322 engine noise

Have a little ticking on the left side quiets at idle after a while but than you hear it when you rev. the engine what should i be looking for. lifters rockers what? this is on a 56 with 322

Ticking noise sounds like lifters--maybe some trash in the lifter's oil hole? I'm trying to diagnose a noise on a 1954 264 engine that comes and goes, might be lifters but instead of a ticking it is a deeper sound down lower in the engine, but I don't think it is bearings--not that deep of a sound. Am guessing "piston slap" due to wear in the piston pins. The engine has about 145,000 miles. Jeff 1956, how many miles on your engine? That might help to diagnose the noise.

Pete Phillips, BCA #7338

Have you used any type of stethoscope to pin it down to the valve train? Cause I would be looking for signs of exhaust leak at the manifold to exhaust pipe, or manifold to block, especially if the manifold was off once and reinstalled with gaskets between the two. I would also be looking at the exhaust passage cover for the intake manifold. On the bottom of the intake there is a square port with a stamped steel cap and a gasket. This cap is susceptible to rust through. I have a 1/4 inch thick steel plate on mine.

I would also be looking at the oil pressure gauge as the noise begins, looking for flutter or a sudden drop in oil pressure.

Valve train sounds will be one quarter engine speed RPM

A piston slap will be actual Engine RPM.

As would an exhaust leak. Could it be a leaky exhaust manifold?

I had a leaking exhaust manifold that sounded like a piston slap

Eliminate external influences first: remove the fan belt(s); check bolt at balancer; if dynaflow check trans to flexplate bolts, front to rear deflection of flexplate, rotation of flexplate while holding bolt at front, in drive and with foot on brake load it up a little; if standard tranny check in neutral with and without clutch depressed; with either tranny, jack up one wheel and put it in gear (drive or high). Listen right, left, top, bottom.

All of my nailheads are noisy when hot if I use lighter oil like 10W-30...quiet using 20W-50 or straight 30.

Engine noises are a beach...even severely worn valve guides with drive you crazy.

Willie

..., rotation of flexplate while holding bolt at front, in drive and with foot on brake load it up a little;...

Willie

Hey Willie, I would be foolish to disagree with your post but wanted to ask, just which bolt at the front are you talking about? And obviously there are no bolts to hold while the engine is running.

Hey Willie, I would be foolish to disagree with your post but wanted to ask, just which bolt at the front are you talking about? And obviously there are no bolts to hold while the engine is running.

Punctuation problem?: ..., rotation of flexplate while holding bolt at front (balancer bolt with engine off), in drive and with foot on brake load it up a little;...

Have 83,000 original miles on engine