Thread: Tick after rocker install

I installed a set of 1.9 modified rockers and now im getting a fairly loud tick coming from the valve train. The install went well and everything should be torqued properly. Any suggestions?

I reopened the front and noticed one of the rockers was able to move side to side. There was no pressure from the rocker to the spring. I removed the rocker and re-tightened it and watched the spring compress. Then after a few minutes I checked again and there was play once more. I did re-use the stock bolts. could that be an issue? When I torqued them there was no way I was getting another 1/4 turn outta em. To clarify I did not remove the pushrods.

Stock Rocker bolts are TTY, many reuse them, but generally you're better off replacing them with some nice reusables... Lol, but have you also checked the lifter? When you removed stock rockers on that valve was there any unusual wear patterns.

Like mentioned above, stock bolts are Torque To Yield. So they stretch and are technically a one time use.

Some re-use them and no problems, others... not so much. Personally, I'd replace the bolts since they are cheap. Also, possibly a bent push-rod or bad lifter? Pull the push rod out, and roll it on an extremely flat surface, like your counter-top. See if it rolls straight. You could also swap pushrods and see of the "Wingle" follows.

Check for odd wear marks too. If you wanted to go the whole 9-yards, buy some Ls7 lifters (Fairly cheap these days), and replace your stock lifters with those, to eliminate the possibility of it being a "deflated" lifter.

There are no unusual wear patterns and everything looks brand new. I will try new bolts next to see if that helps. It seems as though they are bottoming out and I cant give them a 1/4 turn past the torque, I get maybe 1/8 or 1/16th a turn before I give up thinking they will snap. I don't think its a lifter cause it seems like im getting noise from front and back (I know that they can fail but unlikely to loose multiple for little to no reason)

I'd buy new bolts and just swap two pushrods around.

The COMP CAMS Rocker Bolts aren't Torque-To-Yield, so they can be re-used and you just tighten them down to like 13 ft-lbs or something like that.

And you know the correct procedure to torque the rocker bolts - an assumption of course...

Im pretty sure they are just bottoming out (rocker bolts.) I took the front cover off again and cleaned the hole with a q-tip. Put my torque wrench on and it was going in ez then BOOM tight and TORQUE. Going to get some new stock bolts tomorrow along with some springs. Enlighten me to the proper torque procedure. Also with the bolts @ torque I am unable to turn them even 1/16th a turn they are so tight.

With rockers i believe it's torque to speck, then another 90 degrees, and some people even do another 20 degrees.

That being said it's probably your bolts. Last month when i did my cam, same thing. I tried to reuse stock bolts, too much play, even after torquing like above, they made noise. Not a lot, but enough that i didn't like it.
Got new TTY bolts, everything is quite and works great.

my roller rockers i tq em to 25. and thats it. as per what i was told. not sure what the deal is with modded rockers.

stock are tq to what ever spec then 90

Opened it all up today to take a better look. Nothing seems out of place, i cleaned the rocker bolt holes free of oil, re-torqued and used thread locker. I also used some seafoam to see if the lifters got dirty. I havent put new bolts or springs it yes because I had to order them online. Im at a loss, everything is lined up propery and torqued correctly.

Here is a video https://youtu.be/05L2L9FMidA

thats a tick alright. the one that was loose, when the bolts tight, the rocker is also tight? like you cant lift it up as a whole. or turn it when its tight right?

There is 0 play up and down and angular. The movement is only left to right like the normal play in the bearing assembly. Example: Holding the uninstalled rocker on the sides the bearing assembly and shaking it to feel the play left and right. If that doesn't make sense ill go take a video of the stock ones I took out.

Ive decided to do the whole damn thing. Ordered rocker bolts, head bolts, l76 springs and retainers, ls7 lifters, pushrods, heater coolant elbows, gaskets (heads, lim, sc, coolant o rings)

have you taken that push rod and rolled it on a good flat table yet to see if its bent?

if the rods still good your lifter may not be happy.

Lifter is collapsed....

Post #3 to check lifter, but will shotgun parts and a non-existent problem (headbolts) etc. Seriously, so many take the most difficult path to a simple solution. : )

Originally Posted by Ginseng

Lifter is collapsed....

He'd likely have a louder tick and maybe even a misfire too.

To me it just sounds like it's not pumped up all the way, make sure oil is coming out of all the push rods.

Video camera's make lifter noises worse than they are too.

i am trying to do the easy things first and double check my valvetrain work to see if that was the problem. I cant just wait to find a dead lifter without ordering parts. Thats a few more days that ill be without a car since i cant get anything locally. I have to change the springs and its not a bad idea to change the lim so buying all that stuff is Worth it imho. to eliminate the valvetrain parts i think spending a few hundred is not a bad thing. I will be checking the lifters for oil next. If oil is not comi g out all of the rods then what could that be other than an oil pump or filter?

Even if you had to change every gasket on the motor, wouldnt you like to know where the trouble spot is first ?
yes stock springs are a bad idea.
yes re using rocker bolts bad idea
but simple visual inspection is free....
wluodnt it suck to replace to all that , lifters and gaskets just to have the same issues because maybe the rod has crud in it? Or bent?
blows my mind you keep asking for help but disregard what myself and others told you to do....
In the mean time , I have a fuel pump thread unanswered - would love to hear some input