Valve springs and a ticking noise
07-30-2017, 04:13 AM
#1
Instructor
Thread Starter
Valve springs and a ticking noise
so I've been having a ticking noise lately; (past week or so) and it happens at around 2000 rpm and I've noticed at about 4000 rpm it seems like the power decreases in the higher gears. I've posted a couple of threads on this with videos of the noise so I won't link that this time. But my buddies dad thinks it may be my valve springs and not my lifters. He thinks the springs have begun to lose their tension (engine is around 120k miles) And because of that he thinks as I go into the higher Rpms the spring isn't able to keep up with the rocker and they are hitting eachother. I decided to look at my springs a bit and I tried to twist the offending side of the engines springs and from the front bump back I could if i applied a bit of force twist the first 3-4 springs. I couldn't do this with all of them however. And on the other side of the engine I could twist 1 or 2
Is this normal? Did the springs I turned around just not have a load on them? Or are they bad and need to be replaced and could be the cause of my issue?
Is this normal? Did the springs I turned around just not have a load on them? Or are they bad and need to be replaced and could be the cause of my issue?
07-30-2017, 11:46 AM
#2
Instructor
Thread Starter
so I've been having a ticking noise lately; (past week or so) and it happens at around 2000 rpm and I've noticed at about 4000 rpm it seems like the power decreases in the higher gears. I've posted a couple of threads on this with videos of the noise so I won't link that this time. But my buddies dad thinks it may be my valve springs and not my lifters. He thinks the springs have begun to lose their tension (engine is around 120k miles) And because of that he thinks as I go into the higher Rpms the spring isn't able to keep up with the rocker and they are hitting eachother. I decided to look at my springs a bit and I tried to twist the offending side of the engines springs and from the front bump back I could if i applied a bit of force twist the first 3-4 springs. I couldn't do this with all of them however. And on the other side of the engine I could twist 1 or 2
Is this normal? Did the springs I turned around just not have a load on them? Or are they bad and need to be replaced and could be the cause of my issue?
Is this normal? Did the springs I turned around just not have a load on them? Or are they bad and need to be replaced and could be the cause of my issue?
bump
07-30-2017, 12:40 PM
#3
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Trying to turn the springs with your fingers is not going to tell you a thing.
In fact, some will be on the cam lobe (lots of tension on them), and some will be off the cam lobe (much less tension on them).
Once the valve covers are removed, you can see if any one of the springs are actually broken.
I have never heard of the OEM springs 'wearing out' at 120,000 miles and loosing so much tension that they would cause the valves to float at only 4,000 RPM (causing you to loose power) ... And the stock camshaft is not hard on valve springs like an aftermarket cam is.
If you don't have a broken spring or a failed rocker arm, there is something else going on in your engine.
The LS engines have had problems with the needle bearings in the pivot points of the rocker arms falling out. Most owners find this out when they change the oil and find some of these little needle bearings stuck to the oil drain plug.
Again, unless you actually have a broken valve spring, I think your problem is somewhere else.
Good luck ...
In fact, some will be on the cam lobe (lots of tension on them), and some will be off the cam lobe (much less tension on them).
Once the valve covers are removed, you can see if any one of the springs are actually broken.
I have never heard of the OEM springs 'wearing out' at 120,000 miles and loosing so much tension that they would cause the valves to float at only 4,000 RPM (causing you to loose power) ... And the stock camshaft is not hard on valve springs like an aftermarket cam is.
If you don't have a broken spring or a failed rocker arm, there is something else going on in your engine.
The LS engines have had problems with the needle bearings in the pivot points of the rocker arms falling out. Most owners find this out when they change the oil and find some of these little needle bearings stuck to the oil drain plug.
Again, unless you actually have a broken valve spring, I think your problem is somewhere else.
Good luck ...