350 ticking

[m14dan]

I just installed a new cam, lifters and an edelbrock intake on my truck. It already had a new 350 in it but the kid who owned it before put in a huge solid roller cam. It is a 3/4 ton truck and I need to use it like one so I put a sealed power 278 dur in it. It is actualy made by crane and crane calls it a 270 and it is an rv type cam for a truck. Anyway, I ran it as per the instructions and broke it in good in the garage. The neighbors aren't very happy since it is about 9 pm but they will live. Anyway I pulled the valve covers to run the lifters hot and running and I noticed the back lifters are squirting oil about a foot. Also there is a slight ticking from the lifters but I can't see anything wrong. It only started after it got hot and anly starts between 1200 and 1500 rpm then goes away over 2000 rpm. I doubt it is anything to worry about but I thought I would ask just to be safe. All the push rods were turning good and it idles great and takes off even better now. What do you think about the ticking?
Oh this is an 84 chevy c-20 with a edelbrock 1406, edelbrock performer intake, and otherwise , besides the cam, new stock engine. I didn't want anyone trying to diagnose a new 350. I really hate them things. I have done 3 intake gasket sets and replaced one whole engine due to oil in the water from a crack somewhere all in the last week. All of them were 96-00 chevy trucks. Boy they sure lost their quality didn't they?

[76GMC1500]

Check your ignition timing, it may be too advanced and that is what is causing the ticking. 12 degrees is a good start. And, the oil squirting out of the lifters is probably to lubricate the valves, thats why you have baffles and the like in your valve covers. It "catches" the oil and lets it drip back down on the valve gear. Check to see if you have any valve clearance between the rocker and the valve, it should be 0.

[76GMC1500]

The quality on the new 5.3's is very good. My dad has well over 100k on his with no power loss, no oil consumption, runs very quiet, etc... The only thing that failed on the engine was a piece of smog equiptment, but that stuff always fails on all engines. I feel that the reliability of cars has fallen off significantly because of smog control equiptment. The major problem with the new GM's is the 4l60 transmission. It is pretty much a 700r4, which was designed to work with the 160 hp 350's of the early 80's. Now, it's behind an engine that makes 285 hp which makes a large percentage of its peak torque from 1000 rpm.

[m14dan]

Streets, I typoed, I meant rockers. sorry. Anyway, I am gonna recheck the adjustment at lunch today. At least they are easy to get to.
I am so used to building or repairing newer stock engines I have forgotten most of this hotrod stuff. Thanks for the help. I just hope it will pull my horse trailer now. I need to calibrate the carb for the altitude we are at but it should be pretty powerful now. It is still rich .

[Mike P]

I put a crate 350 in a customers truck several years ago, after about 6 months it came back in with lifter noise. Nothing bad, sounded just like one lifter was a little weak. I ran the rockers 3 or 4 times and just couldn't get it to go away. Just as I was about ready to throw a whole set of lifters in, I thought I'd try one last thing. The noise turned out to be the fuel pump, which had also been new when I put the engine in.

[m14dan]

Well all of this has been a huge waste of time. I just got rid of the noise mostly by resetting the valves one last time but I still have no power. Then I wrote down the casting numbers and called the chevy dealer and guess what I found out. It's a POS 305!!!!!! In a 1984 3/4 ton truck to beat all. If I ever get my hands on the kid that did this oh boy will he be in for it. I bought it from my boss with the understanding it was a rebuilt 350. He really thought it was so it's not his fault. The kid told him it was. Plus the truck came with a 350 originaly. When I had the oil pan off for the cam swap I saw what happened to that engine. It was all scraped up from throwing no 2 rod. Oh well! At least I can reuse all of the parts I put on it on the 350 I got. I bet the 1406 edel carb I got won't run rich on the 350.
I do have a correct 350 4 bolt main in the garage that needs rebuilt. I was planning to do that anyway just so I could have a motor that I can trust. One that I built. I guess I need to get hot and get it done. This 305 will never pull the load I need it too. If anyone has any suggestions for a horse trailer pulling 350 TRUCK engine I am definitly open to suggestions now.

[m14dan]

I was opting for a torque engine. It was sopposed to be a new 4 bolt 350. Then I quickly found out it was over cammed, then the kid left a completely worn out q jet on it that I had to replace, one thing after another and now I found out it is a 305. Boy that stinks. I guess after all that was wrong with it in the beginning I should have checked the engine size but live and learn. At least I am a mechanic and can rebuild my own 350 cheaply and right. This one is gonna get junked after I get all the good parts off it.
Oh one other thing I found out just half hour ago. It has a 350 ballancer on it. Nice huh? I was wondering what that vibration was. KIDS!?! I bet the bearings are about trashed by now.
At least the truck was cheap and it has a new paint job and good solid rear end and t 400 trans. I know and trust the guy who rebuilt the transmission at least so I won't , Hopefully, have to go through it myself anytime soon.

[screamer63_1979]

i think quality is way up - i had cars from the 60s, 70s and 80s. the newer stuff (mid 90s on anyway) is pretty darned good - but it depends i suppose on your definition... i remember cars of 20_ years ago..starters lasted 40 to 50k miles, alternators maybe to 60, and here the bodies were gone by 90k. NO ONE kept a car to over 100k...i now have my FIRST car that has over 100k on it, a 93 taurus, and have known may people who get 200-225 fgrom the 3.0 without incident.

most all cars now will go 120k or so before big bucks need spent (eng, trans, struts, etc all last that long). and that is with the rather poor maintennace the average joe does to his car. and that is all cars, japanese or american. there are exceptions and design flaws and things..everyone is trying to balance cost with reliabilty,etc, so a few will slip through.

besides, my kids are US made and of high quality!