Hey guys, after I got the engine running ALOT better after the dwell and timing was set correctly. I still have not been able to get rid of the ticking I hear when putting my foot on the gas. You cannot hear it at idle, only under acceleration. I checked the oil to find it about 3/4 quart low, added some oil and no difference. I put my hand around the exahust manifold to feel for some sort of puff or something, but to no avail. Any suggestions as to find out what this might be? Thanks

Check the gaskets between the exhaust manifold outlet and the Y-pipe, if you have a heat riser on the passenger side, there are two gaskets there, one on each side of the heat riser.. It can also be a bad exhaust manifold gasket, sometimes you will see grey dust at one of the cylinder outlets and a SPACE where the gasket blew out, they blow sometimes if 1) the correct side is not facing the engine and 2) if they are not properly torqued. While you are at it make sure the heat riser operates freely, soak it with a good penetrant it should move freely, they tend to bind up.. Good Luck

Is it true that I can take some Trans fluid,(not a lot) and put it down the carb and get some smoke to come out and that I way I can see if there is a leak or not? It has dual exhaust, so I don't know about the heat riser. I got some manifold gaskets because they are cheap and easy to get. Any pointers on taking the manifolds off? Do I need new studs? penetrant? Thanks for your help.

It can also be a bad exhaust manifold gasket, sometimes you will see grey dust at one of the cylinder outlets and a SPACE where the gasket blew out

Those engines never had exhaust manifold gaskets. They were just machine fitted to the heads.

But if you are going to remove the manifolds, be prepared for many broken manifold bolts! After sitting in the heads for that many years, they do not come out easily! That, and rust will have taken a good toll on the bolts and cause them to snap very easily. A;so, I recommend installing a gasket if you do take a manifold off. Fel-Pro and other companies make them now.

Back to your original problem, like what was said, check for small cracks that will be outlined with black from carbon from the exhaust escaping. Does the sound change when the engine is cold or hot? It may not even be an exhaust manifold, but a ticking lifter.

The heat riser like BodybyFisher said is a valve on the drivers side of the engine. You should see a small metal pipe come up from the drivers side exhaust manifold and go to the air cleaner snorkel. It draws hot air from near the exhaust manifold when the engine is cold to warm up the carburetor faster. But if the valve sticks, it will draw hot air all the time, and could cause some pre-ignition knock. So check that the valve is working correctly. It is vacuum operated.

I will definitely check out the heat riser valve first so I might be able to save myself the effort. As for the carbon trails, I have not seen any around the manifold, but I did however see what looks like oil residue coming out of the rear part of the drivers valve cover. I can't tell if it is exhaust or not. I do not want to take off the manifolds unless I know for certain that is the cause. I have the gaskets, but I don't want to deal a ton of broken bolts and stripping the threads etc. If it is a sticky lifter or something of the valve train, how can I tell? I have heard that you can take the valve cover off momentarily on a cold start up to look at the rockers, is this possible? Or better yet safe? Thanks for your help.

First check is for loose/missing or broken exhaust manifold bolts. Bolts can shear after thousands of heat cycles. You may have to remove manifolds and extract the broken bolts. Not a fun job, but a common one on GM engines. I have to do this on the left bank of my 81 368 this spring.

Those engines never had exhaust manifold gaskets. They were just machine fitted to the heads.

But if you are going to remove the manifolds, be prepared for many broken manifold bolts! After sitting in the heads for that many years, they do not come out easily! That, and rust will have taken a good toll on the bolts and cause them to snap very easily. A;so, I recommend installing a gasket if you do take a manifold off. Fel-Pro and other companies make them now.

Back to your original problem, like what was said, check for small cracks that will be outlined with black from carbon from the exhaust escaping. Does the sound change when the engine is cold or hot? It may not even be an exhaust manifold, but a ticking lifter.

The heat riser like BodybyFisher said is a valve on the drivers side of the engine. You should see a small metal pipe come up from the drivers side exhaust manifold and go to the air cleaner snorkel. It draws hot air from near the exhaust manifold when the engine is cold to warm up the carburetor faster. But if the valve sticks, it will draw hot air all the time, and could cause some pre-ignition knock. So check that the valve is working correctly. It is vacuum operated.

Interesting because I recall replacing them on 429, 472 and 500 cu in engines, here is a gasket set for the 472 that includes the exhaust manifold gaskets:

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=FEL%2DKS2641&autoview=sku

Interesting because I recall replacing them on 429, 472 and 500 cu in engines, here is a gasket set for the 472 that includes the exhaust manifold gaskets:

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=FEL%2DKS2641&autoview=sku

I don't know about the 429, bit I've never encountered a gasket on the 425, 472 or 500s I've worked on. If the engines you worked on had gaskets, then they probably were put there when someone removed the manifold.
The gaskets can be purchased separately, I know Fel-Pro sells them as well.

When the 472 was introduced one of the engineering "advances" was that it has 30% fewer gasketed joints than previous powerplants. They had no head to exhaust manifold gaskets. They also didn't have any manifold to Y pipe doughnut gasket. Even the heat riser had no gasket.

Well, after some prodding around, I came to the joints where the dual exhaust met the manifold. And guess what was no tight? Yep, each side was not loose but not tight. So I tightened them up, and pretty much all the exhaust ticking was gone. So there ya go!! Easy fix. Thank goodness.

When the 472 was introduced one of the engineering "advances" was that it has 30% fewer gasketed joints than previous powerplants. They had no head to exhaust manifold gaskets. They also didn't have any manifold to Y pipe doughnut gasket. Even the heat riser had no gasket.

Im not sure about the manifold to block gasket... I just scraped a bunch of stuff off one side of the block, i can provide pictures. As for the manfiold to y pipe, i agree, but im 100% positive that the heat riser has a gasket.

Regardless, gaskets are available for all of these locations and i would recommend installing them if you end up taking any of these components apart.

Also someone mentioned that the heat riser system included a pipe going from the manfiold up to the air cleaner. That however is not how this particular system works. This heat riser system blocks up exhaust gases inside the manifold (notice how its huge on this side) the gases then flow through a port up into the intake warming it up. Once the thermostatic coil on the heat riser warms up, it relaxes and the counter weight falls into equilibrium ergo opening up its valve to let the manifold flow freely.

Usually installing the manifolds directly to block without gaskets is far better than any gasket.