I've been out of town a while and during that time a family member drove my 69 (351W). I get home and start the car and immediately hear a loud tick-tick-ticking sound that speeds up with the engine rpms. Sounds like it's coming from under the driver's side valve cover.

Any theories as to what I'm dealing with and how I might go about checking it out? Stuck lifter? Worse? It's not a loud clunking sound, but more of a higher pitched ticking.

 

Sounds like a stuck lifter to me.
Or maybe just an adjuster that's backed off the pushrod somewhat.
My 69's shop manual had a nice step by step for adjusting valves.
Unfortunately the manual went with the car when I sold it.
As I recall, it wasn't real difficult, just a little messy.
Try googling "351W valve adjustment".

 

You're right, it was a rocerk arm adjuster that backed off. I tightened it down and that ended the ticking noise ... temporarily. I just took it for a long test drive and I'm hearing it again (although not as loud). Can those adjuster nuts wear out, or is this a sign of a more serious problem?

 

I thought exhaust leak right away.......maybe you have that too.

 

I'll check for the exhaust leak. It was obvious when I unbuttoned the valve cover that a rocker arm nut had really loosened up. When I tightened it, the noise went completely away, only to come back faintly after I drove it about 30 minutes. I haven't had a chance to give a close look at it again.

 

On my 72 351C Gran Torino sport.............. The ticking was from the exhaust manifold on both of them.

Edit: OMG I would love to have just one of them now

 

They wear out.
On my '69, I replaced all of them.
(Probably could have got away with just replacing the (2) that kept backing off, but I got tired of pulling the valve covers off.)
Back in the '90s, a set of (16) rocker nuts ran about $20.00
If you can't find them at a parts place, most good engine rebuild shops have them. Take one of the old nuts with you to make sure the threads match on the replacements.

 

It may be worn but are you just tightening it or are you torqueing it to specs properly?

 

I went through a long and painful diagnosis recently. Try removing the spark plug wires one at a time. If the noise goes away, it may be connecting rod bearing or exhaust manifold gasket. If the noise remains, it may be a lifter.

 

my 1990 did that to me. rocker nut fell off twice... i used lock tight on it and it was fine after that.

here is a picture of my wonderful journeys in the valve cover to fix the darn thing.

 

Wow!
Those are some pretty rocker arms.
My '69 had the old cast ball type.

 

competition cams roller rockers. don't remember the specs

 

I have the same ones!...but they are blue!

 

I beleive the red and blue ones are different specs.

actually i checked comp cams sight and i couldn't tell, maybe they just offer them in different colors...which seems weird to me cause no one can see inside anyway i would think they would use different color to help differentiate specifications.

 

yeah...different colors would not make sense just for the sake of having different colors...