OMFG!!!! Nothing but problems...

[Phoenyx]

So I finally get the Malibu on the road today. But that lasted about 10 minutes. Heard a ticking sound so popped the hood to check it out. The driver's side valve cover has a big crack on it (intake side) and pulsates like it's alive. The rockers on that side are hitting. I'm assuming he forgot to adjust them or something, because the passenger side isn't doing it. So am I f*cked?

 

[pontiacgp]

That sucks....I'd call the guy who worked in the engine and if you don't want to do that I'd adjust the valves on both heads as long as nothing is damaged and replace the valve cover. Loose rockers won't hurt the valves. And try not to get too discouraged, sounds like your making progress with your car

 

[85GPLef41]

Yeah i don't think you shouldn't have any issues unless they decked the block or shaved the heads to raise compression or running a cam with lots of duration. I think those mods would raise the "chance" to have bent valves...I recently rebuilt the 4.7 in my GC and had the left sided cam bolt fail. It took out a rebuilt head, 2 pistons, and the left High Output cam which had to be shipped in from back East and is STILL on NATIONWIDE backorder according to my dealer.... SO GOOD LUCK hope its better then mine!!

 

[bawazir]

you could buy a kit from summit, that car should back in running

 

[hurst1979olds]

what kind of valve train in on the engine, and what kind of valve covers are on it. Ive used aftermarket rockers and they will sometimes hit a stock height valve cover. I would pop the covers off and start it for a second. See if the noise is still their. If its gone I would put taller valve covers on, or use a thicker valve cover gasket with your other covers.

But what worries me is that the noise happened after you were driving. I would still pop the cover to check things out.

 

[chevy2480]

I am having a simular problem with the 406 i just installed in my wagon. Rocker are hittin valve cover on intake side and flexing vc. I removed vc To find every rocker rubbing. But i am running comp cams gold rockers the body on that side is pretty big. I am going to order a set of fabricated vc and call it a day.

Just remeber the vc are jamming pushrods into guides if you have them. Wearing them out and putting metal through motor do not run it to you fix this problem. The pop yOu heard could have been the vc cracking or possibly a rocker hanging up. I would also make sure you have no bent pushrods from a result of binding.

 

[Phoenyx]

what kind of valve train in on the engine, and what kind of valve covers are on it. Ive used aftermarket rockers and they will sometimes hit a stock height valve cover. I would pop the covers off and start it for a second. See if the noise is still their. If its gone I would put taller valve covers on, or use a thicker valve cover gasket with your other covers.

But what worries me is that the noise happened after you were driving. I would still pop the cover to check things out.

The rockers are just stamped steel ones. The valve covers are aluminum L82 Corvette ones, like this:

The thing I fond weird is it's only the drivers side, not the passenger. But I think I remember him saying when I first bought the engine3 that he had loosened them for some reason and had to re adjust them. I'm thinking he forgot.

 

[DeltaT]

I hope it doesn't turn out to be serious. If it turns out to be loose rockers, you might want to pull each one that was loose and check out the ball, cup and straightness of the the stud. Also check out the related pushrods. I've seen people just go in and tighten stuff up and turn around and have worse problems down the road from the original loose rockers.

Jim