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I just got done with a top end rebuild, 12.5:1 je piston,SS kibble white valves, ported the head. I started it for the first time yesterday and everything is good except for a ticking noise coming from the valve cover or somewhere up top. Its not the same ticking noise that it used to make when stock, that was more of a knocking. The knocking is gone but this ticking is concerning me. Tonight I pulled the valve cover and checked the clearances and they are all in spec. I first thought it was the decomp clearance but it is set @ 24. Has anybody else had this problem?

Take some oil and LIBERALLY coat the crap out of the decompressor. Make sure to get it on and in around where the inertia arm contacts the little pin that protrudes from the cam.

Had the same issue after my rebuild...

I lubed everything up with molybenum and oil mixture. Ticking is still there, do you think it could be the stainless valves are louder than titanium?

You have a ticking time bomb look out!

NorCalDuner wrote:I lubed everything up with molybenum and oil mixture. Ticking is still there, do you think it could be the stainless valves are louder than titanium?

No. Timing chain tensioner functioning properly and set to the proper tension?

Have you done the stethoscope trick? You can get a pretty good idea of where in the engine the sound is coming from with a long screwdriver (or stethoscope if you can get your hands on one)...

Now that I think further, is this a normal sound that you are over thinking? Mine makes all kinds of racket. Sounds like someone threw a couple loose bolts in the top end...

Have you checked the decompression clearance between the arm and the right exhaust valve? That noise is most certainly the decompressor arm slapping against the cam because there is too much freeplay. This is a common noise upon rebuild.