I had the 68 out today warmed it up and drove to the next town about 8 miles anyway i was passin a car and the motor hessitated for a second then ran fine (thought it might be old gas etc??) so when i get to town and slow down i notice a slight tapping rattleing sound from motor (454) and when i get out with it running i notice some smoke comming from the drivers tail pipe. this car sat for a while before the guy i got it from bought it last fall.

Do you think i bent a push rod or maybe collapsed a lifter? it seems to run alright but the tappin and the smoke trouble me?? This is only my second BB the other one was 20 yrs ago in a camaro. Do you think it may be somethin else?? thanx for any help you seem to know what your talkin about !! Tony

 

one other thing shark would a clutch fan with a bad clutch make that kind of tapping sound cause on closer inspection it seems the noise is comming from the front somewhere like the water pump or further ahead?? the smoke just may be from blowin the cob webs out like i said it sat for a long time!!

 

Sounds more like a carb problem, there is a small filter in the carb with a spring behind it, if the filter is cloged the spring compresses and the gas goes around it. This lets the dirt get into the carb and once in there the dirt can affect the float level. That can cause the carb to flood and that will give you smoke.
Next: The accelerator pump, in the carb,may be failing, that will also make the car hesitate when you accelerate. Start the car and look and see if when you accelerate if you get two streems of gas flowing into the carb, if not that will cause hesitation.
Next: you may have a week spring or some dirt in a lifter, that will give you a "Tic Tic" sound with the engine running and as the RPM increases the noise will become faster or stop. But that won't give you any smoke, Gunk sells a 5 minute lifter cleaner, you put it in, run the car 5 miles and change the oil & filter.
Hope that helps. PG

 

Fan clutch will make some noise, but you might be hearing the fuel pump push rod.

 

The smoke could be from bad valve seals, especially if the car has set a long time. pg has some good things to check/try. Wouldn't hurt to change all the fluids if you haven't already. Don't be surprised if you get some brake fluid leakage from your calipers. As for the tapping, get a mechanics stethoscope and start listening at the different places suggested. Good luck.

 

Listening......?
A trick I learned many, many years ago.......
Take a wooden rod, metal rod, (about 2 ft. long)or just a long shanked screw driver. Place your thumb over one end, and press your thumb up aganst one ear. Now touch the other end to an area that you want to listen to. It's cheaper than a stethoscope, and works very well. Listen to various parts, so that you get familiarwith their sound.

I've used cut off broom handles, screw drivers, wooden dowels, and even a jack handle. Just use somthing long enough to keep yourself out of harms way. I have long hair, so I always use something fairly long, so I don't get snatched bald.

 

All great idea thanx for the help!!! I think the ticcin is the fan clutch as it looks original and should not be mounted to a 600 plus hp 454!!!
i will remove it and run the car for a few seconds to see if the tic is gone!!

Already replaced all fluids and pulled gas tank and blow air threw the lines and cleaned out the tank!!
Dose the (engine restore crap) really work on older dry valve seals or would i be better off rebuildin the heads?? thanx
I have a fresh 327 and was thinkin of pullin the 454 and usin the 327 while i rebuilt the 454??
will the 454 flywheel work on the 327 or do i have to get a different one?? I know the 400 is ecternally balanced are any others??? thanx again Tony

 

Get another flywheel, SB's are internally balanced, BB's are externally balanced.
The fly wheel has fewer teeth on a SB. The Bell should work fine though.
These are the answers I got, when I asked the same question.

Engine restore?
Forget it, and rebuild.

 

Well it was a dirty lifter or dirt in a lifter!!!
I tried an old trick a buddy told me about years ago i drained the oil and poured a half gallon of kerosine in each valve cover and spun the motor with the power to dist. unplugged for about 20-30 revolutions drained it for 2-3 hours then filled with 10-30 ran it for like 10 minutes drained it and then put the good 10-40 in and no more tic tic tic!!!!!

Thanx for the help and ideas!!!
I am still gonna pull the 454 sometime this summer and drop the 327 in cause thats what the wife wants a car she wont have trouble starting so she can take it for a ride when ever she wants!!!!
so i may sell the 454 or rebuild it for the chevelle???

 

Another trick that I've used to free sticky lifters is to add one qt of trans. fluid to oil and run for about 20-30 minutes w/ no load.