Guys, I have a lifter tick in my engine. I'm trying to determine what's causing it. Please let me know any suggestions you have for diagnosing this.

Here’s the scenario:

1969 440 mostly stock. Builder installed adjustable rockers, Hydraulic lifters with Comp Cams XE268 High Energy Cam (not radical). We adjusted the rockers per the engine builders instructions and had a lot of loud lifter ticking. I contacted COMP CAMS and got their instructions which were basically the same. Redid it, still very loud. I pulled the adjustable rockers off, and put stock ones back on. Most of the noise went away. It still has some.

When the engine is started, it has 75lbs of oil pressure cold per a mechanical gauge at the back of the block. After it idles for 20-30 minutes and gets hot, it’s 25 lbs. It makes lots of lifter noise until hot and then quiets down. Without the valve covers on, it does not pump alot of oil into valvetrain, like it should. Even when warmed up you can still hear the tick. Engine builder has suggested running 20w/50, but I think that's a band-aid. I've always run high zinc oil.

What are your suggestions for trouble shooting or checking to see what the issue might be?

Thanks!
Randy

for starters how much preload are you dialing in?

For one do you have the shafts installed correctly? Holes on bottom toward valves? Also when the stock rockers went back on I'm sure there is much more pre-load than the recommended 20th. but is it possible the stock rockers aren't centered properly onto valve tip??
Ron

The other thing to take into consideration, as discussed multiple times in the past, the XE cams are just noisy cams. Do some searches on this site and the internet in general and you'll find multiple threads discussing the noise with these cams due to the aggressive ramps.

I have an XE series cam and over the years, I've grown to hate it. I've heard solid cams the are more quite.

I too have adjusted my valves many times thinking there is a problem but, there's not, it's just noisy. When I built the motor, measurements were taken and a set of custom length Smith Brothers push rods were ordered so; no problem there. I've also had two different sets of heads, two different sets of rocker arms, HP manifolds and headers on the car at different times and there was no change with the noise. They're just loud clackity, ticky cams.

In another thread, I can't remember who said it but, he put it best and I'll clean it up; these cams sound like two skeletons humping on a tin roof.

FYI- I run 20w-50; it does not help, it's still noisy.