Inliners International Forums General Discussion Engines Tick needs flush?

I've been working on the timing lately and have noticed a mild tick from the valve train. I can hear it better when I remove the oil cap. I've heard a lot worse, but it is maddening because as I keep adjusting the timing to optimal I'm not sure while driving if I'm hearing the tick or detonation pinging.

The '78 250cid is the factory original engine with 43k miles on it, 2500 of which I put on since I bought it in 2011. It's had four oil changes since then and sat a few years while the project was on hold. There is a leak on the rear main seal that leaves a spot on the garage floor when parked, but I have yet to need to add oil between changes.

I use the bigger Wix filter and fill it with Joe Gibbs Driven HR6 10W40. But although it has storage protectants in it, there does not seem to be any detergent in the oil.

I've seen people fix their lifter knock after a 5min flush and oil change with Liqui Moli or Motor Medic, and some even using ATF and 100 miles. It sat for decades in the past and there may be quite a bit of sludge that is gumming up the lifters. But with my main seal leak, I'm concerned a flush may open up all my gaskets and seals to leaks, or worse yet even cause it to burn oil. Not sure that is worth it to get rid of a mild tick.

I am about 1000 miles into the next oil change, and may just do it at the 3000 mile interval instead of waiting for the end of the year or 7500 whichever comes first. A that time I could use Risoline engine treatment or Marvel Mystery Oil to replace a quart to try to cure any dirty lifters? Or I could supplement a quart with a high mileage oil which has detergents and gasket/seal protectors?

It may only be a need to zero lash the rockers. But I have also seen someone use carb cleaner on the pushrods after removing them to clean them out, then sprayed down the rod into the lifter clean that too before re-oiling the rod and lashing them all down, then run the engine a few minutes before changing the oil? Then again, with the valve cover and side covers off, it's ridiculously easy to get at the lifters, so I could just clean them individually to be sure they are not gummed up?

Anyone got any tips or tricks they use?

I would change the oil more frequently instead of adding any atf or magic potions. Zero risk of causing damage unless you twist off the drain plug.

Pull the valve cover and look for dry rocker arm (doubt it but maybe). Are any rockers loose? Turn the crankshaft two turns while watching for a rocker moving less than the others indicating a flat cam lobe.

Also, if you can stand the mess of running with the valve cover off, a ticking rocker can sometimes be felt with your finger while the engine is running.

Yeah, I really am learning of flushing it due to age and oil leak potential. But will running an oil without detergents in it clean out sludge deposits in the lifters or other essential areas?

It might just be rockers in the end, the sound is louder when I open the oil cap.

Would a a flat lobe be noisy? I would think it's limited movement would be fairly quiet? If there is a flat lobe, then time to move up my cam swap plans.

I think every commercially available automotive motor oil has detergents. Grade SE or whatever is the latest standard.

Flat lobe can be noisy because there is now too much clearance in the valvetrain. If you adjusted out the clearance it might be quiet again but there is no point because the cam is shot.

I had a big block chevy once that had an annoying tick in the valvetrain that would come and go. I traced it down to a pushrod ball end that was off the pushrod centerline. Pushrod rotation in the guideplate would move the rocker arm around a bit and the tick would come and go. From this experience I always check pushrod runout and if one end is better, put that end near the rocker. Runout causes less problem at the tappet.

I found some text that states "features low levels of detergent for maximum anti-wear film formation", so a little bit I guess? This is the Joe Gibbs Driven synthetic oil. Just keep up the severe duty schedule for oil changes and the gumminess will eventually clear itself out?

When the weather gets better, I'll plan to get the cover off to repaint it and do some zero lashing at that time. Hopefully that will quiet it down.

Another possibility is a pressed in rocker stud may have pulled up.

My bet is worn components in your valvetrain somewhere. If so, zero lashing likely won't help you. You sure you don't have an exhaust leak? Can make a ticking sound sometimes.

I kind of doubt you have "gumminess" in your engine. I have not seen anything like that in 20+ years. Used to tear down junk engines and find the valve cover full of gummy deposits but have not seen anything like that in a long time. But I could be wrong.

I would buy a couple cases of the cheapest oil you can find (still meeting API spec of course) and some filters. Multiple oil changes on short interval with hard driving between is what I would do if you feel there is flushing needed.

I also would not hesitate to use diesel spec oil for this. I understand diesel oils have higher detergent loads.

https://agriculture.mo.gov/weights/fuel/pdf/MotorOilsandLubricants.pdf

Well I hear it on the passenger side of the engine opposite of the exhaust. But I also have the integrated head still, so the exhaust gasket is horizontal not vertical. Or do you mean an exhaust leak on an exhaust valve?

I got a busy schedule for the next week. Maybe I'll have some time to pull the valve cover for a day or two and see what I find since the last time I opened it.

I meant an exhaust leak head/manifold. I guess that does not apply to an integrated head.