I've had my '68 for about 6 months now and I recently began to notice a "chatter" coming from the passengers side of the engine. It almost sounds as if it's coming from the head. I can hear the same chatter on the other side, but it is slight and not nearly as loud. I just noticed it within the past month or so. Any ideas? BTW, it's a '71 400 engine.
i just borrowed a special steth-o-scope type device that has a pin on the end of it, it allows you to listen to the lifters behind the valve covers. its pretty cool actually. you might want to check that out. i have a little bit of lifter noise, but that's just my motor.
Bjorn did come up and saw my car a couple months ago...hmmmm. I hear it all the time, especially at idle w/ or w/out the hood up. The sound is very "tinny". Kinda makes the same sound as when you take a pen and tap a wall with it real fast. Nice description huh? Like I said earlier, it's gotten progressively worse over the last couple of weeks.
ya checked the adjustment on your tappets ? also... have you run it hot lately ? if so, the viscosity of the oil might have changed. just some ideas dallas
Oil pressure seems good...20 @ idle, 40-60 during acceleration. I checked around the gasket...doesn't seem to be leaking anywhere. I changed the oil about a month ago and the level is good. I'll try to adjust the tappets and see how it goes...thanks for the ideas.
Unless you have an adjustable valve train, Pontiac tappets are not adjustable. If you discover you have excess lash, you might have to replace your rocker studs, rocker arms, pivots and nuts.
Heat riser valve in the right exhaust manifold. They make a very tinny rattle sound at idle. Many got wired open over the years to eliminate the rattle. Jim
