Engine Tap

There is a tapping noise coming from my engine, more specifically the driver side. It is most predominant in the valve cover/frontwards part of the header region. I felt some air coming out of the gasket so i replaced the header gasket but the sound is still there. The tapping becomes faster as the engine revs. What are some other things I should check? I really hope it is not a roller rocker. Could poor spark plugs or old oil cause this? If I can't fix this problem it is most likely that the fox will have to stay at home for my last semester at college, so until May.

Sounds like lifters to me and if they are adjustable then it may be just a little wrist action to snug them up. You can take a one inch diameter stick and have it long enough so you can put you ear to one end and the other end on your valve cover and you can find the exact lifter making the noise. Yeah I know a lot old school but it worked in my day. Trick is do not over tighten and you'll be ok and you'll have to hit each lifter. Hope that works out for you.

I use a screwdriver as a stethoscope at the valve cover and the noise is not coming from there so that can rule out the lifters and any valvetrain I believe. I put my fingers up to the exhaust manifold and there's still air coming out of there so either I used a defective gasket or the headers warped. Nonetheless I'm going to be leaving the Fox at home this last semester. Its not at all a comfortable ride on the highway because it also needs new wheel bearings.

I guess header gaskets could be a point problem and having warped headers will be a sure problem. I haven't had to earn a living from my mechanical skills on over twenty years and a few things have changed since then.

good luck on the final verdict.

if the header gaskets are for sure not leaking, pull avalve cover Ryan and make sure a pedastal bolt for the rocker has not loosened up

Yup I'll have to look at it in May. I left the car at home.

turned out to be a exhaust leak at the header gasket.  Apparently the old gasket seized onto the head which made an uneven surface. Had to stand there for a while getting off the old gasket to make a flush surface. no more leak now!

Good deal---fixed and ready to roll.

Glad to hear that Ryan!