This problem onset rather recently - I only began to notice it around the time I finished installing my new gauges.

The problem:
Vavle noise, and not just your run-of-the-mill top end clatter. This is starting to sound like a playing card stuck in my bicycle spokes.

What I know:
There's just over 30,000mi on this rebuild (probably closer to 36,000). Last two Blackstone oil reports from September and November have been coming back with high levels of top-end wear, ring wear, and bearing wear; one report even stated that the oil viscosity was closer to 5W-30. I've been feeding it Mobil 1 10W-30 since after the break-in. I first noticed the noise right after I installed the new mechanical oil pressure gauge.

Other things to note:
3min fix does not work. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/scared.gif" alt="" />
Oil level is fine.
Noise seems to get worse everytime I drive the vehicle now.
Sounds like it's coming from the driver's side.

Ideas:
My personal opinion is that it's just poor tolerances in the Jasper work and I wouldn't mind just being able to get away with a new Clearwater top end. Another idea I had was that it may be slack on the timing belt. The noise is most noticable between 2000-3000rpms. The truck runs like a top! I'm otherwise tempted to just keep driving it and see what happens.

<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

-DougB

My suggestion is to convert to 4.3L.

That's my plan.

Clay

Yeah, and my original plan to convert the Raider into a spaceship that runs on sarcasm is still in the works. Otherwise, I confine my thought to solving problems with ye olde 6G72. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

If it's that loud look into it ASAP. You don't want a minor head problem turning into a replace the pistons problem <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/evil.gif" alt="" />

What to look at? Take the covers off and stare at it until the answer squirts me in the eye?

Tech help please.

Sorry Doug. I wasn't trying to be sarcastic. I actually believe it's the best option for all of us at this point.

Clay

Get a 3.0 Caravan valvetrain from a wrecking yard. I think I paid $17 for the one sitting on my bench at work. It came with HLAs.

Pull your valve covers and inspect the cams. If they are grooved, you're pretty much screwed. Start looking for a junk Astro/Blazer/Silverado. Unless your local wrecking yard has Monteros with good cams in them (the Caravan cams are different).

Clay

Sounds like a stuck lifter. You can try adding a quart of Rislone to the oil and see if it helps after a bit, but you may just have a bad lifter - I doubt Jasper uses new ones. New ones from the dealer are about the same price as aftermarket.

Check to see if a belt is frayed and hitting anything. Check your new oil sender tubing and see if the fan is hitting it.

Other possibilities include a broken valve spring or a broken rocker spring.

Frank

Do all the 6G72's have roller rockers? One of my slipper rockers lost the slipper once, and made that kind of racket. Could also be a bad rocker roller.

No rollers.

Clay