Just finished freshening up my 496 and notice I now have a lot of rocker noise/chatter. Had the same noise before but with a lot less chatter. Had a valve job and new springs but all the same valve train. My only issue was the heads were resurfaced ( just cleaned up) which made my push rods tips at the rocker about .025 to .030 gap from contacting the rocker. Is this o.k.? Any other ideas why they are louder now? Rechecked the valve lash hot .018/.020 2 times using EOIC method. Noise is coming from both Banks. Oil pressure hot 70 pounds in park and 50 pounds in gear. Have no ticking at all just this chatter type noise. Thanks Matt

When in doubt, check it out Remove the valve covers and see if you can locate the problem by turning the motor over on the starter with the spark plugs out and valve covers off If that is not successful try running it with one valve cover off All things mechanical(motors especially :)) that make noise after working on the parts that where quite before the work usually are making noise for a reason Let us know what you find

I don't get it...Your description of space between pushrods and rockers leads me to believe that you haven't set the valves right. I mean, how can you have lash at the valve PLUS clearance between rocker and pushrod?

R.

Removed both valve covers and found no issues. Valve adjustment good, rocker side clearance .010, spec from Hughes .005/.015. All roller tips centered on valve stems, plenty of push rod tunnel clearance, retainer and spring has plenty of clearance, plenty of oil on both banks and rockers do not come close to hitting valve covers. Yet it sounds like a sewing machine at idle, you could here the noise 3ft from the fender on both sides! Again no ticking noise at all.

The other possibility is I installed a new timing chain with the old gears from Hughes. The engine had 40 passes and some street miles I thought the chain had some play and Hughes sells the chain individually so I changes it. Any possibility this is making noise and echoing up thru the engine? Thanks for the help, very frustrating trying to pin point new problems you did not have before. Matt

Here's a video of the noise!



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjGtqFFFo6k&list=FLxMcxF_Q-VbADT0Ty2QRn6w&index=1

Thanks for the guys!

What kind of cam lifters ?

I'm lost on this .025 to .030 gap from contacting the rocker ? is that the gap between the pushrod cup and the rocker body at full lift ?? ????? ??????

Also how about a video that doesn't make one dizzy ?? if you want someone to hear the engine noise just a video of the engine running would be more helpful ...

It sounded like loose valve lash to me. Lash adjustment procedures are all over this website right now. Maybe a different procedure will yield significantly different results.

Did you get new retainers with the springs? Check to see if the retainers are hitting the rockers. The rockers may need reliefs cut into them. You will never get the lash right if they are hitting each other.

Oil to thin. Pushrods not getting enough oil/ to close to rocker. More lash than you think it has