Engine Question...

[hully1029]

Im running a 350sbc with a mild lunati cam, edelbrock intake, and holley carb. i am hearing a wierd noise coming from the engine bay.. it kinda sounds like the harmonic balancer is loose, but i checked it and its tight. flywheel is also tight. My oil pressure gauge says its right around 25psi on cold start. the sound is not a consistent ticking or knocking like a rod, but is consistent with the timing and running of the engine (if that makes sense). the noise is not very loud, matter of fact, you really have to listen to hear it. I am missing 1 header bolt in the very back of the right side, but the noise sounds like it coming from the front of the engine.. could the missing header bolt be it? or do i need to remove the valve covers and start checking rockers and such??

sincerely,
confused..

[SAGEBRUSH ASSASSIN]

Maybe a lifter or exhaust leak..

[KDinTX]

replace the header bolt, any small exhaust leak on the head sounds like lifters, may even want to replace the gaskets while your at it as a small hole may have formed in the old ones from the missing header bolt

[hully1029]

also, when the engine is idling(spelling?) there is a small to moderate amount of white smoke coming out of the exhaust like oil is burning inside the engine. I have hooker long tube headers into a 3" straight pipe into flowmaster 40 series. sounds great by the way... but since it is not a "full" exhaust with no cats, should i expect to see a small bit of smoke??

sincerely,
engine newbie

[KDinTX]

sounds like you may have lifters seeping oil, if your gonna get into the heads or pull them to replace lifters, might as well port and polish the heads, and replace with roller setup

[DJM]

If the noise is at the front could be the water pump.Easy way to check is take th belts off and run it for a few minutes.Is the smoke white or grayish?

DJ

[hully1029]

sounds like you may have lifters seeping oil, if your gonna get into the heads or pull them to replace lifters, might as well port and polish the heads, and replace with roller setup

how much would port and polishing heads be?? after port and polish, would it be best to buy hydrolic lifters, new hardened pushrods, and roller rockers?? would i gain any hp or tq from that setup??

[hully1029]

If the noise is at the front could be the water pump.Is the smoke white or grayish?

DJ

yes, exactly.. the smoke is either a very light gray or white..

[KDinTX]

how much would port and polishing heads be?? after port and polish, would it be best to buy hydrolic lifters, new hardened pushrods, and roller rockers?? would i gain any hp or tq from that setup??

i did my own back in the day, you can do it yourself, its timely and youll wear out some dremal grind stones but it can be done. Or a machine shop could do it, i dont know pricing nowadays but back when i was big into engines you could get it done for around 2-400. If you are gonna pull the head then i would rebuild it, you may not gain alot of hp from roller rockers and all but longevity will be much better

[hully1029]

i did my own back in the day, you can do it yourself, its timely and youll wear out some dremal grind stones but it can be done. Or a machine shop could do it, i dont know pricing nowadays but back when i was big into engines you could get it done for around 2-400. If you are gonna pull the head then i would rebuild it, you may not gain alot of hp from roller rockers and all but longevity will be much better

i agree, longevity is most important. think to remove heads, port, polish, and rebuild em would be more expensive than getting a new pair of vortec heads??

[KDinTX]

i agree, longevity is most important. think to remove heads, port, polish, and rebuild em would be more expensive than getting a new pair of vortec heads??

yes, the vortec heads are already roller, and dont need the port and polish to develop the same power, with the vortec heads though you will need a new intake to support the head

[hully1029]

yes, the vortec heads are already roller, and dont need the port and polish to develop the same power, with the vortec heads though you will need a new intake to support the head

thats right. i forgot about the intake... have any idea if that is whats causing the smoke??

[KDinTX]

thats right. i forgot about the intake... have any idea if that is whats causing the smoke??

its hard to tell but prolly not, may have a head gasket fixin to go, the problem with older motors in older trucks is you dont know how the last person maintained and drove it.

[hully1029]

its hard to tell but prolly not, may have a head gasket fixin to go, the problem with older motors in older trucks is you dont know how the last person maintained and drove it.

aint that the truth.. oh well. thanks for all the info. I will probably be asking alot of engine questions here in the near future..