2.2 head rebuild question

i just rebuilt my cylinder head on my 89 b2200 and it ticks really bad, i was curious i know i read of these engines ticking, but its pretty loud! i was wondering if there is supposed to be a gasket or oring between the rocker arm assy and head, where the oil runs up to the lifters?? i checked all my lifters and they all seem good??

your hydraulic lifters are shot I have a truck that ticks really loud too I don't think it does any damage and my black truck is a piece of s@#t so i'm not worried lifters cost about 15 bucks a piece if you really want to fix it

is there a way to check them maybe i only have a couple that are bad i dont want to replace all of them if i dont have to, and i noticed that it does not tick until the engine gets warmed up and i think the oil thins out

i have/had an 89 b2200 and the fucker had problems. i got a rebuilt head from autozone (fuckers)and it ticked. so i swapped the pos hydraulic lifters for mechanical ones i had, still ticks. i dont know what to say. maybe just oil not making it up.

Edited: 5/18/2006 7:39:39 PM by Kyrasis6

Mechanical lifters are suppose to have a slight tick. They also need to be adjusted every 6 months to a year.

The hydraulic ones are junk. Multiviscosity oils are designed to be thinner at lower temperatures and thicker at higher temperatures. Oil viscosity, type (conventional, synthetic, etc..), and brand have a large effect on lifter tick and wear.

Factory manual says to check each lifter turn the engine around so that rocker arm you are checking is on the base circle of the cam lobe, just like your doing lash. Push down on the end of it above the lash adjustor, if you feel any movement at all it is scrap. I have also noticed if you fix one, or a few shortly after some of the other ones will start to tick and your back to square one. I recommend either replacing all of them or getting mechanical ones.

If the ticking is too much (really loud, not taking up lash) it will start eating up the end of the lash adjustor and the tip of the valve. Most cases I have heard have taken a really long time to cause catastrauphic concern but driving it a short time in that condition, maybe a month, will lead to other permanent damage that will require repair. For instance if you drive it like that too long and it pits the end of the valves, putting new HLAs or mechanical rocker arms in is a waste of money because they will get tore up.

Worst case scenario the banging causes enough vibration to start wearing the cam lobe. If it gets bad enough it will loose dynamic control of the valve which will rapidly wear out the keeper grooves and possably drop a valve.

As long as you fix it fairly quickly it should be fine depending on how bad the tick is. My old one BANGED for a month while I waited for the parts to come in and was fine.

Most of the bad things I just mentioned that could happen is mainly a message for those who choose to ignore it. People have emailed me after completly destroying an engine past any possable repair and then get ticked at me when I tell them the $2200 quote they got from their mechanic is cheap.

Edit: Forgot to mention lash on mechanical adjustors needs to be between .006" and .008" and it is better for them to be a little tighter rather than loser. Hydraulic lash adjustors are not adjustable as they hydraulically take up the lash required.