HI all, well I started my new motor up after the break in about 10 days after break in (yes with new oil I put in 15w-40 rotella with lucas oil zddp engine oil supplement) when I got it tuned and timed I started to notice a lifter ticking. I have the Xe 268 comp cam, and it runs very strong and Im very happy with it. The motor doesnt seem to have any power loss other than it just ticks. It comes and goes, valves are adjusted correctly... LOL trust me, I had 5 local racers come by and adjust them to make sure it was right. Anyway, all of the recomended springs and such were used. Just wondering if anyone else has had the same problem.

Sometimes a leaking header gasket will sound like a ticking lifter. Try re-tightening all the bolts at the flanges or replace the gaskets.

You could also try using a synthetic oil and try that. Not sure if it will work or not, but people tell me to try it all the time and it is also better for an engine then the new oils out now.

What push rods did you use? I had a set of Crane push rods that got a bad heat treat and started wearing the end on one push rod down. If you can isolate what lifter is ticking you may want to check the push rod ends.

The XE grinds are notorious for lifter noise.. BUT,, TAKE NOTHING FOR GRANTED!!!!!!!
Pull the oil filter and cut it open, look for the metallic sheen of a lobe going away. If you have lost a lobe (very likely even with the rotella and additive) You need to stop driving it and circulating the trash through your new engine!!!!!!!

Other possibilities... Other than a ticking exhaust leak like Dale mentioned, Is the rocker studs screw in, pinned, or possibly just a stock pressed in stud being pulled from the Comp spring pressure? What rockers do you have? Is the slot long enough to not bind on the stud? In fact, what heads??? I built a buddy a 350 and he just couldn't live without a set of some used TrickFlow twisted wedge heads. No cam, spring, lifter, or rocker would make that pile of poor valve train geometry quiet down.

I guess what I'm getting at... If it's not an adjustment problem, you have a mechanical problem. FIND IT before you trash the bearings, score the crank and loose all you've invested in the rebuild.

Oh, just another BTW,, Comp had a rash of bad lifters a year or so ago. I don't know how much this applies to the flat tappet hydraulics, but I built 2 hydraulic roller motors using Comp hydraulic roller lifters and had to tear BOTH engines apart to replace one pair of lifters. One I had to do twice because the $70 PAIR of replacement lifters also had a bad lifter. No amount of adjustment would keep it quiet. It would bleed off, and go to ticking in just a few minutes. Comp would admit no problem but Jeggs stood behind all 3 pairs of replacement lifters simply saying "we know".

for whatever that is worth...

well, as soon as I took the old oil out I did have the filter tore apart and I took a magnet and went through all the oil and there was not metal in the oil. It hasnt been driven yet, I also already checked all the studs, they are pressed in and all are fine. They are vortec heads, WITH the correct self aligning rockerarms, push rods are all correct length, I have heard that the xe line of cams had been famous for making noise, my grandpa has one in his car and does the same thing. It just makes me wonder, this is my 2nd engine that I have completley rebuilt from pan to carb and I just worry a lot that something is wrong.

If the cam was gonna eat itself, it would show up in the filter by now.

Problem is, if the cam shells out, the metal circulates thru the oil and into eveything, requiring a tear down for cleaning the block and heads etc again.
Doesn't sound like you have a problem, except a lifter with a faster leak-down, and noise.

Whoa whoa whoa,, wait just a minute. Isn't the lift on the xe268 like .49?? You can't do that on a stock set of Vortecs. That much lift causes the retainer to pinch the valve seal between the guide and the retainer. As I recall .47 is MAX on stock retainers, and if you changed to a comp retainer that matches the springs,, some of those have a longer base and do the same. Before you dismiss it as typical XE valvetrain noise, CHECK CLEARANCE BETWEEN RETAINER AND TOP OF THE GUIDE. I would need to look up the dimensions to be sure, but no matter. I KNOW the 268XE is going to be close, if not too much. CHECK IT unless you had your machinist cut the guides down. It's a commonly overlooked issue with the Vortecs. Not an issue on the aftermarket Vortecs, but if they are GM castings,, I bet your close enough to pinch the seal if not close enough to have contact when the lifter pumps up just slightly.

Thanks guys for all the help! Its great being able to ask a question and get real answers!

Thanks marv, thats already been taken care of! The lift is .477 and .480, its the first thing I did to the heads.

Whew,, cool. That one poped to mind and I thought... ohhhh no! Sounds like it's just the normal XE clatter. You might take one more look at the springs and dampners to make sure nothing is broke (buddy had a broken dampner with a xe284 that drive us nuts) And if you wanted to put teh lobe issue to bed you can set up a dial indicator on the noisy rocker and measure lift to verify all the lobe is there.

That's great info Marv. I'm not familiar with Vortec heads. The lifters in my 400 are Rhoads, so they tick all the time, but I do have vacuum with a 280 cam.

HI all, well I started my new motor up after the break in about 10 days after break in (yes with new oil I put in 15w-40 rotella with lucas oil zddp engine oil supplement) when I got it tuned and timed I started to notice a lifter ticking. I have the Xe 268 comp cam, and it runs very strong and Im very happy with it. The motor doesnt seem to have any power loss other than it just ticks. It comes and goes, valves are adjusted correctly... LOL trust me, I had 5 local racers come by and adjust them to make sure it was right. Anyway, all of the recomended springs and such were used. Just wondering if anyone else has had the same problem.


I don't understand as to why you would be putting additives in the oil, in a new engine ?
Even after, whatever a ten day break in is, oil's today do not need additives, like days gone by.

well, todays oil cannot support a flat tappet cam, do a search on it and you'll find out why. Todays oils lack the zinc that protects the lobes. If not I would have a flat camshaft pretty fast......................

heres some reading on the issue. http://www.hotrod.com/techarticles/engine/flat_tappet_cam_tech/index.html

The powers that be have made the oil companys remove zinc from their oils. Zinc is needed for flat tappet cams,(the mating surfaces of cam and lifter) mostly during break-in, but it's a good idea to use it on a regular basis.

Elky, I had the noiseon a 400 some time ago; Header leak!

81ElkySS im trying to figure out where your located.. Im in Prince Willam County if your around let me know... Email me zachmartell@yahoo.com Im trying to find some people to go cruising with this spring when time comes

I can email you tonight sometime, im about to head into work, but I live about a half hour west of charlotesville in fishersville.