This weeks adventure with the new engine involved a thumping noise coming from the valve cover.
These are the new West Coast Cougar valve covers I got for Christmas (and had them originally on the 289)
Turns out the ROCKERS were hitting this baffle. I didn’t have this problem with the 289. But am with the new 302.
So. I have a couple of questions.
Is this the right thing to do?
I haven’t started her up yet to see if it’s still making noise.
Has anyone else had this problem?
I can’t see where your fabrication would be a problem. The one thing I’d say is to make sure that Loctite is used on the sheet metal screws so you don’t have the same problem that caused you to change your engine in the first place.
Steven
Thanks. Is that a glue?
And if so. Is it safe for that kind of temperature?
If I’m not mistake those cougar covers are only for flat tappet lifter (original 289) and you have a roller lifter on the new 302.
I would be scared of those tek screws falling out and ending up in your motor. Make sure you locktight then very well
Yes Loctite is a type of glue. Loctite 270 is a thread sealant the can be used on engines and where oil is present. Here is a link to the datasheet for Loctite 270. https://www.rapidonline.com/pdf/87-0384T.pdf
Steven
How does the lifter type affect the rocker cover ?
Thanks all.
Unfortunately I drove it this morning and it’s still knocking. How are the rockers hitting this new baffle?
Are you sure it’s the baffle and not the top of the valve cover? What is the depth of the valve covers that came on the new engine verus those?
rocker cover is shaped differently and can cause clearance issues. With that said it does look like his repros allow for the use of roller rockers according to the description of the listing.
Have you ran it without the rocker cover on? You dont want to drive it down the street like that but you can run it parked at idle with the covers off to verify where the noise may be coming from.
Well. It’s ONLY on the drivers side. So that has me thinking it’s the baffle.
I think I’m going to put the ones that came with the engine (cheap chrome looking ones) on that side to rule out this valve cover.
You may need a set of these,
https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Ansen-120-4002-Small-Block-Ford-Valve-Cover-Spacers,35302.html?sku=1354002&utm_medium=CSEGoogle&utm_source=CSE&utm_campaign=CSEGOOGLE&gclid=Cj0KCQjwtOLVBRCZARIsADPLtJ13vNkYjdU0MWlR07X5hPP4_qxf1XX57_Wtc8FHELPo2a85-bClqWcaAnkyEALw_wcB
But, the repos should clear most any roler rockers. I hope your test with the tin ones works.
Fantastic. Thank you.
Swapped the valve covers to the OLD ones and the sound is still there.
So… maybe it’s NOT the valve covers?
By OLD ones you mean the ones that came on the current Blueprint motor to start with ?
If you have roller rockers and use the 60s era valve covers the odds are they will interfere.
A couple of other things to try/answer before diving into it as a major issue …
If it’s a light tapping try putting two gaskets under the cover and just snugging it down. That should control the oil enough to prove/disprove the theory. Also there should be some witness marks by this point I would think if you do have interference on the valve cover.
I don’t see any pictures of the motor without the valve covers on, are the rockers adjustable ? Even though it’s a hydraulic cam and stuff it’s possible that they used an adjustable rocker and one of them backed off or worked out of adjustment as things broke in.
I see where you made a baffle (nice by the way), but I missed the part where you said when it was making noise or how you determined the baffle was the issue.
Don’t think anybody has asked this yet, but is the knock there as soon as you start up, or does it take time with warm up to develop?
It’s when the car warms up. Takes a few minutes till it starts.
I meant the valve covers that came with the Blueprint motor.
It didn’t make a difference. Once the car got warm (drove it a few miles) the noise came back.
I must confess I don’t know a lot about roller rockers and other performance type stuff, and such, but I am inclined to say that if it were a rocker cover clearance issue, it would exist as soon as you started the car up? “Knocks” can be created by a number of different things. Hydraulic lifters can knock when oil gets warm. You can develop spark knock due to timing being off. I think in the timing being off case and spark knock, you usually get hard “hot restarts” because it is firing wrong. Like I said I am no expert, so others will chime in and “straighten” me out 
You did say (if I recall) that, it seemed like it wasn’t performing well 
