Can you all give this a quick listen

[jdheff1982]

I noticed a new noise coming from the engine and I am hoping it is not what I think it might be. I am hoping it is related to the bad dizzy on the truck now.

This evening, my truck has having bad driveability issues. Wanted to stall at lights, barely wanted to stay running at idle. I am really hoping this is dizzy issues.

Thanks.

http://s1103.photobucket.com/albums/...=VIDEO0001.mp4

[raceman6135]

Kind of hard to hear from the video, but judging by the rattling and the excessive smoke coming out of the breather, I think you have more serious problems than anything related to the distributor. My guess would be something like broken ring(s) or something let go in the valvetrain.

Start by pulling off the valve covers, and then run a compression check. If you have the proper gauge, then also run a leakdown test. That should help you find the problem without having to do much disassembly.

[jdheff1982]

Originally Posted by raceman6135

Kind of hard to hear from the video, but judging by the rattling and the excessive smoke coming out of the breather, I think you have more serious problems than anything related to the distributor. My guess would be something like broken ring(s) or something let go in the valvetrain.

Start by pulling off the valve covers, and then run a compression check. If you have the proper gauge, then also run a leakdown test. That should help you find the problem without having to do much disassembly.

Ok, how do I remove the valve covers. I don't have a key or anything to remove those "stems"

I would have to get a gauge and I don't know how to do a leakdown test.

Thanks.

EDIT> I'll try to get a better video later. It's night here and I didn't want to run the truck for very long.

[jdheff1982]

Before I installed the 2nd breather cap, anytime I mashed the gas, the passenger side of the motor would spew a huge cloud of smoke from the breather. Once I installed the 2nd cap, they both have some amount of smoke coming out, but nothing like before.

My uncle told me once that radical engines can have some smoke coming out of the breather caps. Also, if I had broken piston rings, wouldn't that mean I would be burning oil too? My exhaust is clear, smells rich, but clear.

Could a floppy rocker cause that kind of noise? It does have full roller rockers installed.

I will have time this Saturday to pop off the valve covers and see what condition the rockers and lifters are in. Since I have never removed valve covers before, will I need new gaskets or could I re-use the existing ones?

Thanks.

[csb#356]

I couldn't hear a whole lot in the video but I could kind of hear a faint clicking. If thats the case you might have a stuck lifter causing valve lash issues. A couple questions about the smoke, Is that where your pcv valve should be or do you have a valve on the other side going to the carburetor. If you do have a pcv valve then smoke should not be coming out of that valve meaning you might have excessive blow-by in the crankcase caused by worn rings. Or the pcv valve is plugged if you have one.

[jdheff1982]

No PCV valve installed. Both covers have breathers. Same amount of smoke is present from each side.

I am uncertain if the noise has always been present. It became noticeable after getting the exhaust tips installed. I thought it was something in the cab that is vibrating.

The sound may be just a characteristic of the cam installed? Would a low oil pressure cause this? Earlier, it was sitting between 20 and 40 on the guage at idle. I have seen it upwards to 60+ at idle when cold.

[jdheff1982]

Originally Posted by csb#356

I couldn't hear a whole lot in the video but I could kind of hear a faint clicking. If thats the case you might have a stuck lifter causing valve lash issues. A couple questions about the smoke, Is that where your pcv valve should be or do you have a valve on the other side going to the carburetor. If you do have a pcv valve then smoke should not be coming out of that valve meaning you might have excessive blow-by in the crankcase caused by worn rings. Or the pcv valve is plugged if you have one.

Is it possible the rings may not be fully seated? The pistons in the truck are roughly 4000 miles old. I don't know if this is enough time for the rings to seat or not.

My biggest concern about the truck is how the performance dissappears for no reason. Like today, I drove it around for a while and it performed fine. I drive it to work, it sits for 3 hours and when I get back to it, it barely maintains idle. And the whole time driving home, I had to put it in neutral at each stop light, or the rpms would degrade and die. It does this every once in a while and I don't know why.

I am getting that carb mount fixed this weekend, I am hoping that will clear up an issue or two. Plus, ordering a new dizzy and wires.

Can anyone tell me how to take those valve cover stems off. Do I use a socket or what?

Thanks.

[csb#356]

If you don't have a PCV valve then you should see smoke coming out of those breathers but it should be very faint. Your crankcase gets combustion gases past the rings and it has to release those gases (usually back into the intake through a PCV valve). It seems to me like you have a lot of blow by in your crankcase, that could be because you didn't break the engine in properly and the rings didn't seat. It shouldn't take 4000 miles to seat rings but if you babied the engine for 4000 miles they may not have seated. This probably isn't the case its just hard to tell whats going on from the video you posted. Could you describe the noise that you're concerned about. Oh and also you should be able to take the valve covers off with a socket but I don't know if you have some special hold downs and I would just reuse the gaskets.

[jdheff1982]

Originally Posted by csb#356

If you don't have a PCV valve then you should see smoke coming out of those breathers but it should be very faint. Your crankcase gets combustion gases past the rings and it has to release those gases (usually back into the intake through a PCV valve). It seems to me like you have a lot of blow by in your crankcase, that could be because you didn't break the engine in properly and the rings didn't seat. It shouldn't take 4000 miles to seat rings but if you babied the engine for 4000 miles they may not have seated. This probably isn't the case its just hard to tell whats going on from the video you posted. Could you describe the noise that you're concerned about. Oh and also you should be able to take the valve covers off with a socket but I don't know if you have some special hold downs and I would just reuse the gaskets.

I didn't rebuild this engine. The PO of the PO did. Supposedly, the motor had 3000 miles after rebuild when I bought it.

The noise I am hearing isn't so much a knock as a sort of snap. It is hard to hear it clearly with all the other noise going on in the engine, but it is audible in the cab and it changes with the RPMS. It sounds as if it is coming from right behind the valve cover around cylinder 4 or 6. I am hoping it is a sloppy rocker that needs retightening.

I'll try to get a new vid up tomorrow.

[jdheff1982]

Here a few pics of the passenger side:







I went through and wiggled each rocker. Each one a small amount of play except for the 3rd rocker from the front which was tight. The oil itself looked thinner, almost watery. However, the truck is not burning coolant.

I cranked the motor over a few times to watch the rockers move, each one moved fine and I saw oil coming from each one. After each crank, I did hear what sounded like air escaping. Could not pinpoint where it was coming from.

I sure hope this isn't leading to major motor work. If so, then my plans to renovate the interior just got pushed back a whole lot.

[jdheff1982]

I just looked up the casting number, damn thing has 305 heads! FFS....

14022601 - 267/305 - 79-86 - 1.72/1.50 - 1.84/1.50 58cc

[jdheff1982]

I was just reading about 305 heads on 350 motors used to increase compression. I am running 89 octane gas now. Could be what I am hearing is pinging from too low octane. Next fill up I'll have to try 93 octane. Unless I can dump some octane booster in from the parrts store?

[Your41Plague12]

I've tried octane booster and it really didn't work like a tank full of high-octane gas did. Run it almost dry and fill it with a tank of 93 and see what happens. I had to do the same with mine. It's a crate engine from Jegs, supposedly 350 HP. I believe it, after the night and day difference from the old engine to the new one. But it would diesel and not run well on 87 octane. Now it runs great and doesn't diesel on 93 octane.

[csb#356]

If you can hear air leaking I would pressurize each cylinder with about 90psi of air pressure and see what one is leaking and where its coming from.

[jdheff1982]

Would that indicate stuck valves or bad piston rings or both? Regardless, if a piston isn't holding compression it is losing it probably leading to the driveability problems I am having now. Either way, sounds like the heads are gonna have to be pulled. The deeper this gets, the less comfortable I am becoming and the more I want a shop to fix the problems.

This is why I stopped buying used vehicles.You can never be certain of its history, and if you are lucky like me, end up with a lemon.

[jdheff1982]

I am curious, if one of the rockers is tight enough to depress it's spring just a little, could that cause air to escape? As I mentioned earlier, the third rocker from the front of motor on passenger side (exhaust?) had zero slack in it while the other did (#4 rocker).

Can anyone recommend a good procedure in adjusting valve lash? Does it need to be specific to the cam installed? What would be the proper adjustment for this> http://www.compcams.com/Company/CC/c...csid=1260&sb=0

Thanks.

[notyo_cheez]

First try to pinpoint the source of the noise, buy or borrow a mechanic's stethoscope and probe around to isolate it. Some will put their ear on the handle of a long shaft screwdriver (which I've been told works too) but the stethoscope isn't that expensive. Best case you'll find a sticky rocker or lifter, worse your rings haven't seated or a piston is slapping, or connecting rod bearing has spun, etc.

My experience has taught me that whenever you are looking at breaking open anything major below the intake you're better off pulling the whole long block and tearing it down. As you have no verifiable info regarding the rebuild you don't know who did the work, for all anyone knows the PO's brother-in-law's nephew did the work as an auto shop student at high school for his term assignment.

Look at your budget, shop for a new crate, do it once and put it all back together properly and spend more time enjoying it instead of chasing your tail. My $0.02

[jdheff1982]

I am gonna have to try to make this block work. I don't have the funds to purchase a new engine. I have a laundry list of things I will attempt to do tomorrow:

1.) Adjust valve lash -> Based on the spec sheet for my cam, I will need to set this @ 0.006"?

2.) Replace dizzy, reset timing
3.) Pull intake manifold, if needed, to inspect lifters and rods -> Does autozone sell an intake gasket I can use with the a Performer intake mani?

4.) Remark balancer for TDC
5.) Replace coolant
6.) Oil Change
7.) Replace spark plugs
8.) Install heli coil for carb mount stud

Will a 3/4 inch ratchet be sufficent for rotating the motor at the balancer, or will I need a breaker bar?

If things pan out, I should be able to get most of this done.

[jdheff1982]

I'll be setting TDC when setting valve lash on #1 cyclinder. Will I mark TDC at apex of intake or exhaust rocker? Thanks.

[Mike Bradbury]

What kind of oil are you running? Sounds like you might have a flat lobe in the cam or a loose rocker. Oil with low ZDDP can flatten a lobe real quick on flat tappet engines. All the carbon on the top of the rockers appears like you are getting excessive blow by. I agree with the Cheez, it is better to pull the whole thing out and get down to the root of the problem, either that or you can take the easy road and do it twice.

[jdheff1982]

I don't have the equipment or space or time to pull motor. I need to get it stable so I can sell it and recoupe what I can. I am hoping it is nothing more than badly adjusted rockets.

[csb#356]

There should be a couple rocker arms that are tight depending on what pistons are on there intake stroke or exhaust stroke. If the valve is open the rocker should be tight. Follow the procedure that is in a manual. half the valves can be adjusted with the engine on TDC compression #1 cylinder and the other half can be adjusted on TDC compression #6 cylinder. If you do it this way you will only have to rotate the engine twice. But its doubtful that they are out of adjustment, with hydraulic lifters they are self adjusting. The clicking you are hearing is probably just an exhaust leak and I really think you should compression test it before pulling anything off the engine. You're going through more work than you have to.

[jdheff1982]

Originally Posted by csb#356

There should be a couple rocker arms that are tight depending on what pistons are on there intake stroke or exhaust stroke. If the valve is open the rocker should be tight. Follow the procedure that is in a manual. half the valves can be adjusted with the engine on TDC compression #1 cylinder and the other half can be adjusted on TDC compression #6 cylinder. If you do it this way you will only have to rotate the engine twice. But its doubtful that they are out of adjustment, with hydraulic lifters they are self adjusting. The clicking you are hearing is probably just an exhaust leak and I really think you should compression test it before pulling anything off the engine. You're going through more work than you have to.

If it is an exhaust leak, I am not certain where. I have checked at the collector and around the exhaust manifold and have not felt any air escaping. But the clicking is def. coming from passenger side.

So,
1.) Compression check --> If I find a problem here, is there any point in doing anything else? And if I do find a problem, then what?

2.) Replace spark plugs if needed (they prolly need to be)
3.) Find TDC
4.) Remark Balancer
5.) Replace Dizzy
6.) Time engine

Hopefully I don't screw up the engine with the new dizzy. The way I understand it is as follows:

1.) Find TDC
2.) Pull old dizzy
3.) Install new dizzy with rotor aimed towards driver side of motor
4.) Align #1 plug on cap to rotor tab
5.) Timing should be ~0* now.

Thanks for being patient. To me, this is like trying to teach a monkey (me) to talk.

[csb#356]

You should do a compression test before you put a new distributor on. a new distributor isn't going to fix low compression. Does it seem like you have a misfire while driving it? If so thats a whole different diagnosis process. But if you want to do a compression and you don't have a guage then you can get one cheap at harbor freight or somewhere, It won't be the greatest tool but to use it once or twice it will work. If you find low compression somewhere then you can use the adapter in the compression test kit to hook up an air compressor to it (with a regulator) and then listen to where its leaking from, out the exhaust, through the carb, or into the crankcase. If you want to look for a misfire that you think is electrically related then I can explain that. Also an easy way to see if a cylinder is not running is to pull the plugs. if one is excessively black then you're probly not lighting a fire in there.

[jdheff1982]

The truck does misfire while cruising. Plus, the shaft has some play and the weights flop around. I want to replace it before drive gear dies or whatever is causing the slop in the shaft.

But, yeah, compression first thing. Then I will proceed after consulting here.

Thanks