Excessive valvetrain noise?????

[Russ]

I can't seem to get rid of the valvetrain noise in my BBC engine. I am running Edelbrock performer heads and Comp Cams Pro Magnum roller rockers. I have adjusted them both cold and with engine running a few times and still cannot get rid of the tapping.

I did the cold adjustment prior to breaking in the cam (Comp Cams XM262H). Engine starts up and runs fine, but after it heats up I start getting a tapping noise. I went through and adjusted with the engine running. I could back them off until I heard a loud tapping tighten down until it went away and then add 1/2 turn. Even after doing that I still have a tap. I listened with a piece of hose and the tapping is coming from the valve side of the rocker arm rather than the pushrod/lifter side. I though maybe I had interference between the Comp Cams rockers and the Edelbrock spring retainers so I swapped out the rockers for the stock stamped rockers. Set them all up cold, started it up, runs great, but after about 15 minutes the tapping comes back again. Went through and adjusted running, same deal as before. The tapping is still coming from the valve side of the rocker.

This is my first BBC and first set of aluminum heads. I have never had a problem quieting down a SBC valvetrain with iron heads. Will the aluminum heads be noisier than iron heads? Am I hearing the valve close? Any guesses at all???? I am running out of ideas to try.

I also did some reading on the internet and read about the extreme energy cams causing valve noise due to ramp design or something, but it only seemed to be the case on the larger cams.
Thanks for any help,

Russ

 

[Russ]

BTTT for the mechanics

 

[dyeager535]

I'm getting a bit of noise from my pro magnums as well.

I've messed with setting them a few times, each time they are "just right" but it isn't enough to keep them quiet.

Not super loud, but audible. At times makes me think of a diesel. A bit worse on a cold engine, a bit quieter as it warms up.

I still want to solve it, but after having the valve covers off multiple times, I'm beginning to think the truck just isn't loud enough to cover up the inherent noise from them.

 

[Russ]

Thanks for the reply. The odd thing about this noise is that it comes on after the engine warms up. It is quite as can be when I first start it and starts getting noisy after about 20 minutes of running. It is making the same tapping noise with the pro-magnums or with the stock rockers. I have about convinced myself I am going to pull the intake off and remove that BBC cam oiler that I put on it when I rebuilt the engine. I am thinking that it may possibly be robbing some oil from the lifters and letting them bleed down too much after the oil thins since it is tapped into the lifter oil galley.

Russ