Boy am i haveing some bad luck with this

[CJim7]

My ongoing saga continues:
First break-in, i replaced all the pushrods, rockers and pivots. second break-in, i replaced all the lifters.
Things went great until...alas....

I've developed an intermittant miss at idle on the right bank. this coincides with a different sort of tapping noise...also comes and goes.
My first thought at this point is a stuck valve? It doesnt sound like any of the lifter noise i've been dealing with over the past several weeks. Above idle, say 15-2k rpm, the cylinder appears to fire, and the noise is all but gone....as i said, it comes and goes at idle.
So...someone tell me how to test for a sticky valve. I doubt it's a burnt valve, i've experienced those before.

Sorry about my whiny-butt questions, i know it's all elementary to some of you guys 8) . I spose i could solve it by doing a complete teardown. But right now, i just want to tear the 401 out of my jeep and buy a bicycle. #-o

[82Waggy]

Might be kind of hard to check for stuck valves when static if it comes and goes, unless one just happens to stay open when you remove the rockers. The best thing would be to pull them and look at the stems for signs of heat/scoring, and then hone the guides accordingly (requires head removal). Usually, though, a tight valve will stick when at higher rpm and getting hot - and usually an exhaust valve. How is compression checking out?

Other possibility may be high bleed rate on the lifters when oil pressure is low, such as when at or near idle.

[Goose]

Well I think you may be overlooking a simple soloution.. Sounds to me like it might be misfiring at idle.. A bit lean or a bad plug wire that will fire at higher rpm/voltage.. a dud plug.. I would certainly replace one of each of those before getting spooked about the valvetrain (yet)

Keep a happy thought! :wink: