Anyone out there running roller tip rockers and have noticed them being a little noisy? I've got Edelbrock RPM heads and stamped steel rockers with roller tips. Every rocker makes a ticking sound? Not a loud clatter like the valves are out of adjustment, but a tick. I've re-adjusted the vavles twice so far to see if I can make it go away, but it doesn't? It's not an exhaust leak off the headers because I just replaced with new gaskets and and tightened and re-tightened the header bolts. The "ticking" is very noticable. I can even hear it over the rumble of the exhaust and idle, part throttle, and cruising speeds?? 200 miles on the heads and only 3,000 miles on the rockers.

Chris

yes,
they are a lil bit noisy compared to your stock chevy rockers......

but how noisy are we talking about? are you adjusted properly?

I replaced my stamp steel rockers with crane aluminum ones. The speed shop where i bought them from told me to expect more noise from these and not to try and ajust them by clack no clack method due to there noise. They are not as loud as I expected them to be. You really cant hear them over exhaust sounds and such.

I run summit brand roller tips, with a pretty mild cam. I can defintely hear the valvetrain, but it's not objectionable. I did have some issues at forst with bad (new) stock type nuts working loose, but the amount of noise hasn't changed since I replaced 3 bad nuts. Really should get some polylocks someday.

Thanks guys...
just wanted to make sure all that ticking wasn't the sign of me about so suck a valve into a piston.
Tick Tick Tick it is I guess

Is there plenty of clearance between spring and rocker arms? Those heads come with 1.5 diameter springs right? Just a thought.

Is there plenty of clearance between spring and rocker arms? Those heads come with 1.5 diameter springs right? Just a thought.
That would be a good thing to check. Take off a rocker or 2 and look for shiny spots on the rocker or the valve spring retainer.

Another thing I found once is that if I put my repro Z rockers on backwards, the rocker arms would hit them, made quite a racket. Again, check for shiny spots.

I'm running Crane roller-tip rockers on the same heads. I can't say they are louder than my old heads with stamped rockers. What valve covers are you running? I was running stamped steel with my old combo and am now running heavier cast aluminum. I have read that they do help to hide valve train noise a bit.

I've got some comp cams pro magnum 1.52 roller rockers and a pretty large mechanical roller cam. standing at the front of the car all you can hear is the rockers over the flowmaster exhaust.

check out this older video of my car

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_yoHnohQIU

I have Crane Gold, no noise... maybe teeny bit. H cam
And Harland Sharp, no noise at all. But hyd roller.
And Jesel Shaft, small noise but SR cam, just lash.

I think if you are hearing it when cruising you have a problem. Can't add anything to where everybody else is telling you to look.

Good Luck

I dug this old thread up using the SEARCH function.

This website is great!

Exactly what I am having with this 454. Ticks like a Singer sewing machine. I think I will order a set of Summit Stamped OEM rocker arms. I hate the constant ticking from the stamped roller rockers. I called COMP today and they commented on how noisy the stamped roller tips are. Should have checked first I suppose.

You did not say what brand the stamp roller rockers were. I have run ball pivot Comp and now Magnum full rollers, no noise here. Are you sure its the rockers?

I use the Comp cast 1.52 roller tips. I can't even hear the solid lifters anymore. Darn it. :D

You did not say what brand the stamp roller rockers were. I have run ball pivot Comp and now Magnum full rollers, no noise here. Are you sure its the rockers?

At this point I am pretty sure. I used the #1 / #6 method for initial adjustment.....then finished up with it at idle. That sure makes a mess.

I have used the stethoscope to listen to every lifter. They all tick the same. These are the Comp 1.72 roller tipped. Look like a standard OEM rocker with the roller on the tip. Sounds like a solid lift cam or my old granny's Singer. I will change out the fuel pump rod just to be sure, but I don't think that's it.

The 1-800CompHelp guy said that they were real noisy compared to a GM OEM 1.7 arm. I agree.

At this point I am pretty sure. I used the #1 / #6 method for initial adjustment.....then finished up with it at idle. That sure makes a mess.

I have used the stethoscope to listen to every lifter. They all tick the same. These are the Comp 1.72 roller tipped. Look like a standard OEM rocker with the roller on the tip. Sounds like a solid lift cam or my old granny's Singer. I will change out the fuel pump rod just to be sure, but I don't think that's it.

The 1-800CompHelp guy said that they were real noisy compared to a GM OEM 1.7 arm. I agree.

Are you sure the retainers are not bottoming out ? I have always done the finger spin then turn 1/4 turn into the preload on hydraulics. Yes, it does make a mess but thats what they make the rocker arm stoppers for.
Are the lifters the anti pump ups?

What cam are you running?

What cam are you running?

Comp HE260h

.440/.440 210/210 @ 50 115

At this point I am pretty sure. I used the #1 / #6 method for initial adjustment.....then finished up with it at idle. That sure makes a mess.

I have used the stethoscope to listen to every lifter. They all tick the same. These are the Comp 1.72 roller tipped. Look like a standard OEM rocker with the roller on the tip. Sounds like a solid lift cam or my old granny's Singer. I will change out the fuel pump rod just to be sure, but I don't think that's it.

The 1-800CompHelp guy said that they were real noisy compared to a GM OEM 1.7 arm. I agree.

DON'T RUN THE ENGINE ANYMORE!!!

If this was a small block, I would almost be positive I know what the problem is. I am not sure how it applies to BBC's, but an increase in rocker ratio could still apply. Check your pushrod to pushrod slot clearance. When you tightened the pushrods down, did you notice the tips flexing slightly at the last few turns?

Small block Chevy heads are usually set up for 1.5 rockers and pushrod slots that guide the rocker arm so to speak. They barely have enough clearance so that everything stays in relatively correct geometry. When adding a 1.6 rocker most heads don't have enough clearance. Going from 1.7s to 1.72 might not be much, but check anyway...

If I am right, your pushrods are getting chewed up slowly on the pushrod slots. The valves are not being pushed down in an even force due to unloading of the rocker arm. And, the rocker studs are getting closer and closer to shearing and dumping a rocker arm or two off into the next nearest moving parts ie. springs or other rocker arms.

The way your can remedy this is to either get lower ratio rockers, or you can enlarge the pushrod slots. There is a tool called a Luis Tool that helps locate a drill bit to open the slots up more. Or you can do what I did and forget to check your clearance before assembly, get the heads torqued on with new parts all throughout. That was fun...I had to take a small round file and spend an afternoon with the file in one had grinding the slots, and a wet towel in the other under the head catching metal dust and shavings. Check everything now though. Don't find out the way I did. Luckily I had stud girdles and god was watching out for me that day. My rocker stud broke and somehow between what was left of the stid and the girdles, the rocker arm didn't hit any other parts, and the pushrod didn't bend. It was unbelieveable luck.