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By Meandean - 9 Years Ago
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My '55 Fairlane 272 2V stock engine has developed a ticking noise. Seems to be coming from the Driver's side (US) Valve cover near the front of the engine.
I leave the car inside all winter so it doesn't get started for a 6 month gap. I DID drive it around the 1st of May about 5 or 6 miles and I didn't notice the ticking then, but I wouldn't swear it wasn't there then. I had to do some garage jockeying to get a vehicle out that was parked behind the '55 about a week later, which is when I first noticed the ticking. I've started it a few more times and as luck would have it, it hasn't cured itself (do they ever?). Been kind of in denial, as I don't want to face anything major. Hoping some of you experts might watch (more accurately - listen) to the video and give me a long - distance guess. The ticking speeds up with engine RPM speed. There seems to be occasionally some revolutions where the noise doesn't happen, but not very many.
I posted a Y-Tube video: Tick, tick, tick, tick In case the link doesn't work: https://youtu.be/5eB_VEtlcck
I suppose the first step is to take the valve cover off and have a look-see.
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By charliemccraney - 9 Years Ago
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Gas can go bad after 6 months and bad gas can cause valves to stick, which can bend pushrods and cause ticking noises.
Pull the cover and see what's going on.
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By miker - 9 Years Ago
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Pull the valve cover, and check the valves. If it's just a small adjustment, no problem. On mine, #1exhaust had .250 clearance. Head fractured off the lifter, after over 10 years and 7000 miles. Real freak thing.
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By carl - 9 Years Ago
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There is a small hole in the rocker arm that squirts oil to the push rod cup might be plugged and letting the push rod run dry which will cause a ticking when the pushrod ball connects with the push rod cup Carl
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By Ted - 9 Years Ago
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Hard to tell on the video if the noise is an exhaust leak or a loose tappet. Based on some of the other noises present, I’ll suggest removing both valve covers and resetting the valves at this point.
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By Meandean - 9 Years Ago
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Thanks all who replied. I will pull the valve cover. After reading all the horror stories of Y-Blocks gone/done wrong I'm a bit intimidated to jump in. If it were a 289 or 302 I'd already have pulled it. You guys have scared me, I guess, LOL!
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By FORD DEARBORN - 9 Years Ago
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Greetings to all: If after examining the valve train turns up nothing, check the fuel pump. I have diagnose in 2 separate FE engines a broken tension arm spring producing the exact sound of a collapsed lifter noticeable at the left front of the engine. I have never had this happen to a Y block but I suppose it could happen. Hope this helps, JEFF................
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By aussiebill - 9 Years Ago
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Ted (6/7/2015)
Hard to tell on the video if the noise is an exhaust leak or a loose tappet. Based on some of the other noises present, I’ll suggest removing both valve covers and resetting the valves at this point.
I,m with ted on this, as there was no reving the engine to see if it changed, and you,ve done the tappets, i would go for exhaust leak perhaps?
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By lowrider - 9 Years Ago
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I'm with Bill on this, sounds like an exhaust leak. Take a length of vacuum hose (or similar) and use it like a stethoscope to listen around the exhaust manifold where it bolts to the head. May just be something simple like loose bolts or a crack somewhere.
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By Philip - 9 Years Ago
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If your running a FOM transmission the problem may be a cracked flex plate. This is a common problem and the vendors sell a heavy duty replacement. It makes a ticking sound that you describe. Philip
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By Meandean - 9 Years Ago
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Thought I'd better get back with the Rest Of The Story.
Neighbor has a '68 Pontiac Lemans. They stopped by and he asked what was wrong with the '55. I put the cover back on the head and eventually got it started. (Kicked but then was flooded. Held the accelerator down and it started, but ran like crap) Still making the noise. Hem hawed around a while and then noticed a tiny blue spark. One of the spark plug wires had come off. Are you kidding me? Killed the engine and stuck it back on there and all is well with the world. How it ever just came off - as I haven't done anything wrenching on that side - I'll never know. All I can think is maybe last time the oil was changed it got bumped putting the cover back on. Anyway - crisis averted.
And thanks all who contributed.
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By MoonShadow - 9 Years Ago
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KISS principle applies to cars more than anything. You have to start at the basics, air, fuel and spark. Chuck
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