Hey everyone, I've been beating my head on the wall for about half an hour, thought I'd take a break. So I was having a ping problem. Ended up replacing vacuum lines, injectors, remote mounting ICM, cleaning\checking EGR, replaced 02, cleaned\checked TPS (although I do have a looping idle now...) and it ran great...for about 2-3 days. When I changed the injectors and vacuum system I also replaced my leaking valve cover gaskets, without RTV(last thing I did before she ran better than new). When it ran great for the 2-3 days it still leaked, but hey, easy fix. I took my dad for a ride in it after the few days and of course, ping. Not anywhere NEAR as bad as it was, but a ping. Now it's pinging with me by myself, when before it didn't ping at all.

I found an exhaust leak on both exhaust manifolds, so this weekend I changed the valve cover gaskets again(+RTV) along with the exhaust manifold gaskets. Got everything back together and she fires right up. Tick tick tick tick tick goes my number 7 intake lifter. I thought it was my exhaust, but I layed on the engine while it was idling and used my stethescope to narrow it down. When it's on the metal at the base of the number 7 injector, I can hear metal on metal clear as day.

I can't figure out for the life of me what I did that caused the lifter to stick. It doesn't matter, but I also changed the pulley on my alternator as well as the shaft seal on my P\S pump. Still has nothing to do with the lifter. Topped off on 5w-30 (although when I did change the oil I put in MMO). I put some B-12 in it, idled it for 10 min, then drove about 5 miles, not much changed.

Anyone have any ideas on what I could do\try?

Just in case it decides to disappear again, here is my Sig:
1989 F-150 5.0l AOD 2x4
3g (130A)Alt upgrade, Big 3+ upgrade, Rerouted PCV (swap with brake booster), Vacuum system replaced with rubber, Timing Bump (MSD Coil\CAP\ROTOR, ACCEL Wires), Side gapped plugs, Explorer injectors, Saginaw P\S conversion, External oil breather filter, Additional tranny cooler, Insulated intake tubing\Filter box mod, TB Heater bypass, All Sensors (that I know of)Cleaned\Checked\Replaced, Alpine Type-R Components, Kenwood Excallon KDC-X891, AutoPage 2-Way Remote Start

 

This would be easier if you'd post to your original thread & add your truck's details to your signature, like engine size, at least.

It may not be a stuck lifter - you might have dropped something into the intake, and it could be bouncing off the valve. If you're sure its inside the head, pull the manifold, or get a borescope to look inside. Or the metallic sound could simply be a noisy lifter.

 

What the...I had everything in my Sig already. Lemme copy it back over, I had no idea where it went...I thought that since it was a different issue I'd make a different thread about it, but I can see how it's related.

I'm pretty sure nothing fell in there, and if it were bouncing off of the valve wouldn't it be coming from the outside of the head? the noise is coming from below the injector. The valve cover is still leaking of course, so I'm going to replace them, I think I warped one of them. I'm sick of ripping it apart so I'll go ahead and replace them. I'll be checking everything when I have them off again, does the cylinder need to be at TDC to check the rocker arms\push rods?

Edit: now it's there, I did nothing. Oh well.

 

There's a setting in your control panel to automatically attach your sig, and when you edit a post, SOMETIMES, the box becomes UNchecked - IDK why.

The valve is in the head, and the injector points straight at it. So that would be where most of the noise would come out.

Factory stamped valve covers don't often warp, but if they do, it's usually enough to notice. Buy better gaskets - I prefer blue nitrile w/steel reinforcement.

No, the cylinder needs to be near the bottom of its power stroke (both valves fully closed) to check pushrods.

 

I had a little problem where I broke a stud off in the head when I first changed them, and thats the one leaking so I think thats the problem...didn't have my torque wrench set right. I'm tore into it right now, and the old one was slightly warped...althought that could of happened when I pulled it off this time (rtv...). Just about to start the driver side now, and I'll take a look at the push rods. I blew some air and vacuumed the hell out of the intake runner, and I didn't hear anything rattling around, I figure the air would make whatever it is make some noise. I was very careful not to get anything anywhere near the intake, so I doubt anything got in there, but i suppose it is possible. I'm starting to think that the exhaust leak wasn't the tick tick tick I heard, this was.

Edit: Called it a night, have the passenger side all done, well as much as it can before I put the fuel rail back on. I have the driver side cover off, and have check the rocker\push rod and it seems fine. Arm is pretty tight, no more play than the rest of them, and I spun the push rod, it looks to be straight. Tomorrow I'm going to finish up, while I'm in there I'll probably change my oil pressure switch to one that actually works. Then I'll go and solder that wire onto the gauge cluster too, but for now I have bigger fish to fry. Oh yea, all three times I've changed the gaskets I've used Felpro, cork\rubber, always torqued to 15 foot pounds.

 

I wouldn't put a cork gasket on a lawn mower.

 

It's a mistake I will NEVER make again, let me tell you. I got the somewhat ok now, marely a quarter sized drop over the course of 24 hours. When I got the covers off they were a little warped, so that was probably some of it too. Now it's not running right because the new covers don't have the fingers built on for the wires, so I'm off to get some of those.

I did a B12 flush (poured in B12 and idled it for 5-10 min, then do an oil change), then put in some 20w-50 with Rislone. Seems to be quieter, but it's hard with it missing and such. Once I get the fingers installed and the wires routhed correctly I'll post back with my results.