Thanks - I'd read a lot of old threads about rockers, ticking, lifters and all that and some mentions ticking being caused by low oil pressure at the rockers. I replaced the timing chain/wheels and oil pump, but didn't have broken oil pump gears although the chain was more slack than the replacement, though obviously not enough to skip a tooth. The thing that concerns me is that I was shown low compression in one of the cylinders (spark plug port test on one of the cylinders on the driver's side, possibly cylinder 5, which is the one that pushes a CEL too frequently to get a clean drive cycle for smog certification). I guess it's not that big a deal to just put it all back together and see how it runs and if that misfire goes away with new coils, wires, plugs, but I don't know if that misfire was a head gasket issue and if it's really likely I need to remove the heads, which aren't much further than where I am already.

I wondered if I can remove the rocker arms and heads separately to have them all put in a parts cleaner and possibly have the heads prepared for me to reinstall on my own. Can you tank an entire rocker arm assembly to clean it all up? It seems like I'd have to remove a lot of parts from the valve covers and upper/lower intake manifolds to have them put in a tank. I might need to take the heads there too and see if they can straighten out the spark plug port threads, but I'll test fit a plug and see if that's going to be a problem or not - when removing the plugs, one was stubborn and broke off, but I removed it, just seemed that it might've been a problem with threading, like every turn or so it got to a part where it required more force to unscrew the plug, then it would feel like it was back on the threads again until that same difficult spot.

Just a bit stuck between the options: leave it all and bolt it back up with new gaskets or remove rocker arms and clean them, then possibly remove heads and figure out that job as well - not sure how I'll remove the exhaust, but if it has to be done, I'll have to do it.

 

Great. Now you've scared him and added to his neurosis.

How would you "clean them all the way"? Is a hot dip needed to fully clean the rocker passages, or would a DIY ultrasonic cleaning do the job?

 

definitely sounds like a mis-threaded spark plug. Options: chase threads with spark plug tap or pull head and check

you can hot tank the rocker assembly, but the issue is still the same, grime in areas that can't be flushed completely unless taken apart. (maintain exact order of parts....label everything, left right front back 1,2,3,4...etc..and take plenty of pictures, do one side at a time)

ticking could be anything in the valve train. your cam lobes looked fine, don;t mix up lifters either, or rods,,,,probably just a lifter that is not holding pressure...unless your heads were previously milled...or oil pressure is low...

 

I might have to just leave them alone for now. Are the springs going to be difficult for someone to deal with who hasn't done that before? I can keep things organized and I read the overhaul and repair manual on the rockers and heads. Maybe I'll see if I can get the spark plug in enough without too much trouble and if not, I'll have to decide if I'm going to try using something on the threads or take the heads off and take them to a shop to have prepared for me and I can probably give them the rocker assemblies if they're a bitch to clean and reassemble. I'll just have to trust that they'll keep them organized, but I imagine they know what they're doing... I just don't know who can do that work and if they'll charge way too much that it just won't be worth it. I'll probably end up just reassembling it all without a full cleaning. It won't be that bad getting the heads off another time other than figuring out removing the exhaust lines. It was tough to get the upper intake/coils off because of how everything is crammed in there with SAI and the coils, but I won't have to deal with that again and the rest doesn't seem too bad, just wasn't sure if I can reach the exhaust bolts without lifting the vehicle from the front or I can do that from the ground.