Mike J

Btw how did you do the visual inspection? Did you take the heads off or use some form of boroscope, or look at them from the intake and exhaust ports?

The reason for putting the same rocker in the same position is they will bed together when they are new or reconditioned, and you want that to continue. If you resurfaced the rocker and cam, that is different, then it does not matter.

An unpressurized lifter can make a really really loud noise, it sounds like excessive valve noise (which it is), but the engine should still run fairly well. Diagnosing is done by replacement, you need to isolate hopefully to the specific piston (using a mechanics stethoscope ? ) and replace with another new one. Its work for sure, you can run the car without the valve covers , its messy but that might help.

Cheers,

Mike

justinliu

The head was taken off. I've always supected it was the lifter to begin with. It's a loud clacking noise that only came from the left side. I isolated it to the lower valve cover area. Besides listening for the bad lifter, what method can I use to determine if its faulty or not?

NP993

So you removed the engine and tore it down to the pistons/cylinders on that bank? Just to diagnose a bad lifter?

justinliu

Engine was coming out anyways to repair an oil leak between the cam housing and case.