valve train lacking oil?

[baja1]

here's my deal, I really struggled through this '97 to '02 engine swap but after replacing a bunch of expensive electrical parts (ICM, TPS, IAC) she's finally running. perfect idle, smooth running, strong...but REALLY loud ticking.
its a dirty, greasy junkyard motor, when I removed the greasy valve covers I found the valve trains perfectly clean and silver, not like the old motor that also was clean but had that pretty gold color that I assume is just stain from the oil? it didn't appear the valve covers had been off (thinking maybe the heads had been the machinist?)
is it possible its not getting oil to the valve train? next im going to run some seafoam thru it, a better filter and maybe 10/30 rather than 5/30.
its uncommonly loud and doesn't appear to be an exhaust leak.
thanks fellows!

 

[Kanoe]

Can you get your hands on an oil pressure gauge? Easy place to start and might give you a clue.

 

[JZiggy]

Have you checked valve clearances?

 

[Tinigunner11]

Another thing to do is make sure the valve covers and spark plugs are torqued, mine were loose and it ticked like crazy. Once tight the tick was still there just quieter.

 

[baja1]

I will try all those things, im guessing autozone will have an oil pressure gauge? they don't sell seafoam, all the lucas and resilone products but no seafoam....at least here in baja. and i'll check the torque, hoping it could be as simple as an inferior oil filter, the one on there is a mexico product aptly named "Gonher"

 

[JohnMc]

Is it a valve train ticking noise or is it from the bottom end? You could use some feeler gauges and see what the valve clearances are.

I wouldn't worry all that much abut the valve cover area being too clean. it's probably more of a matter of what kind of oil was used, not that the valvetrain has been starved of oil. If that was the case, the heads would be junk, not ticking.

 

[Mellemel]

Just adding 2 cents worth, I had a similar loud ticking which I would almost say was a loudish valve clattering and knocking sound on cold starts, just like there was no oil there. The shop diagnosed me with a bad exhaust valve so I sea foamed the hell out of it and it's gone !! I found spraying sea foam in the brake vacuum hose that goes into the intake worked the best. I actually used 2 cans. One in the aforementioned hose the other in the throttle body. Got the usual smoke show, but the noises have all gone. I did the seafoaming over 2 days by the way.

 

[baja1]

Just adding 2 cents worth, I had a similar loud ticking which I would almost say was a loudish valve clattering and knocking sound on cold starts, just like there was no oil there. The shop diagnosed me with a bad exhaust valve so I sea foamed the hell out of it and it's gone !! I found spraying sea foam in the brake vacuum hose that goes into the intake worked the best. I actually used 2 cans. One in the aforementioned hose the other in the throttle body. Got the usual smoke show, but the noises have all gone. I did the seafoaming over 2 days by the way.

thanks I will definitely try the seafoam soon as I can find a source for it!

 

[19963.4lsr5]

I also vote for checking valve clearances.

Why was the vehicle you got the motor from in the junkyard? Totaled from a accident?


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[St Runner]

Living in a warm area that never gets near freezing you can dispense with the 10/5 and run straight 30 weight. it will boost your oil pressure overall. You also might try a sea foam or other cleaner in the oil. I am not a huge fan of this but if you are worried about blocked oil passages it can be a last resort

 

[19963.4lsr5]

Living in a warm area that never gets near freezing you can dispense with the 10/5 and run straight 30 weight. it will boost your oil pressure overall. You also might try a sea foam or other cleaner in the oil. I am not a huge fan of this but if you are worried about blocked oil passages it can be a last resort

You would think if his oil was restricted to a head or both heads he would have wiped a cam bearing. It's a mechanical valve train not hydraulic.


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