Hey all,

Took heads off but never touched lifters or rotating assembly. I have oil pressure and engine seems to run smooth as if there is no problem.

I thought it was a badly adjusted lifter but after readjusting all and finding a heavily preloaded lifter, the knock is still there. It is loud enough to hear it when your head is at the engine bay but not at the door of the car. It definitely sounds like metal on metal. Further, it sounds like the speed of the rotating assembly and not the valvetrain. When I had the engine out, I did take off the oil pan but that is all I did in referenc to the rotating assy. I have done lifter lash settings many a time and this does not seem right.

Give me some direction to go! Bad exhaust leak? I put my hand up to the new collector gasket and there was a leak there. Trouble is, it sounds so metallic and seems to be coming more from the front of the engine and not this exhaust leak. I will fix the leak and determine the situation.

 

My first guess would be exhaust leak.

 

Do you have the EGR on there still? If so check that the pipes on the exhaust manifold are tight.. That's been the problem for me a lot... Infact I've got one right now thats due to one of the collector bolts broke... Sounds waaayy tinny but I know for sure that it is the problem..

 

All emissions gone and the area plated off.

Can only be collector or the heads themselves is where it it leaking. In your situation, does "tinny" mean like "metal on metal?

Problem is, I have had plenty of exhaust leaks before and they never sounded like this however this is the first time with gaskets and may change something.