Wb 202 noisy rockers/ lifters.

[Danfield]

So I think I have dug around on this subject as much as I can but I have decided to make another thread because I am out of ideas.

I have the classic ticking from the rockers that wont go away. I cannot nail it down to any particular ones as it seems to change day by day. I have run it with the rocker cover off multiple times using a hose to locate the noisy lifters. The ones that are noisy, seem to have soft lifters when I press them by hand. The quiet ones are firm. However this is continually changing. Some will be soft, others firm. Then when I check again the next day, they will have changed. I figured this would be them bleeding down but they don't seem to all pump back up.

I have also noticed that if I remove a rocker from a soft lifter, it will be pumped back up when I put it back on. Then when I turn it over by hand. It goes soft again. While others still stay firm.

What I have tired:
- Noisy lifter additive
- Changed oil to HPR30 and ryco filter.
- put in a new set of lifters.
- push rods are all straight
- check rocker arms for excessive wear

The lowest I have seen my oil pressure drop is 14psi at hot idle, about 42 running down the road. Good enough to not be the pump??

The only connection I can find is that when the lifters are soft by hand. They are the noisy ones. So I can't figure why some would do this and not others and how the issue seems to change from lifter to lifter.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Immortality]

Any modifications are changes to the valve train? Had the head offs and machined the head or block?

 

[Danfield]

Any modifications are changes to the valve train? Had the head offs and machined the head or block?

Everything is stock, I had the head off over a year ago but no changes were made other then a new head gasket. It always had noise for a few seconds on a cold start up but went away. Recently it doesn't fully go away.

 

[vc commodore]

Going back 30 ish years ago, I struck a similar issue with a 202 in an HQ....Ended up having the pushrods shaved slightly....

Seeing you have a soft lifter, I'd be replacing them so they aren't so soft....So another avenue

 

[Danfield]

Going back 30 ish years ago, I struck a similar issue with a 202 in an HQ....Ended up having the pushrods shaved slightly....

Seeing you have a soft lifter, I'd be replacing them so they aren't so soft....So another avenue

Yeah I replaced them. No luck. It's not consistently any one of the lifters. Yesterday it was one from 1 and 3, today it's one from 4 and 5.

 

[vc commodore]

Yeah I replaced them. No luck. It's not consistently any one of the lifters. Yesterday it was one from 1 and 3, today it's one from 4 and 5.

Try checking the length of the pushrods.....

How's the cam? Has it got a worn lobe or 3?

Maybe grab some non 202 rockers, so you have some adjustability.....That might help with the constant noise

So a few things to check

 

[Danfield]

Should the

Try checking the length of the pushrods.....

How's the cam? Has it got a worn lobe or 3?

Maybe grab some non 202 rockers, so you have some adjustability.....That might help with the constant noise

So a few things to check

Thanks, I put new rods in but I could pull them out and check. I had a look at the cam but to be honest it was kind of hard for me to tell. It seemed OK. I would of thought that if it was a worn out lobe or something that it would be consistently the same lifter though. Is it a easy swap to go to adjustable rockers?

 

[Danfield]

Update, I noticed while running that the pushrods don't spin. They should spin shouldn't they?

 

[EYY]

Update, I noticed while running that the pushrods don't spin. They should spin shouldn't they?

Typically, yes. Have you checked that you have some lifter preload? If you fit an aftermarket cam or larger head gasket to these things, you can remove all preload (I know because it happened when I put one together).

The quick (and nasty) fix is to carefully file a little off the bottom of the rocker pedestal. It will have an impact on your rocker geometry, but shouldn’t matter for a standard engine with the stamped rockers. They’re not exactly a performance engine and spring pressure is low.

 

[Danfield]

Thanks, I have not checked for pre load, I'll pull the inspection covers back off and have a look. Yeah I have read about that trick, only reason I haven't done it is because the issue seems to change places. Number one intake was definitely soft yesterday however today it's stiff and quiet. Today it's intake 4 and 5. I guess I could just do the hole set?