Some of you mentioned that the noise could have been caused me cranking over the engine by hand far too many times and thus drawing oil out of the lifters.
Just to pick on something you said here, I wouldn't discourage anyone from turning the engine over by hand as much as is required to satisfy themselves that everything is timed up OK. Better to do this than to start it with incorrect timing.
The issue with the lifters is that, when the engine stops normally, maybe only 1 or 2 pairs of followers are under compression against the valve springs. They probably lose a little oil and rattle for a second or two at start-up as they refill. When you turn the engine by hand, each follower gets a fair amount of time under compression so all 24 will have "leaked down" a little. This makes a much more formidable racket at start-up and it takes a little longer of the whole lot to refill.
As long as the engine isn't revved hard before the lifters refill it does no harm.
Kevin
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Topic: CAm change and ooops, wat the **** (Read 3697 times)