Technical 390 FE valve tap

Good catch farmalldan, I wasn't even thinking about that.
Town sedan: smooth lifter, smooth cam.
Gerrys: you were right.
Wood remover: sae oil only

 

WHY is this spring different than the others? ? ? ? ?

LynnW

 

Hmmm, this is a tough one. I'd look at the rockers/rocker shaft mount. The bolts that hold the rocker stands down has one that's longer than the others; that one goes in the hole that has the oiling supply for the rockers. If it's switched, it may be bottoming out before clamping the rocker stand down fully. Even if you have them right, I'd still try a extra washer under the bolt closest to your noisy rocker to make sure that stand is fully clamped.

 

Lwel9226: I don't know, I assume the machine shop replaced it for a reason. I'm sure it's implied, I won't be using them again. Which sucks because it's a local mom and pop shop that has always done good work...

 

Not on an fe. Front oil pump. This ain't no freaking chevy. :>)
Otherwise, I'd say your suggestions are spot on.
Farmalldan[/QUOTE]

That's a little embarrassing and funny at the same time. Tells you what lay's around in pieces a Lot and what I almost Never need to drop the pants off of around here. These quality Ford FE motors seem to just run for ever.
The Wizzard

 

I do, at times, over-evaluate things, but I'm not sure what to do about the noise. Should I just ignore it for now and drive it? With all the testing I've done I'm also not sure what to do next...
Can a valve guide make a tap tap? When I had the valve spring off, it felt right. Any suggestions?
I wanted to say thanks to everyone that have already replied with help and troubleshoots.

 

I’d drive it and listen to it, to see if it gets worse. Fifty years ago, I had a friend that overhauled a 289 in a ot car. When he got it running it had a knock that sounded like a rod. The pan came back off, no problem. Running again, same knock, had many people tell him it s a rod. Trying to figure it out he readjusted the valves, when he adjusted one valve the knock would go away, then come back. Changed lifter, same problem. Frustrated, he tooked to the hiway, ran it as fast as it would go in low gear for about 2 miles. Pulled it over listen to the knock, sounded exactly the same and said “ well I guess it’s not a rod”. Drove with that knock for several years and sold the car with it knocking just like when he overhauled it. It was a loud knock and we never did figure out what it was. Sometimes you just have to file it under “ shit happens”.

Bones

 

Since you've replaced every component that is associated with this valve with no improvement I would guess that the oddball spring on that valve is a clue of some sort. Did you compare spring pressure with one of the others?

 

Swap the springs with another, use one far away enough to hear the difference.

 

I don't think you need to actually change springs around to find out if one is making noise. Open the valve to max lift and check for coil bind with a feeler gauge. Beyond that what kind of noise can a spring make? If it is coil binding and your adding longer pushrods your adding to the issue and by now it should have bent one of them. To soft a spring and your going to have Valve float. That will cause loss of performance not a sound.
The Wizzard

 

Boneyard51: I agree, I feel that way too.

Choffman41: I don't have that tool:-(

Pistnbroke: I put the standard length pushrod back in before i drove it to work.