lifter noise after timing chain replacement

[jarcher401]

Was plowing snow in low range of course (basically just off idle) and the engine just quit. Wouldn't start but just knew it was the timing chain. 360 has an edelbrock performer kit (chain, cam, intake and 4bbl carb) with about 100K on it. Ran really strong with no oil consumption (could pull the mountains around here in 3rd (400 turbo quadra trac) with no problem). Ok replaced the timing cover due to scored oil pump gears, fuel pump eccentric, fuel pump, another edelbrock timing set and new oil pump gears. Tolerances came in to spec on oil pump. Before had about 40lbs. oil pressure at start up then drops to 20 and even less at idle monitoring crappy factory gauge. After is the same senerio but hung a gauge on at pump and actually reads around 20 at idle which I can live with. The problem is the valve train is for better words clattery which it wasn't before the timing chain went. Been driving it so lifters could pump up but no change. Really noisy at start up then quiets down some after warm up. Engine runs strong as before, even better. Didn't pull any valve covers yet (waiting for the weather to break) so don't know if rocker arms are loose or if the upper end is actually getting any oil. Any suggestions before I tear into it would be appreciated. Thanks.

[ironman_gq]

there is a thread on here about a problem with the oil groove on the edelbrock timing sets. You could also have bent a few pushrods when the chain went as well so I would pull the valve covers and check all your pushrods and rockers to be sure they are straight and then look into putting a different timing set in or inspecting the one you have( the thread has pics of what to look for)

[jarcher401]

Yeh I was aware of the oil groove timing chain problem and looked for it during install, but didn't realize the push rods could get bent, so I guess that will be my next move. Thanks alot.

[mrtazwrench]

I would suspect bent pushrods, but I will never run the edelbrock timing set again after they caused my dizzy gears to fail.

[73hornut]

I would look for locks pulling through retainers if your running the stock ones.

[jarcher401]

I'll probably kick myself for not knowing what locks and retainers your talking about, but what locks and retainers?

[ironman_gq]

Im thinking hes refering to the valve spring retainers and locks

[jarcher401]

Thats what I had figured, but thought if they go I would have more problems than just noise.

[ironman_gq]

BIG problems like new motor time problems at minimum new valves and pistons but it would probably take the heads or at least the guides out too #-o

[jarcher401]

Installed my new oil pressure gauge today to get a more acurate reading, also changed the oil and filter at same time. Here are the results, 60 at cold start up 40 after hot while maintaning 55 mph. At idle in gear about 5 and 10 in park. This engine has over 100k on it, the noise is getting less so I guess my next move is to pull the valve covers and see if i can find anything.

[jarcher401]

Took the truck to work today (nope let me refrase that attempted to) got about 7 miles and as soon as I gave it some throttle I heard this snapping noise with a miss, not a popping thru the carb. Idled ok. Got home ok, borrowed my sisters car to get to work. Pulled the dizzy and the gears looked great, hung a vacuum gauge on and every time this would snap the vacuum dropped. Compression check showed 180 to 190 in all cylinders, so I pulled the valve covers to make sure all the rockers were moving. Passenger side front exhaust wasn't. What the h##l no push rod. Pulled the rockers and yanked out the intake push rod and it was BENT. Went down the exhaust side with a pen magnet and pulled out half of a broken rod. Of course now I'm thinking what are the chances of retrieving the bottom half. Turned out I got lucky. Any how turns out they are all bent. Now I thought these were non-interference engines, but have heard sometimes if the timing chain actually comes off instead of just jumping teeth it can happen. I'm getting good oil up to the rockers so what do you think my chances are of just replacing the push rods are?

[ironman_gq]

if none of the valves or rockers got bent then you might get lucky and some new rods will have you going back down the road. with 100k on the motor I would give it a go and if she blows up then its not the worst thing in the world and you have a great excuse to rebuild it and get more power :lo1l:

[jarcher401]

Took a vacation day and picked up 16 rods and valve cover gaskets totaling $60.00. They were all bent except for one. My theory is when the chain went the cylinders pumped up with gas then bent the rods. (Thats my story and I'm sticking to it). When I first put them in when the cam was on base circle as I torqued the rockers down I saw the valves open, took a compression check and nothing, so I waited a little bit and took another reading and ok. Here the lifter was pumped up too much trying to compansate for a bent rod. Buttoned everything back up and it fired right up, quiet as can be. Checked the timing and it was at 5 btc adjusted to 9 and went for a long ride. Now thats the truck I used to have. Oil pressure was even up. I want to thank everbody for their suggestions.