Ticking noise from 318 engine???
 

Lately ive heard my 74 318 ticking somewhere in the engine bay. I took a tube and tried to listen to see where it was coming from. I couldnt find where it was coming from. It is a sort of soft ticking noise. The only thing that i have done in the last month (when ticking started to occur) was adjust my 600 cfm electric choke eddy carb's idle mixture screws and idle speed screws, and tighten my spark plugs. Im sure this could be millions of things but what are some common things i should look for, i dont want to drive my car if it will wreck the engine. I need help.

74 -

If the freq changes with rpm, the "standard" answer is a valve lifter gone bad. Number two would be an exhaust manifold / header leak.

For the former, "sometimes" an oil additive (even old Marvel Mystery oil) might cure a sticky lifter. For the latter, look for burn marks around the manifold / header. You may need a mirror.

Archer

Ill check to see if it changes when reving the engine. I just had new headers put on last summer, I wouldn't think those leaked already. If I keep driving it (big car show this weekend) could it do harm to the engine? I'm replacing the cylinder heads and intake manifold within the next few weeks so hopefully it will go away.

74 -

Neither a bad lifter or a blown header gasket will affect the car/engine (unless, of course the latter is shooting flames out the gasket rupture).

If you're replacing the heads, and the lifters are old you may want to replace those as well. You also may need new push rods, or your old ones cut depending on the dimensions of the new heads.

Archer

The old pushrods will fit in my application. Im sorry this is probably dumb but what is a lifter? Is that the cylinder looking thing that rubs on the cam and moves up and down moving the pushrod?

yes

Hmm, the ticking seems to have went away. BUT, now i have a different problem. The car idles fine but when i put it in gear it kills right away. I can put it in drive and it wants to kill but i can keep it running, but when i put it in reverse it kills right away. Ive tried to do some research as to what it could be but i cant find out what it is. Could it be timing? Vacuum? Fuel pump? Carb Tuning? All of the above? Where do i start?

Yes, your headers could be leaking. Not uncommon. Just tighten them up.

Lifters, or any part of the valve train, can make noise with lack of oil and or lack of pressure. Make sure filter is good and not clogged and your oil is topped off.

Check all your vacuum hoses and gaskets around the intake and card for leaks. Youtube can show you how with some "how to" stuff.

Unless you know they are in good working order change the consumables or wearable parts. Wires, plugs ( gap) , cap, rotor, fuel filter and air filter. Reset timing and readjust idle air.

Trouble shooting or tuning an engine to compensate for worn parts will have you chasing your tail.

Good Luck

I checked all the wearable parts you mentioned. All were good. When I get the engine started (have to use starting fluid) it idles fine and kills when I put it in gear. Does anyone know what could make this happen? I was driving it one day and I did a burn out and ever since it hasn't been running right. Could it be a bad torque converter? Gasket leak? Vacuum leak? It just seems weird that it all of a sudden just started running crappy. Anyone got any advice?

74 -

Could be almost anything:
Idle set too low
Air/fuel mixture off.
Timing off
Vacuum leak (Given what you're saying, I'd rule this out first.)

Archer

Idle is at 800 rpms. Could be air fuel ratio, how do I set that? Could be timing but idk why it would just all of a sudden be off. And ive been looking for a vacuum leak, I'm going to borrow my friends vacuum gauge to make sure.

74 -

You don't need a vacuum gauge.
Just a squirt bottle and water.

Spray / squirt a little water around the intake manifold gaskets, carb gaskets and any vacuum line connections.
Listen for a change in rpm.

Archer

Okay ill try that tonight. How many vacuum lines are there?

okay i searched for an hour with a can of carb cleaner and i couldnt find any leaks. I sprayed the intake/head mating surface, the carb/intake mating surface, the break booster hose, the hose going to the valve cover. My fuel line looks like it has little cracks in it, could this be an issue?

If you have high ethanol in the fuel locally it can be eating hoses inside out. Use a vacuum gauge and set idle screws for the highest possible value. Do NOT set for neutral idle. Set it in nuetral but you are looking for what rpm needs to be maintained in gear.

The "burn out" leads me to believe you may have floated a valve or broke a valve spring. Pull the valve covers and check the springs and then compression test.

Hmmm? I started the car up today. Had the fight to keep it running at first but within 2 mins it was running great and didn't kill at all. I replaced the vacuum lines. But I think it was just something in thr carb jets. I'm going to rebuild the carb next week. Should I spend extra time cleaning the jets? With what, carb cleaner? Thanks

Run a can of SeaFoam adative thru the gas tank before you rebuild the carb. It may just have some crap in the carb, maybe a bit of water ???

Over the last year I've probably ran 6 or 7 cans of seafoam throught the gas tank. Its gotten a lot better but still every once in a while runs crappy. But I think the carb has a gasket leak so it needs to be rebuilt anyways.