Valvetrain noise

[6SENSE]

Since swapping cams about a month or so ago my engine has a bit more valvetrain noise. I know Ive heard of some cams causing more noise than others, I dont truly understand it but Ive heard it said (I could see lifters being the culprit, but I dont know).
Anyway, after hitting the car up a couple times last night I developed a little extra noise which I havent had a chance to pinpoint yet. It may have been a tapping but almost sounded like a "clicking" exhaust leak sound (maybe header gasket blew out?). Its one of the two, valvetrain or header leak. Which ever, it wasnt very loud, but bad enough to set off the knock sensor when I got on it a little bit (probably drivetrain then?). This has me wondering, is it necessary to retighten the rocker arm shafts? Or am I right with my theory on the lifters, and a different set of lifters would help?
Ive gone through a somewhat similar situation on another TR which had a ATR cam/lifters. Noise was worse than mine. Swapped the lifters for stock types from Autozone (or Advanced?) and noise went away, car ran great and faster (no more false KR).
The cam that I put in mine is a Speedpro 204/214 from Northern Auto (also got lifters from them).
TIA for any input you guys can give me. (I would just like to have a little bit quieter engine , with a loud single shot out the back ).

P.S. To make it more confusing, I could of sworn when I got home last night, I think the extra extra noise (besides the already extra valvetrain noise ) may have gone away . I will check when I get home from work and start it up.

 

[6SENSE]

I let the car run for a little while. Slowly reved it a few times too. Dont think its an exhaust leak, sounds like all the extra noise is from the valvetrain. Not a steady loud tapping or anything extreme like that, but definately noticeable. Is this just something you live with after you do enough mods to a TR? Or is there something to quiet this down? If someone could enlighten me as to what is actually going on to cause this extra valvetrain noise that seems to come about when using different cams and/or lifters it will be much appreciated. Maybe a stupid question, but are there any additives that would help against this?
Thanks.

P.S. I just thought of something. There are certain cars that just always have a noisey sounding valvetrain, louder than what Im experiencing (i.e. quad-4 cars and some other 4 and 6 cyliders). What causes this, is it the same thing going on? Its like normal for these cars, they run good, everything seems to be fine, but they just sound like crap (at least the ones Ive ran into).

 

[1badTTA]

Sounds like my car, I have had 3 sets of lifters in it and the quitest by far were the factory ones. I also have had a lifter tap at startup with both the second and third sets. The factory cam is back in it after it wiped the postons cam with only 3K on it.

 

[twin 93 svt]

Stock lifters should be noticeably quiter, or open the dump, Should run the same either way.

 

[6SENSE]

Well your no help! Your just as bad as me!
Seriously though, I wiped my Postons cam pretty early too. I was about to put my stocker back in, but went ahead and got a Speedpro cam instead (Reds makes a good salesman ). My brother's car is the one I mentioned in the first post that we put the AZ lifters in. His car taps on start up too, but runs a heck of alot better since swapping lifters.
As far as mine, if it wasnt for the tapping (which seems to be getting worse) I would be very happy right now (and I would probably be trying to get it painted). Its bad enough now that I get 20~ deg of KR deaccelarating coming off the highway! Im thinking lifters, rockers or timing chain.
Lifters are new Sealed Power ht969's. Rocker arm shaft was torqued to 30 (do these generally need to get retorqued?). Timing chain only has about 5,000 miles on it (GM chain and sprockets w/new tensioner).
Just drove it tonight, its hard to tell where the sound is coming from (either from the top or front), its not a very defined tapping sound. Im used to the defined tapping on a small block chevy that you know right off the bat that the rockers need adjusting. This doesnt soud like that. Do rockers on a shaft make the same type of sound?
I remember Reds Hot Air saying something about the SpeedPro cam being hard on stock timing chains, but its kind of hard to believe that that is the problem here. So what do you guys think? Lifters?
Anyone?

 

[6SENSE]

Originally posted by twin 93 svt
Stock lifters should be noticeably quiter

What is really the difference with the lifters? I would have thought that these Sealed Power lifters were stock type. Are they supposed to be something special? Another thing that kind of throws me off on the lifter thing is that just about anywhere you get them from, the part # is almost the same. Theyve all got that 969 somewhere in it, makes you think that they are probably all made by the same company and put in different boxes.
If it isnt lifters, what could I have broken? Cam bearings wouldnt cause this would they?

 

[twin 93 svt]

I have seen people change them out to stock gm lifters to make a noticeable difference, Also have freind with identical set up as i except for I have comp cams lifters and he has stock, and I can tell the diff.

 

[6SENSE]

Thanks twin 93 svt, looks like my best bet is to try swapping out the lifters. When you say stock gm lifters, are you talking about actual gm lifters from the dealer (do they even carry them anymore?), or some stock type like I mentioned above that I got from AZ or Advanced (think they were Melling). Thanks again.