B Engine Ticking Sound Stumped

[jkmdg84]

Folks I need some more help on an engine tick I am hearing on my recently rebuilt B. The overall consensus on social media pages is that it has something to do with the valves. I have readjusted them several times to 0.014 using the simplified way of adjusting 1,2,3,5 at #1 TDC and 4,6,7,8 on #4 TDC. I have even loosened them back up to 0.016 and still hear the noise. I run it with the valve cover off and still hear the noise. This afternoon I checked all the pushrods and they are all straight.

About the last thing I am wondering if the face of the rockers need to be freshened up and/or the rockers needs shimmed. The machine shop did do a new valve job on the head. I noticed that maybe valve 3 and 6 might not be hitting the valve stem right on. I have read a little bit about shimming the rocker to help with this. What do you guys use for those shims? Does my valve train look out of whack to you folks?

Otherwise, what other reason might I be hearing this ticking noise? Its a brand new manifold that is all plugged up, so I dont think its an exhaust leak.

 

[DaveBN]

Use a wooden dowel/stick in your ear and move the other end around to locate the source of the noise.
Are you sure it's not coming from the governor? That's the housing in front of the right side of the engine. I found that on my C.
Does the ticking seem to be at crank shaft speed or cam shaft speed?
Dave

 

[Janicholson]

If the rockers have even slight grooving from contact with the valve butt, a narrow feeler gauge, or dial indicator must be used. Set the intake valve on a particular cylinder when the exhaust just starts to open, Adjust the ehhaust when the intake just closes. The feeler must be narrower than the valve stem, and used directly on the stem. Jim

 

[kshansen]

(quoted from post at 00:37:43 04/29/21) Use a wooden dowel/stick in your ear and move the other end around to locate the source of the noise.
Are you sure it's not coming from the governor? That's the housing in front of the right side of the engine. I found that on my C.
Does the ticking seem to be at crank shaft speed or cam shaft speed?
Dave

Or another favorite trick I've used is a piece of hose a couple feet long, what ever you have. Stick one end in your good ear and then hold the other end near different things to see where the ticking is the loudest.

One thing though don't forget which end is the ear end or you will be leaving oilly marks on the pillow!

 

[47fivewindow]

My '47 truck has always had a little ticking noise even with the valve adjustment near perfect. I once asked a real old timer reputed to be a great mechanic why I kept hearing a tick. He replied Too much muffler

 

[rustred]

well i am wondering why you say you loosened them to .016 and still hear the ticking. standard procedure is the more gap the louder the ticking. just for a because thing... tighten them all to about .010 and see what that does. this is just for diagnosis only. put them back to spec after you see if any difference is seen. no such thing as shimming anything. it would be your rocker bushings worn out causing you more clearance. pull the rockers of and check how much slop there is on the shaft with each rocker. should not have any wobble in bushing to shaft, plus setting them with any wear on rocker to valve stem contact you need to use the narrow feeler guage. plus the ends can be resurfaced. appears you know about the valve setting and that is good and the way its done.

 

[teddy52food]

Try setting them by putting the running mate on the rock.

 

[rustred]

i have used both settings for my own curiosity. no difference. the simplified method is ihc approved.

 

[tractorsam]

Not saying this is your problem but I overhauled an engine a while back and the machine shop messed up and didnt set the guides to the same or correct height and some of the valve caps were contacting the top of the guides when the valve was fully open.

 

[gene bender]

Customer brought me one like that. I removed the gov housing turned the engine over with crank so the two dots on gov gear lined up with the two dots on the cam. Then i removed the gov gear and checked the teeth found couple missing then turned engine over and checked the cam gears teeth found them all good replaced the gov gear with another one lined up the dots again replaced the gov and the noise was gone there were just enough of the teeth left so it did not jump time but it was the cause of the noise

 

[caterpillar guy]

I'm with Red loose rocker arm bushings or worn rocker shaft. Allowing the lvalves to be set right yet tick while running.No oil or not enough oil not getting to the rocker arms can cause that too.

 

[DaveBN]

I think one of the bolts holding the tube on is hollow and needs to be in the right place to allow oil to the rocker assembly. You might check that.
Dave

 

[roy prins]

If You have rockers that a warn some throw your feeler gauge back in the tool box -- do the 3/4 turn from zero lash ! unless the valve stem and the rocker is in perfect shape a feeler guage is not accurate - good luck ----Roy

 

[kshansen]

(quoted from post at 19:10:48 04/29/21) If You have rockers that a warn some throw your feeler gauge back in the tool box -- do the 3/4 turn from zero lash ! unless the valve stem and the rocker is in perfect shape a feeler guage is not accurate - good luck ----Roy

Very interesting method.

Actually reminds me of the adjustment procedure on a Cat Diesel I worked on years ago. The model number escapes me right this minute. But the adjuster screws for the rockers had notches in them like a fine toothed gear. The procedure for those was to tighten down to no lash and then back off a specified number of clicks.

 

[F-Dean]

Check the brass screws in the throttle plate. They can come out and imbed themselves in the top of the piston.

 

[rustred]

well i dont think that is anymore accurate than using a feeler gauge. it was pointed out to use the narrow feeler gauge. this is not like hydraulic lifters where 1/4 turn either way is no big deal.