How loud should a new engine be?

[Perry]

Hey guys,
I have a fresh 440 that I rebuilt that I have about 250 miles on. Early into the break in. Hydraulic cam. This thing makes noise. Not a knocking but a lot of ticking and general sewing machine sounding things going on. I have a loud exhaust but you can still hear it. So my question is how loud should a new engine be as it is breaking in? Should it be silky smooth with no ticking or machine type noises or there always some noises? If I had factory manifolds and a good exhaust it would be noticeable. when I listen with a stick to my ear I cant localize sounds, they seem to come from everywhere. Sorry if this is a stupid question but it is the first new engine I have ever had and every little noise I hear freaks me out.
Had a good shop do the machine work and I assembled.

78 440 bored .055
SRP's
440 Stealth Heads
Lunati Voodoo 268


Thanks,
Perry

[Chryco Psycho]

It should be smooth with a hydraulic cam , there have also been a lot of quality issues with hyd lifters , the Only good one left are made by Johnson . What oil are you using ? Most current oils are inadequate to keep a flat tappet cam alive especially through the break in so you could have lifters unable to hold the pressure of the valve springs or you could be losing the cam . Are you using stock rocker arms or adjustable ?
Header leaks or exhaust leak can often be mistaken for ticking in the engine too .

[72cudamaan]

Sounds like non adjustable rockers and the wrong length pushrods to me. Chryco has good points as well.
I wouldn't run it any more until you find the problem.

[HP_Cuda]

If it sounds like a sewing machine I wouldn't be running it until I found the problem.

It sounds like either you have an exhaust leak or your lifters are not pumping up. Another thing to check is your valve train.

[Perry]

Thanks for the responses.
I am going to tear into it a bit this weekend and see what I can find. Besides this issue it runs excellent. I am running 10-30 with comp cams additive package for flat tappets. Lifters are Lunati and came with the cam. The rest of the valve train is stock. Rockers are factory stamped but new TRW's. They are installed in the correct L/R orientation. It appears oil flows up through the heads as intended. I was worried the cam bearing was mis aligned.
I think I broke in the engine correctly using CP's startup guide elsewhere on this board and used the correct break in additives.

Perry

[cudabob496]

Wonder if push rods are hitting against the head?

[BIGSHCLUNK]

What ever it is it cant be good. I'd park it till you can get a look at it.