I have a Spectra 20 460 with RPM manifold, edelbrock 750, logs, DUI HEI. Went out the other day, fired it up at the ramp, didn't notice anything wrong. Putted out, put it on plane, ran that way for about 1/4 mile, hammered it for a few seconds, brought it down to idle for a no wake zone and a faint ticking can be heard. Threw out the anchor and started searching. Checked oil level and it was just above add line. Put in a quart with no change in the noise. Pulled alt belt/ still there, pulled valve covers, all rockers are oiled and snug and lifters are tight, not able to push them in. Drove the boat back to the ramp, on plane, for about a mile and it seemed louder. Next day did some more troubleshooting on the trailer. Removed bell housing plate and could hear the noise but not coming from this area. Pulled the spark plugs with no sign of damage there. It sounds like it's coming from behind the timing cover, maybe?
 Has anyone had something like the cam, gears or distributor make noises or maybe it's a bearing? Oil psi looks good though. 

  So, if there is no shavings you think the bearings are good?

 I am going to pull the distributor to inspect the gear and open the oil filter.

  Pulled the oil filter apart and can see some small glitter in the bottom of the sheet metal cover that the oil filter sits in. Nothing noticeable in the filter element. Does the small amount of material in the bottom consistent with a spun bearing?

Has anyone had or heard of a blown head gasket that is leaving an exhaust leak only? My ticking noise sounds an awful lot like an exhaust leak and the logs are tight.

It sure sounds like an exhaust leak from the video. But sounds on a video can be misleading. Think about this, if the head gasket was blown, you’d loose compression in one or two side by side cylinders. Easy to check  in aid of ruling that out.  I’ve seen all kind of weird things cause motor noises.


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Exhaust leak bro , sounds like a tractor , pull the manifolds off carefully and see if u broke the gaskets . Failing that I can smoke test them or get them mag tested


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I've got one of those mechanic stethoscopes and placed it on the fuel pump when running and didn't notice anything but I do have a spare to try. I'm going to try pulling plug wires one at a time and see if I can narrow it down to a certain cylinder. It might be an exhaust leak on the bottom side of the logs. No gaskets, just silicone.

I've read a lot of jet boaters using only silicone with out problems. I have never run gaskets, only a thin coat of silicone. At this point I have nothing to lose. I will put checking the exhaust on the top of the list.

When the headers heat up they change shape and can cause leaks


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He will ditch his ford when you ditch your boyfriend. Neither is probably happening. Lol

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What u don’t want me anymore lover boy


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 It's not the exhaust. I'm just going to pull the engine. Check everything out that way.

  Push rods look straight, rocker assemblies all look perfect, The lifters can all be pressed in little with a push rod except for the last one on the drivers side, intake valve for #8. That's the same cylinder that has a black plug all the time. I took it apart and removed some oil. Now it moves in and out like the rest. Can a pumped up lifter make a ticking noise? I don't see any contact with valve to piston.
  I'm really wondering if my head gasket was leaking between #7 and #8. These are some pics.
  Oil pump seems smooth also.

Since the heads are off. Set the heads up so you can pour solvent into the ports. Check for leaking valves int and exhaust. With the video it is hard to differentiate noise. I agree it does sound like a exhaust leak. Also, clean the mating surface for the exhaust on the heads and logs. Then take a straight edge to the surfaces and see what you have.