Well what a crappy weekend. Replaced the water pump Sunday morning and checked everything over and it was all good next thing I know the motor starts ticking real bad. It sounds like a damn helipcopter. I am going to look under the valve covers, do a compression test and check for oil pressure. Is there anything else that I could check?

I replaced my water pump and noticed my pulley seated closer to the new pump body than the original one. Can it be that your pulley is scraping a high spot on the new pump? I had to buy the water pump pulley shim kit to bring the pulley out a bit.

I think HG is probably onto it.. there are 3 pump lengths, long , short and Corvette..if you got a short, your pulley is hitting .. and since it started as soon as you replaced the pump....also check the fan shroud

I think HG is probably onto it.. there are 3 pump lengths, long , short and Corvette..if you got a short, your pulley is hitting .. and since it started as soon as you replaced the pump....also check the fan shroud


I have always heard there are two lengths and the Corvettes (only) used a 3/4" diameter shaft (normal is 5/8").

your correct about the shaft diameter , but I put a stock Corvette pump and a short GM aluminum pump on a flat table and there is a difference in length..I have a short Edelbrock alum hi-flow on mine and also had to shim to match up.

your correct about the shaft diameter , but I put a stock Corvette pump and a short GM aluminum pump on a flat table and there is a difference in length..I have a short Edelbrock alum hi-flow on mine and also had to shim to match up.


Was it only the Corvettes that came with the 3/4" water pump shaft? Or did the Trans Ams and Camaro's have the heavy duty one also? My '82 also uses the heavy duty 17/32" wide belts on everything except the smog pump. I found years ago it's hard to find 17/32" wide alternator pulleys so when I stumbled on some a few years ago I bought 2 of them. Solid steel instead of the zinc ones that it came with from the factory. I also found out used alternator pulleys for '82's cost over $100.

I also thought it might be the water pump but I checked the pulley and it wasn't it. I checked the oil it looks and smells fine the antifreeze is still where it was at. It still starts fine. It sounds like its coming from the front somewhere. I thought it might be the timing chain but wouldn't it run like crap? I have heard it could be the fuel pump going out? It still has the same power as before.

you need a stethoscope or even a short piece of hose to listen and isolate where its coming from first..theres just too many possibilities

you need a stethoscope or even a short piece of hose to listen and isolate where its coming from first..theres just too many possibilities


A 3 foot piece of 5/8" garden hose works best.

I had a power steering pump that went bad on me once that made a sound like marbles being thrown around inside of it. Since you say the noise sounds like it's coming from the front of the motor, maybe this could be your problem.

I forgot about the hose trick. I am going to try that after work today and see if I can narrow it down. I will also take a look at the power steering pump as well. Thanks for all the help guys.

Well I checked the power steering pump and it wasnt it. I used a piece of aluminum and the sound is definitely coming from passenger side either under the intake or head so it looks like I have some work to do.

pull the valve cover, might be a loose rocker or a collapsed lifter or a bent pushrod..all of which is a pretty easy fix..if the noise is high up, its not a rod bearing,

Well what a crappy weekend. Replaced the water pump Sunday morning and checked everything over and it was all good next thing I know the motor starts ticking real bad. It sounds like a damn helipcopter. I am going to look under the valve covers, do a compression test and check for oil pressure. Is there anything else that I could check?


As the ticking just started after you changed your water pump you might have done something yourself to cause the ticking. Make sure your fan belt is on the pulleys properly and also check it to see if it has a broken cord that is flying around and hitting something. Is it a "metallic" ticking? Like metal hitting metal? Sometimes the check valve in the bottom of a lifter will stick and the lifter will make noise as it doesn't fill properly. And sometimes a simple oil change will cure it.

I pulled the valve covers and check the pushrods and rockers and they seem fine. After I changed the water pump it ran fine on the way to my buddies house. I noticed it when I left there. I guess I will have to pull the intake and see what I find. I might have to change the oil and see if that works. Thanks for all the help so far.

Andrew

did you run it with valve cover off? if its a collapsed or stuck lifter, you would be able to hear which one...how sludged up was the top of the head , or was it clean?

I did run it with the valve cover off. I listened to each of them and they all sound the same. I even pushed a tiny bit on each and none of them changed their sound. They all seem to be moving the same distance and all about the same speed.

and you say the noise is coming from the area of the head and manifold? have you checked for manifold leak? with engine idling, spray some carb cleaner along the gasket area and see if engine speed changes.

Your fuel pump might be causing the noise.

I will have to check the intake manifold gasket and let you know.

You say you think the noise is on the passenger side of the motor? Maybe something happened with your heat riser valve and it is ratteling around.

Haven't heard from you lately, Andrew. Anxious to here of an update of your problem.

Its been cold here as of late and I don't have a garage to work in so I will either have to bundle up or take it on base to do some tinkering. I still have to check the intake manifold gasket. Then I will go from there.

Thank you and good luck.

Sorry, its been a long time since I have been on. I managed to pull off the intake, pushrods, rockers, cam and oil pan. I checked the lobes on the cam and the ends of the lifters and removed the oil pan and hand my buddy roll the engine over by the flywheel and listened for weird noises and watching for movement on the caps and didn't notice anything. I looked at the flywheel and the front was scratched really bad. Well somebody must've been in the before because 1 of the bolts had been bouncing around and another was loose enough to move with my fingers. So I am going to replace those and just wait for all my parts to get here and hopefully get her back on the road around the 1st of May.

I have always heard there are two lengths and the Corvettes (only) used a 3/4" diameter shaft (normal is 5/8").

I never knew that,But if you just get the stock pump for the car and not an replacement,That should solve the problem right.

Sorry, its been a long time since I have been on. I managed to pull off the intake, pushrods, rockers, cam and oil pan. I checked the lobes on the cam and the ends of the lifters and removed the oil pan and hand my buddy roll the engine over by the flywheel and listened for weird noises and watching for movement on the caps and didn't notice anything. I looked at the flywheel and the front was scratched really bad. Well somebody must have been in there before because 1 of the bolts had been bouncing around and another was loose enough to move with my fingers. So I am going to replace those and just wait for all my parts to get here and hopefully get her back on the road around the 1st of May.


What bolts are you talking about? The flywheel mounting bolts? The six 7/16" NF bolts that fasten it to the crankshaft? Or are you talking about the six 3/8" NC pressure plate bolts?

Andrewblatch, saw your thread and had to let you know I had the same problem with my 94 LT1. I don't know your year but I think HG, FS, and TBTR are on the money concerning the water pump being the problem. I replaced both the opti and water pump on mine. Shortly after starting it up I heard what sounded like a lifter and or rocker arm noise coming from the # 2 cylinder. I've had two different shops look @ the problem and neither agree to the cause of the noise. My car runs good but I still have the sound. In my case one of two things will probably happen, either the noise will go away over time or I will replace the Airtex 5066 unit with another pump. Hopefully taking care of the noise. As you have torn into the engine at the very least I would replace the pump. Good luck and keeps us post'd

toobroke, the bolts the connect the flywheel to the torque converter. There were only 2 left in there and 1 was hand tight. I already bought some new ones and plan to put some lock tight on them.

Anthony, I tried that too and started it for a sec without the belt hooked up to the water pump and it still ticked but that was less than 2 sec it was running. It only seems to tick or whatever after it has been running about 30 seconds.

toobroke, the bolts the connect the flywheel to the torque converter. There were only 2 left in there and 1 was hand tight. I already bought some new ones and plan to put some lock tight on them.

Anthony, I tried that too and started it for a sec without the belt hooked up to the water pump and it still ticked but that was less than 2 sec it was running. It only seems to tick or whatever after it has been running about 30 seconds.


Use the high-strength red Loctite and torque them to 35 ft/lbs. Even though it's not necessary I always Loctite mine just to be on the safe side.