Expy/lightning issues - Round 2

[FordandPolaris]

That's a bummer... Hopefully the fix is fairly straight-forward. I am looking at the same plan when my motor goes out. Buy a cheap truck and rebuild her at my own pace. Hopefully you don't have to pull it out of the truck though.

 

[toms89]

Crazy busy at work so have not had time to mess with the expy.

But the good news is $$ is coming in so it will help. Think I will get another driver so I can take my time with it if it ends up being more than a lash adjuster.

If I end up having to pull the motor I would like to go through it, take my time and make appropriate changes/mods where need be.

 

[splintrcel]

Having a back up car is always the best. Everytime i work on my truck i am missing some part or need some odd tool so i have to run and get it.

 

[tallsville]

Ive always had a 2nd car. Always felt weird not having a 2nd vehicle, so i just picked up a 99 civic for a commuter. And it sucks being so low compared to the expy

 

[toms89]

Update!

Well... do have back up vehicle now.

Did some extensive listening to the tick and cannot easily pinpoint it. My best guess is it is coming from the #5 exhaust valve. Before I start pulling it apart called my original tuner to have a look. JJ with Woodbine Motorsports! Figure he has much more experience trouble shooting issues such as this.

On my drive up I realized it only does it while the engine is under zero load. Sounded fine driving there till I would stop at a light then you could hear it slightly. In neutral it gets worse. Now confident it is not in the bottom end. Rods, bearings, wrist pin, etc.... should be ok.

I get there and he listens for a few minutes from different angles and reving it up. His first impression is bad valve guide... He said he can't rule out rocker or possibly lash adjuster but does not believe they are responsible. His impression is the valve is floating around with no load but as soon as load is introduced it helps line it up.

It all makes sense to me because on cold start there is no noise and the noise does not appear until she is warmed up. Typically lash adjusters or lifters make noise upon cold start as they bleed down when they sit. And I would expect a rocker to get worse with load...

Have to pull valve cover just to be certain but if rocker and lash adjuster look fine I will pulling the motor and have the heads freshened up and possibly larger exhaust valves installed. Maybe some mild porting but the tfs heads ports are pretty good from the factory.

 

[metaldrgn]

What I would do is disconnect fuel and spark from each cylinder on the drivers side one at a time and see if you can isolate it to a particular cylinder. If it doesn't go away odds are it's a lash adjuster or something else. I've seen random posts about the timing chain slapping the guide which is a possibility.

Spare cars are nice to have for situations like that. They can also help break up the monotony of always driving one car.

 

[toms89]

What I would do is disconnect fuel and spark from each cylinder on the drivers side one at a time and see if you can isolate it to a particular cylinder. If it doesn't go away odds are it's a lash adjuster or something else. I've seen random posts about the timing chain slapping the guide which is a possibility.

Spare cars are nice to have for situations like that. They can also help break up the monotony of always driving one car.

I have disconnected injector from the misc cylinders on that side. No change.

I listen with a mechanics stethoscope at all areas for signs of timing chain tensioner/guides failure, lash adjuster, rocker arm, flexplate, rods, etc.... I really could not pinpoint it to any one item. It is most pronounced when I listen to the #5 primary on the headers. This leads me to believe the #5 exhaust valve is having issues.

I have TFS heads and believe others may have had issues before with the powdered metal valve guides that they come with stock. Many say they are too brittle for performance applications and bronze guides should be installed. I dunno... may soon find out.

 

[metaldrgn]

What about disconnecting them on the other side just to see if there's any change? I'm having a similar issue on my 02 Tahoe and I just changed all the lifters and still have that noise above 1800 rpms. I'm kicking myself for not checking the piston for play because I had the head off, but I didn't think of it till after. I'm just going to pull the pan and see if hopefully one of the bearings needs replacing or connecting rod needs new bolts and I don't have to pull the engine. Also I heard it loudest on the #1 cylinder which is #5 for Ford.

 

[metaldrgn]

So I tried disconnecting fuel from each cylinder on my Tahoe and I still had the tick. I took off the intake valve rocker arm(I think it's the intake valve) prior to all this and the tick went away so I'm confused because I've already changed the lifters (lash adjusters on yours). Maybe a bent valve? I also swapped rocker arms with no change. I don't know how it would just happen but I bought it this way so I don't know what the history on it is.

Have you done anything more with yours?

 

[toms89]

No. Have not had time. Believe it is bad valve guide. May pull valve cover just to verify its not a rocker or lash adjuster. If not will pull motor and go through it. Have heads sent to machine shop for new valve guides and likely have larger exhaust valves installed. If it comes out I plan to take my time and do some modifications I have been considering.