Ticking noise

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Jesse Grass
Posts: 12
Joined: Mon Nov 12, 2012 4:10 pm
Location: Juneau Ak

Ticking noise

Post by Jesse Grass »

So I go an 89 b2 and when I got it I noticed there was thi ticking noise. I have read a few things about it and talked to a few people that suggested it may be a alve lifter. My dad used to ow. The truck before me and and he said he adjusted everythig he could on the heads to make it stop but it's still happening so we decided it maybe a bearing some place inside the block lime a conectig rod or a cam bearing. I drove it for abot to years and in the end decided to swap the motor. I'm currently in th e process of puttig an 86 motor in it with a few modifications to avoid th failure prone first genaration b2 problums. I don't know if it will fix the problum for sure yet tho. Any suggestions? I am using the 89 heads do to the better design but would like to know of anything eslse I could try.
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tekatlarge
Posts: 992
Joined: Tue Jan 17, 2006 8:54 am
Location: Coastal, Worshington

Re: Ticking noise

Post by tekatlarge »

Ah yes the ol 2.9 tickity tickity. The easiest way to deal with the problem is to turn up the stereo, or put earplugs in or just pretend it is not there. The fact that you can hear it tells me it is a high mile block assembly in the rig.

Now, Listen carefully to what I am going to say. I don't often repeat answers. But here in a nutshell is "what causes my 2.9 to tick all the time".

When ford built the Cologne 2.9 it was a good robust power package for cars and trucks. However it had a few built in nightmares awaiting the unskilled and even the skilled Mechanic. One of the number 1 complaints was valve lifter noise.

Ford was a little sloppy when the top end oiling was being laid out. The clearance between the cam bearings and cam is "Critical when building a good motor. Any rebuilt 2.9 should have the cam bore alignment checked cause if it is off you will be ticking again in no time.

There is another source of tick tick and that is the firing of the fuel injectors it seems that the tin fuel rail transmits noise easily. Try sticking a piece of adhesive backed foam on the fuel rail where you can get to it to quiet them. Now back to the lifter tick tick.

Ford sends pressurized oil through the block, crank, and up to a oil galley passage in the block that lubes the cam and lifters and push rods. At 1 end of this "Oil Galley" is a thrust control plate for holding in the camshaft. the other end is capped off.

Now ford wanted to cover the timing chain and front components with a spray of oil. So ford designed the cam thrust plate to just partially cover a small bore hole at the end of the oil galley.

Well this works fair on a good low mile engine but for a engine with what I would conservatively call a 60,000 + is going to have a problem.

The cam bearings wear rather quickly and when you get clearance in a bearing the oil will run out from around the cam and bearing much faster. This reduces the oil pressure and the volume of oil getting past this point.

Now remember the cam thrust plate over the end of the galley hole. Yeah that one. It is allowing a very generous amount of oil out of the galley.. You haven't even gotten oil up to the rockers yet. Some people say to flip the the cam thrust plate because flipped over it blocks more of the hole and helps with the ol problem of none left. Notice I said helps. It is up to you to do it or not.

That vast amount oil loss around the cam bearings does not' help the lifters any either. There being worked harder due to lower volume and pressure to them from leaking cam bearings.

The picture here looks real glum for the rest of the top end and rockers.

This is what I learned years ago about spring side loaded rockers is that unless the geometry to the rocker is perfect it will tend to push the rockers to one side causing uneven rocker wear further causes noise like a ticking lifter.

The solution is simple new cam bearings, Cam, Lifters, High volume oil pump and a set of rocker shaft spacers. When you put the rocker shaft spacers on you may need to add a shim or two to reduce the clearance eve more. Look up Swen Pruitt's book on the ford 2.9. {I can't remember the spelling of his name} Don't quote me but Lotta good stuff there. Problem is the book and good ol Swen Pruitt hisself are scarce and hard to find. When you do find one you will pay a fortune for it but if you are serious about extracting performance out of any 2.9 this book is a must read.

Happy Trails,
The Tek @ Large
Coastal,Worshington
Livin life on the dole on the Coast
Jesse Grass
Posts: 12
Joined: Mon Nov 12, 2012 4:10 pm
Location: Juneau Ak

Re: Ticking noise

Post by Jesse Grass »

Well the cam clearance would explain why I had almost no oil pressure. I was reading about how a bad bearig could cause the loss of oil pressure but wasn't sure were to start. And I heard about flipping the thrust plate but wasn't really up for it. Any wa I got another 2.9 that I'm going to put in and was think about rebuilding or puttin a 300 inline 6 but I'll look into the book. I've never hear of it but maybe it will help me decide. Thanks a bunch for the tip.
Mudhog1977
Posts: 206
Joined: Wed Apr 13, 2011 4:16 pm
Location: Warren,tx

Re: Ticking noise

Post by Mudhog1977 »

I hear it's some MAJOR MODIFICATION to put a 300 in a b2, be better off with a 302 from what I understand a 351 has clearance issues with the steering shaft, o you can do what I do straight 50wt oil and run it till she gives out, been running that oil in mine for 2 years with no problems so far u can still hear the rattle but it seems to quiet it down a bit
Live to ride, ride to live, thats how I roll
Jesse Grass
Posts: 12
Joined: Mon Nov 12, 2012 4:10 pm
Location: Juneau Ak

Re: Ticking noise

Post by Jesse Grass »

302 would be nice as well but don't know where to get one that someone is willing to part here in Alaska. I still need to put some research into it before I decide what i'm going to do.
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tekatlarge
Posts: 992
Joined: Tue Jan 17, 2006 8:54 am
Location: Coastal, Worshington

Re: Ticking noise

Post by tekatlarge »

I think the 300 Six is too long to fit between the grill and firewall. You would need to find a home for the radiator..
The Tek @ Large
Coastal,Worshington
Livin life on the dole on the Coast
Mudhog1977
Posts: 206
Joined: Wed Apr 13, 2011 4:16 pm
Location: Warren,tx

Re: Ticking noise

Post by Mudhog1977 »

Where'd everyone go tech, this forum used to be hoppin, now seems like it's just about died off
Live to ride, ride to live, thats how I roll
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