Hot Rods 8ba flathead constant "ticking" new build

Are you sure the cam isn’t going away? Wiping?

 

Wiping will reduce the lift but not open up the clearance. I had a tickster flatty as well and found that the adjustable lifters were slowly backing up on the threads. To stop this you have two options: reduce the length of the valves shaft to engage a bit more self-locking thread in the lifter or clean the thread and use a drop of Loctite. I used #2 and 2000mls later no ticking, valves adjusted to 0.010 in and 0.015 ex.

 

How did you clean the threads with the lifter in the engine to use the Loctite?

 

I turned the screw several turns to lift the valve, used a lot of brake cleaner and after blowing it dry a drop or two of Loctite was put on the threads. Then I turned the screw back into the lifter and adjusted the clearance. Let it harden for a day and you are good to go.

 

I had to do this in a fresh 5/16" X 1/4" flattie I built some years back. Loctite was new then, and I doubted it would work: (we used it at work on O.T. BMW 2002s, in mid '70s. Red, we'd apply it generously over the splines of rear axles to keep them from 'clicking' in hubs on startup)
To say 'it worked' would be an understatement. Best use of 'plastic' to date. Eclipses Corvette mfg.

 

A cam that is wearing will most certainly increase lash and cause ticking.

 

Please let me know how a cam is wearing on the base circle where there is no load? Ticking happens when there is a lot of clearance. Clearance is only there on the base circle of cam.
Clearance can increase when a lifter or valve stem is getting shorter due to insufficent hardness or if it is an hydraulic type due to loss of oil or an adjustable lifter where the locking does not work. The only other possibility is a flatworn lobe hitting a flat lifter surface - what we call hammering. When the lifter is worn away the clearance will indeed increase but usually the cam lobe is the first to go long before the follower is worn away that much that you would notice a ticking sound.