How to tell if a solid roller lifter have issues? UPDATE: OILING VIDEOS

[fairlaniac]

I have a very faint squeal, howl, whatever you call it coming from around the #3 or #4 cylinder. It is very faint but I don't recall hearing it before. I have Lunati rollers lifter installed. It's a '66 427 solid lifter block so the only oiling is splash. The sound is a revolution type sound and the only revolving parts are the lifter roller. The noise sounds close to the valve cover. I keep asking myself would it be the roller on the lifter despite being shielded deeper in the engine? Not sure what I'm asking, just opening the discussion.

I have the Fairlane Club National Meet coming up in two weeks. The one activity I'll probably drive it. I expect to put about 75 miles on it. So it's not coming apart until after then. I just put over 200 miles going to Carlisle two weeks ago so I'm not too concerned at the moment.

Here is the Lunati lifters I use.

[blykins]

Has lash changed?

[fairlaniac]

It has not. It's .026 still.

[shady]

vacuum leak?

[1968galaxie]

I assume no roller rocker arms?

For peace of mind I would pull the lifter pairs and inspect each.
I know that is a Pain, but better to be safe.
With splash oiling only I would be doubly safe and inspect the lifters.

[fairlaniac]

It’s probably a waste of space but here are two audio/video. You can kinda hear it. There really is no way to get good engine audio from an iPhone.
https://youtube.com/shorts/MEB7mGp5MK4?feature=share
https://youtube.com/shorts/OKlgcec4gCE?feature=share

[oldiron.fe]

                                                                                                                                                                  --noise can travel strange places starter drag /block plate bell /throw out bearing - check from bottom  --splash rollers do not like a lot of low rpm- esp. with deep pan/screen tray--rocker shaft lacking oil?----really do not want to run a bunch of hard  bearings through engine --others may have spring psi- rpm/cam ramp info. ---I would not run big/cam splash rollers low rpm--extra gas is easier/cheaper for -cruse / trip  higher             rpm than time for engine parts        good luck  JS-oldiron.fe

[fairlaniac]

                                                                                                                                                                  --noise can travel strange places starter drag /block plate bell /throw out bearing - check from bottom  --splash rollers do not like a lot of low rpm- esp. with deep pan/screen tray--rocker shaft lacking oil?----really do not want to run a bunch of hard  bearings through engine --others may have spring psi- rpm/cam ramp info. ---I would not run big/cam splash rollers low rpm--extra gas is easier/cheaper for -cruse / trip  higher             rpm than time for engine parts        good luck  JS-oldiron.fe

I had it on the lift and running, you can't hear anything below. Thanks for the possible culprits.

[oldiron.fe]

  is noise steady ? maybe lifter roller - or slower like rocker- pull valve cover listen with hose at rocker arms or along push rod -- may be able to isolate more-if louder inside block time to pull                      rollers / check cam lobe - crank rpm/cam rpm? if not lifter-cam bearing?  oldiron   

[My427stang]

I don't want to scare you, but in the early 2000s I adopted a Tr-5 Chebby club in Vegas.  The local machine shop and dyno loved solid rollers and made good power, but they all failed without warning after couple seasons. By the time they make lash, the wheel fails and the body hits the cam lobe, it's pretty dramatic

Retrofit hyd rollers were just coming of age and although you wouldn't benefit, oiled pin rollers weren't out.  So we called Comp and they said, "rebuild after 300 passes".  Chevy Rats seem to be worse than others on solid rollers, and Lunati is generally better than Comp, but I won't use them on a street car, and I'd be leery if you don't find anything.  I didn't rebuild the other guys work, we went flat tappet on most

Might be a good idea to at least look at the rocker shafts to see if dry or worn or a pushrod is bunged up, at least you'd have a reason

[machoneman]

Yes, it did seem that BBC's were harder on rollers some years ago. They probably still are. My old shop, Pro Motor Engineering of Elk Grove Village, IL built lots of 'em. I suspected as they did that due to the splayed valves (and p-rods) that a Rat motor's angle  put side loading on the rollers unlike say a straight p-rod engine (SBC, SBF, 390 FE, etc.).

Yeah, in race applications many suppliers do recommend a rebuild after x-number of passes or running time.

I'd definitely pull them all for inspection since.....what else on any engines top end would squeal save bad roller rockers? 

[blykins]

A pushrod end or rocker arm cup will squeal/chirp if it's not getting oil. 

[fairlaniac]

Maybe I found the issue?

2 months ago I cleaned up a slight oil leak at the back of the intake. I pulled the intake and resealed it. I do recall when I put it back together and was setting/checking lash that as I was hand cranking the engine it got real hard but I powered through and heard a loud crack from around cylinder 3 or 4. Afterwards I though maybe I didn't have the push rod in the lifter properly. Maybe it was on the edge? Now I'm thinking I may have been correct?

#4 exhaust is slightly bent but rubbing the intake push rod bore. See scratch marks. I can put .057 worth of feeler gauge under at the bend.


I also have a rub on #3 exhaust but it's not bent. I knew this one was close.


So now I need a 9.420" OAL push rod. 3/8 cup - 5/16 ball. anyone have any spares? I'm not sure if Smith Bros. does onesie-twosie orders?
 

[jayb]

Smith Brothers will do whatever you want, whatever quantity.  A rubbing pushrod isn't the end of the world, wouldn't worry about that too much, but you need to replace the bent one for sure.  I've actually had a couple engine builders say they like to have a pushrod just graze the opening, claiming that it will take harmonics out of the valvetrain.  Not sure I believe it, but I've heard it...

[Stangman]

So the lash must have been off on the bent pushrod. I listened to the walk around video of the car and the motor is quiet in that video. After you get some pushrods I would go over all of them just to be sure and make sure they are all getting oil.