need some input if possible

[cravenbronco]

Well we were on our way home last night when I pulled in to the gas station and put it in park. I started to hear a tapping on drivers side I'm sure it was a lifter or a rod.
Now I'm starting to FREAK OUT at this point. So I told my self I need to limp it home
now here is the kicker I started to go up the road and it hit 1500 rpm and the noise quit. So I figured it would do it again when I put it in park when I got home. It hasn't done it since. Now my thought is : It might be the oil pump starting to go out.
Or should I be looking somewhere else?
It has a 302 F I Engine

[Viperwolf1]

Could be an exhaust leak.

[Justin]

That was my first thought as well. I had a leaky header gasket that did similar things. Sounded exactly like a lifter tick under heavy acceleration. Could also be a lifter getting a little sticky.

[cravenbronco]

So I checked the exhaust manifolds and they are nice and tight.
How would I get the sticky lifter to work the way it needs to ?
It has not done it since I started it today and no noise.
Can a oil pump kind of go out or do they just quit working?
When in park oil pressure drops to 20 psi and when accelerating it goes up to 50 psi
Now the half cab stays at 50 psi all the time.

Thank you

[Gunnibronco]

Oil pressure sounds ok. Mine drops low when idling. I don't know if oil pumps fail intermittently, I haven't heard of one doing that.

There are "tricks" to unsticking lifters, like adding different things to the oil. But I don't know of them off hand, and can't vouch for the effectiveness or safety of any.

[Kinder]

Marvel mystery oil or ATF comes to mind, something with solvent properties. Not too much though, like a quart or less.

[cravenbronco]

So I changed the oil and added some additive.
I got it moving again. Decided to take it out and run it.
same noise came back and once again I increased rpm and it went away.
Could this possibility be a bent push rod. What's your thoughts

its a 347 Stroker engine.
if I was going to check valves, push rods and valve clearances how would I do so?

[Kinder]

Still sounds lifter'ish to me. Checking for a bent push rod is one of the easier things to do. Pop the valve covers, loosen rockers, pull push rods, roll on nice flat surface. Keep them in order.

[cravenbronco]

Ok I'll start ripping in to it this weekend while the snow falls.
will post what my findings are.