I have quite a few post about the tick and tap associated with the 96ci. I have come to a conclusion that the noise is most definitely coming from the valve train and almost 80% of it is coming from the rocker arm/rocker arm support plate design. The saga began at 5K miles at which time I started hearing the ticking in the 2300rpm range and depending on what tuning file I was running the sound would move in the rpm band but stayed mostly in that range. I added CVO-SE255 cams and right off my engine was very quiet. I knew this would be the case if I used the stock pushrods so I did. I put about 1000miles on it and the tick was back not as loud but I can still hear it.

So i pulled the covers off and found that the extra lift with the SE255's caused more thrust on the rocker arm support plate and caused my end play to increase. From the looks of it the support plate is a softer metal than the rocker arms cause there was more visual wear to the support plate. I measured the endplay it the intake on the front cylinder was .019" and the exhaust was .014" (max should be .024"). The rear was not making near as much noise so I did not bother this one. I wen ahead and ordered shims made for 1966-84 Shovelhead engine and installed these. I installed one .015" shim on the valve side of the intake rocker arm and a .10" shim on the pushrod side on the exhaust rocker arm and I ended up with .004" endplay on both intake and exhaust. Put everything back together and problem solved. My engine is tick free and no chatter on decel. If there is anyone wondering how to get rid of the tick try this and see if it works for you, cause it absolutely worked for me.

 

Thanks for posting. May come in handy down the road.

Cecil

 

I'll have to try that, what side of the rocker arm did you put the shim on? Are the part numbers for the shims 6768-6778?

 

Subscribed, I have just started to work on my valve train noise. Unfortunately mine got louder with the 255 cams.

 

thanx for the heads-up on this.

 

On the front cylinder the shim that goes on the intake rocker arm shaft goes on the side closes to the valve, and the exhaust rocker arm shim goes on the side closest to the push rod. Once you take everything apart you will see where the wear is on the rocker arm support plate, install the shims OPPOSITE of the wear side.

Here is a link to where I got the shims

http://www.retrocycle.com/CustomChro...d_Engines.html

 

If you used the adjustable push rods you may have a situation where you have rocker arm end play is close to maximum, also the push rods are hitting the inside of the push rod covers.

 

I stuck with the factory pushrods, although I have a set of perfect fits. I think I have a bad lifter though because the thing sure gets noisy when its hot. I'm going to try replacing the lifters first then I'll look over the rocker arm end play. I have the feeling that you may have found the root cause of the problem here.

 

My tap sounded just like a lifter, it was only one rocker arm banging around. Plus if your taking the top end apart to get to the lifters check the end play if its close to .020" thats what your hearing. My sound was so loud i doubted that .020" could cause this type of racket but that was it am I am so happy with my 96 incher now.

 

Okay thanks. Does the service manual cover measuring the end play?