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.

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.



Lawrenceville, GA

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.

miker
55 bird, 32 cabrio F code
Kent, WA
Tucson, AZ

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

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.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

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!

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................


64F100 57FAIRLANE500

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?


  AussieBill            YYYY    Forever Y Block     YYYY

 Down Under, Australia

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.

Dan      Kingman Az.      86409

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