Hey all!

I've had a subtle-ish ticking noise coming from the low-end (so it sounds, at least) that I swear wasn't there before replacing the head gasket. Happens most obviously when warm.

It's been the same for the last 350 miles since the HG was replaced. Could a lifter be suspect?

The heads were all cleaned to an almost surgical level, so the fact that it's not coming from under the rockers make sense to me. I didn't replace the lifters. I checked a few and they looked fantastic. Push rods were in excellent condition too, so I didn't replace them either.

There was zero measurable liner movement when I inspected the block deck.

Oil pressure is great. Hot 2000 rpms is 48-50. Hot idle is 18-20.

Thoughts? Or is some amount of tick acceptable?

Video of the tick:

 

Sounds a lot like an exhaust leak to me.

If you can confirm no exhaust leak, then I'd pull a valve cover and see if any lifters are collapsed. Avoid replacing lifters if you can. If you've got a bad one, I'd only replace the one. Lifter quality is getting incredibly hit or miss, even from big name companies.

You best bet would honestly be to find some new old stock Buick 215 lifters *if* you have to go that route. May peruse some classic Buick forums.

All that said, if she's running good and making oil pressure I'd just run it. Lifters can tick in these things for a long long time without doing any damage.

 

I have that exact hot tick. I have no idea what it is and don't care any more. It runs, runs well and has zero issues other than the sound.

 

That's about where I'm at.. When the engine blows up I'll diesel or electric swap it.. Or sell it to one of you?

 

+1 on the exhaust leak. Attach a leaf blower to your tailpipe, spray down the exhaust with soapy water. Turn on the blower and look for bubbles.

 

Sure thing, good old-fashioned exhaust leak. Its leaking at the SAI hose to adapter connections on the passenger side. And the gaskets where the manifolds connect to the Y pipe. I ruled them out since everything was torqued to spec. But guess spec isn't enough? Also odd... small bubbles at the weld where the pipe goes into the resonator.

 

I have to do some similar repairs. I don’t have a welder so I will just put some of this on there until I can get to a muffler shop.

 

So the torque on the y-pipe to manifold nuts are all good. Should I double up on the gaskets? They're not old, maybe 6 months? I have a spare set I can throw on there.

 

I replaced the Y-pipe to manifold gaskets because there was a leak. After a few weeks the leak came back. Bolts are all torqued to spec. I suspect that the Y-pipe doesn't sit on the manifold perfectly due to deformation of the exhaust pipe over time. If the gap on one side is to big, the seal can't seal or a new leak develops quickly by eroding the seal. I wonder if flex couplings installed between the cats and the flanges would help.

Something like this:

 

I ended up swapping out to these with lock washers. Made a big difference.

LAND ROVER EXHAUST GASKET