I have a 91 Caprice with 305 TBI thats makes this clicking noise. Its seems to come from the middle of the motor near the lifters. I tightened the rockers a tad and it did not affect the noise at all. Its not the clacking sound loose rockers would make. The car has a slight shake at idle. When the car is run for about 30 mins the car has very little power and stalls out when at a stop and very slow speeds. My question is does anyone think this is a bad lifter/lifters or something else?

Also are all hydraulic lifters the same for SBC?

Thanks
Derek

 

The noise your hearing is probobly not your lifters. Its most likely your TBI unit. This is normal as these things are really fu*king loud. Remove your airfilter assembly and you'll hear what Im talking about. Now as far you stalling and such, I have no idea whats behind that. We need more info your car before we can start trying to diagnoss it. Ans yes all hyd sbc lifters are the same.....but some are made better than others.

 

The noise started after the car down geared on the high way. The motor hit about 4000 rpms. I almost never beat on this car. The car has 152000 miles on it. It looks like no work has ever been done on the motor in its life (the rubber valve cover gasket crumbled apart when i took off the valve cover) . It was not making any noise before the highway incedent. The car is completly stock in every way. The Throttle body it self is not noisy. I was watching it spray gas and it seemed normal.

Could a bad igntion cause a noise like this? I run 87 octane gas.

 

Is this a 5 speed or an automatic? You could have a cracked flexplate if its an automatic. This would cause a loud ticking sound. If you can, put the car up on jack stands and turn it on. Go underneath the car and see if its alot louder where the tranny bolts up to the engine.