horrible ticking need help

[5.0fresh]

when i start my car i have a terrible ticking noise coming from the engine. i opened the hood and it sounds like its coming from up front, it sounds like its coming from the pullies. it gets louder as i rev it. any one know why this is happen?

 

[90mustangfan]

its most likley a loose rocker, bad lifter, or bad/bent pushrod. It will be something in the valvetrain. Most mustangs tick from that area and it hard to diagnose, because it sounds similar to an exhaust leak......Seriously I havent heard a mustang that didnt have a valve train tick....My car has a tick from something in the valvetrain, prolly a bad lifter or loose rocker, Its been like that for years and years of racing, and nothing bad has come from it. At first I was concerned that the motor was going to break because of it, but after the years of racing, I just forgot about it, its now just a tick with no concern to me.

Tick causes: bad valves, bad pushrods or bent, bad valve springs, Broken valve springs, Loose rocker or bent rocker, sticky lifter....All of the components need to be within a very tight specs, over time/over-reving/racing/etc. they become loose and or weaker, causing slack in the valve train causing a tick at idle that gets louder or stays with the rev's...IMO a common mustang issue.

Fix: replace/rebuild top-end....Ive been down the road or replacing part after part, Ie lifters,pushrods,rockers, and It still has a tick so, its best to do and entire rebuild or replace the top-end

 

[5.0fresh]

well the whole top end is fairly new with the set up it says in my sig so hopefully its nothing big and it doesnt cause any serious damage. thanks for the help.

 

[PJC Racing]

Did you check for proper pushrod length when you changed the heads and cam? And did you change out those most likely worn out FMS lifters?

 

[PUNISHER RACING]

don't forget to check header gaskets to, they can throw their voice!

 

[irish]

I'd check these:

1 were valve adjusted properly?

2 pull off one rocker, use a sharpie to color the valve stem and then adjust it and turn the motor over by hand a bunch of times, then pull it and check where the marker line is worn off, should be thin and centered on the stem.

3 easy one, pull the serpentine belt and start the car see if you have a noise, I didn't as it was my tensioner dying making what I would SWEAR was a valve noise.

4 check header gasket, I loosened the header bolts on one side and the gasket fell out in 4 pieces, had less than 50 miles. Replaced with a percys gasket and locking header bolts from totally stainless, end of issue.

5 you did not mention it, but how is your oil pressure? not sure if your noise is constant or goes away?

Matt