So that sounds like a failure of a component to me, not a gradual wear type failure.

does the noise also get louder with RPM or just faster?

is it louder under a load vs say at idle?

 

Hello there Corvette 1977!

Sounds like your tick is getting the best of everybody. If the reluctor was causing the noise you should see evidence of it in the form of shavings or powder. I did buy a new MSD distributor cap that was made improperly and as my rotor went around it would make contact with the inner surface of the distributor cap. That made a clicking sound more than a ticking and when I opened the distributor up the damage was clearly visible on the inside wall of the cap. MSD blew it on their preliminary inspections on that cap. Might be worth checking... I saw what appears to be MSD Super Conductor wires so I thought I would mention the distributor cap fiasco I endured

I had a tick that got progressively louder over a matter of hours and it turned out to be a Push rod that was not flowing any oil up from the lifter. The ticking in my case was from the Roller Rocker arm contact point with the push-rod. The lack of oil to the one rocker arm destroyed the roller mechanism and the ticking started and got louder over a drive I made to show off my new engine to my Corvette Club. By the time I was almost home it was a bit louder so I called in the engine builder and when we removed the valve cover on my right side the damage was obvious. The push rod was blocked off completely which surprised me as I was there when they were cleaned and installed. We replaced the one rocker arm and the push-rod and the engine has been great ever since then.

My Fathers Buick had a Lifter progressively fail which caused a lot of ticking noise that started off quietly. We pulled the failed lifter out and replaced it with a new factory replacement and the ticking was gone for good. Saved my Dad from rebuilding the entire engine due to one lifter.

I wish you the very best in finding the source of your ticking! I would imagine finding a good Corvette mechanic might be challenging in the Netherlands.

Stay Healthy!

 

I guess what we’ve all been kinda avoiding is having to take the pan off and start exploring/ looking for an obvious cause or taking all the con rod clam shells off and looking at their condition.

if we can’t narrow this down that is ultimately where we’re gonna be. Kinda like exploratory surgery. When a problem can’t be diagnosed then it’s time to go looking in the hard to access places.

 

OP says he'll pull pan & replace oil pump anyway.

 

The sound doesn't get louder, it just goes faster.
The sound is not louder under a load.

 

I removed the oil pan and checked all bearings and immediately mounted a standard pump.

 

I've had two distributors on it but to no result.
Today I set the end play of the distributor with shims to 0.010, unfortunately without result.
The push rods and the rocker arms get enough oil.

https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1Q...j3WbqCzhGVzdLb

 

Did you inspect pistons' skirts & cylinder walls and search pan for shrapnel ?

 

I checked everything you mention and it all looked very good.
There was no scrape in the oil pan.

 

But did you measure SIDE-to-SIDE play at top ? Also checking if Reluctor contacting pickup's teeth ?

FWIW, can't see your photo without me signing in to google ... perhaps you have private settings.

 

Yes i did measure side to site play at the top and also the reluctor that contacting the pickup's teeth.

I hope this link works: https://photos.google.com/share/AF1Q...NwOUQxd0dTZlVR

 

Have you removed and cut open the oil filter?
while the pan was off did you find and shavings or metal at the bottom of the pan?

 

Yes I cut open the oil filter and everything was clean.
The oil pan was clean and absolutely no shavings.

 

well the good news is that doesn’t sound like a rod bearing or piston skirt then. Noise same cold or hot too?

without looking through this whole thread I don’t remember if we tried removing accessory belt and running it?

were kinda running out of ideas without revisiting stuff you’ve done.

crankshaft pulley coming off? Harmonic balancer coming apart?

i know you did this , but flex plate hitting sheet metal guard?

 

The noise is the same when cold or hot engine.
I remove the accessory belts and running the engine.
I have not disassembled the Harmonic balancer.
The flex plate rotates freely.

 

? a cracked-broken valve spring (w/ damper trying to hold valve up) ?

? cracked flexplate ?

I'm fresh out

 

I checked all the valve springs and the are all good.
The flexplate have no cracks and all the bolts are tightened.

 

I thought maybe the opposite......a cracked or broken damper and the springs are ok......

Jebby

 

Any tips or ideas are welcome.

 

The inner dampers can be hard to see.....the only real way to check them is to pull the retainer and lock.......not a terrible job if you have the air adapter for your spark plug hole.
I have disassembled engines in the past where these were broken.

Jebby