cause, check the flange with a straight edge before just throwing in a new gasket. I've seen some no-so-straight flanges, even on some 'quality name brand' headers. Had me 'Hooked' for a while....:rolleyes:
     
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  28. USA Tires Sign Joe
    Joined: Aug 13, 2006
    Posts: 1,072

    USA Tires Sign Joe
    Member
    from Western NJ

    I would get the stethoscope and start listening....
     
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  29. deathrowdave
    Joined: May 27, 2014
    Posts: 3,519

    deathrowdave
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from NKy

    I would pull it out and install a real engine with the distributer on the correct end of the cam ! There are many issues that cause strange noises in a moving mechanical engine . I would suspect a rocker arm ball , valve guide , or fuel pump . Maybe a chain slapping the cover . I have been driving a Shovelhead and a Cummins Diesel for many years now so don't sweat the small stuff it will get worse and ease finding it or stay the same for many miles .
     
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  30. 47streamliner
    Joined: Feb 24, 2014
    Posts: 160

    47streamliner
    Member
    from Huntley il

    I suppose a 390 would fit ;)




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