Knocking after rebuild

[Jimc]

Any ideas? (stock motor) OK, did a semi rebuild with new crank. cam, and balance shaft bearings, new rings. Head was decked. Car runs good but has a bad knocking noise coming from what seems to me as the valve train closest to the timing belt. I took the valve cover off and did not see any problem nor could I pinpoint the noise. broke the timing belt back down looking for possible noise turning by hand, no luck. It almost sounds like a rod bearing. Took the oil pan back off bearing seem to be fine and no play in balance shafts.

Here is the a question I have. I believe this head has been decked twice. I used a stock MLS head gasket. Is it possible that I am hearing valve rattle? I was reading the forum and I probably shoved have opened up the oil galley but I didn't know till the head was back on.
Any Help or suggestions.

Thanks

 

[Warpathdsm98]

what are you getting for oil pressure ?

 

[phr0st]

what are you getting for oil pressure ?

This.

I'm curious though, did you bleed/clean the HLA's while you had the head apart? IF you didn't there is a good chance you have bent some valves. Also there is the chance that 1 or more of the HLAs are just bad and not doing their thing. This usually is a "tick" more than a "knock" but stranger things have happened.

 

[Jimc]

I have not actually put a gauge on it but when I pulled the valve cover it was squirting a lot so I assume the Oil pressure is good. Yes I clean them but then let them soak in oil to fill them up. However when I put the head on, I ensured the crank was down just before TDC and bolted the head on. Then put the cam shafts in making sure they were in the correct position. Then timed it put the belt on and rotated through about 4-5 times with zero interference. It runs good and has good compression across the board but it sounds like knocking and not ticking. I was reading the forum about spark knock? I am not sure if this is what I am hearing or not as I am not experienced is this problem... I tore it back down and checked all the bearing and they are good. I am debating pulling the head back off, but really don't know what I would check. I guess I could do the oil mod on the head and measure the head. But would having your head decked twice really cause a sound of this nature? I was also told that the timing belt could slip because the head has been decked? I thought the tensioner would take up the slack? If I new getting a thicker head gasket would correct the problem I would gladly do that.....