HELP!!!! 383 Clattering?????

The push rods are the original ones out of the motor and there is just 1 are 2 lifters doing this and they just do it for a few minutes and stop. I have a Mopar oil filter on it. My gauge just works when it wants to but when it does it idles around 40-50 lbs oil pressure. The clatterng isn't bad and I'm probaly the only one that can hear it and it is just there for a certain speed. If I let off are give it gas it stops. What direction do I go with the dist. to back the timing off? It just doesn't have the power I think it should have. So every one just bear with me, I'm not much on these kind of troubles but I really thank every one for the advice and help. Ronnie

We used a lite on it to set it. Ronnie

Is the clatter new? was the engine always a dog? Could be a few things. Torque converter bolts?

so it's only at part throttle cruise on the highway....check your timing (sounds repetitive, huh?! ) it could be the vacuum advance is pulling too much timing and you get spark knock, but with less throttle, there's not enough air to get spark knock, and with more throttle there's not enough vaccum to advance the timing that far.

just a thought

I got bit one time by installing the crank gear for the timing chain in the wrong position, the engine ran but was pretty week, once it got over 3000 rpm, the rhoades lifters pumped up and the valves started tickling the pistons or "clattering". To check it, roll the engine until the intake or exhaust valve is completely open. Shine a light down where you can see the lifter plunger top out and see how much slack you have left before the valve contacts the piston
If your engine will rev above 3-3500 without losing any more power this is not your problem.

Lets see if it's spark knock (pinging). Pull the vac hose off & plug it (the hose) w a golf tee & take it back out & see if that makes it any better

It was set on the timing marks at O-O I think. I will plug the vac.line and drive it and see what happens. I had a guy set the timing and he didn't put a vac. gauge on it. The motor starts really good where it is set now just don't seem to have much power. Ronie

Remove the vacumn line from the distributor and plug it, run the rpm up to about 2,000 and set the timing at 34 degrees. If this doesn't correct your problem you still need to have the timing set at 34 degrees +/-.

How do I know where 34 degrees is? I'm not to good on this stuff. I'm sure he set it on the timing marks on the motor. I asked him about that as the cam was supposed to have been degreed in it. Ronnie

You will need a newer timing light that you dial in (on the timing light)in order to set the ignition timing properly. Your distributor should be at full mechanical advance at 2,000 rpm and this is where it needs to be set. You can also buy a timing tape for the harmonic balancer (Jegs or Summit)that has the degrees on it but they very seldom stay stuck for very long.

heres a fast way to set the timeing with just a vac gauge on a full vac port off the carb...

hook up the vac gauge to the carb port for full vac at idle.

advanc the dist/timeing till you get your highest vac reading.

then back it down one #( example..high is 19,back down to 18) then snug the clamp on the dist so it wont move.

test drive it,that will get you in the ball park.

if it still does the clatter..then test it with dist vac pluged like posted above.

when you have a light on it,note where the timeing mark lines up on the timeing tab for later referance.

if its a aftermarket cam it may want more advance,so it may go past the #s on the tab..so you estamate it a little.

one thing I have learned..what is said to be done does not allways mean it got done correctly

It is a Mopar purple cam and I can't find my papers to it. Ronnie

Heres a few ideas....
As said, check the torque converter bolts. They will rattle if the engine is under very little load or on the rev down.
Are all your rocker arms in the correct positions? Is it possible that you have them out of order? Intake rockers in the exhaust position or vice versa? This will cause the pushrods to be off center and maybe increase the lash.
Physical interference with the engine or exhaust to the body or other obstruction?
Worn out motor mounts causing a metal to metal contact?

It as all new every thing. New rockers in the right spots with new hold down bars. All new motor mounts. I think there is a couple of the lifters just not working right. I'm going to check with the vac. unhooked and replace the 2 lifters and see if that maybe will fix it. The clattering when it does it sounds just like some bad gas but it isn't, it has fresh gas in it. Ronnie

i have seen bad new lifters before, been more common lately,??

?????????????
How the heck is THAT possible?

Try a qt of tranny fluid in the oil, might free up the lifter. Old school

they make a lifter removal tool also,it has a pull trigger to spred the end to catch the lip/plunger retainer to lift the lifter out and install it the same way.

kinda like the 3 finger picker upper flex tool

dont know about being old,but i know how its done

You can easily get them out of distrib hole with some trickery. We did them on the small block chevs too.