Valve-train Ticking sound

[Robert Kastle]

I have been trying to find a ticking sound in my valve train for quit some time. I have read every thread on this board. I measured everything in the valve-train and nothing seemed to be out of spec. I even change out the cam, lifters,rocker, rocker shafts and pushrods. The ticking was always there no different than before. The last thing I was going to measure before I called it quits and just excepted the fact that it was going to tick was the TA Heavy duty rocker shafts. I thought maybe they were not drilled correct and letting the rockers tap againt the supports. The rockers are close to touching the RJC rocker supports. The shafts checked out just fine. As I was reassembling the rocker shafts I noticed that the wear surface at the rocker and rocker shaft was not even. These being new it took some time for the wear surface to become polished and it was the one thing that I had not taken apart for inspection before. The wear pattern was diagonal. I thought about buying a couple new rockers,,,but what was to say they would be any different. I went to a box were I had a couple of sets of good used rockers and picked three with a even wear pattern. I assembled the shafts and started the engine. After everything pumped up the ticking was gone. It does not tick when cold or hot. It is finally gone.

As for the expense of the changing the cam. I had a Crane in it before (210int/204/exh @108 seperation) and I change to a Comp 206/206 and the engine has never run better. I do not regret it. I had the cam Plasma Nitrided and used lifters with the Stellite armored foot. The cam should last as long as the engine.