Headswap, now ticking!

[lman657]

Hey guys,

Just did my headswap with cams, and it started ticking yesterday w/ about 50 miles on it

It sounds just like a lifter, in fact, i'm 90% sure that it's a lifter on the left bank, the sound varies with rpm, and gets pretty loud over 2k.

I was just driving along (i'm not lying!!) when it started tapping, so I stopped and listened to it, and have continued to nurse it around under 2k rpm's since then for about 20 miles or less.

Now here's what i'm wondering, is this plausible? A brand new ford lifter sticks, or blows with 50 miles on it?

I'm wondering if the combination of a slightly higher valve lift along stiffer comp cams springs could have spelled doom for this poor little lifter?

I probably wasn't as easy on the car the first 50 miles as I should have, but i wasn't tearing the rear end out of the car.

I also did the "long screwdriver like a stethescope thing" but had a hard time deciphering where the sound was exactly from.

Anyone had this problem with a lifter, mostly a newer one?

Opinions here guys?

Thanks!
Lance

 

[cltgt]

maybe a broken spring???

 

[lman657]

any one else had a lifter poop out on them?

 

['01 Steed]

Did you put the 4V oil pump in it when you swapped heads? If not, I think that's your problem.

I'm sorry, at first I thought you did a 4V headswap. Nevermind.

Did you check your base circle dimensions before the install?

 

[lman657]

what do you mean by "base circle"?

 

[LI98GTStang]

I would take the valve/cam cover off the supected side and have a look to see if you see anything obvious. Give us some more info. Are these PI heads with aftermarket cams or stock PI cams. Possible one of the lifters came off or if aftermarket cams/springs one of the springs broke?

 

['01 Steed]

Base circle dimensions for the cam lobes. But I was thinking that if the base circle was too small, you would've had chatter from the get go. So that leaves you with the possibility of a collapsed lifter. I don't know if anyone has tried this or not, but if you don't find any obvious culprits upon inspection, you may just need to loosen and retorque the camshaft journal caps. This was a problem on some the 4V's last year at Romeo. They retorqued the cams and the noise disappeared. Just a thought.

Also, are you using spacers under the lifters? Are they reground cams?

 

[mrvax]

The whole thing with aftermarket cams and springs has been a nightmare for some. Are you using shims? Like LI98GTStang said, you will have to take that cover off, the sooner the better.

Hopefully you are no where near us where it is 6 degrees outside.