1997 4.3 is a knocking
 

I just bought a 97 Cheyenne 1500 with the 4.3 vortec it sounds like a rod is loose and causein the knock but after checking around it sounds like it could be a lifter I took off the rt valve cover and looked at the rockers it looks ok the rocker arms are tight they have no adjustment any ideals whats up with it?

Re: 1997 4.3 is a knocking
 

Loose rocker sounds a LOT different than rod knock. If you popped off a cover and none of the rockers are loose, start digging deeper. Cheap and easy to swap the engine out...

Re: 1997 4.3 is a knocking
 

Did you roll over the engine while "looking" at the rocker arms?

Re: 1997 4.3 is a knocking
 

yes I can run the engine I have only just removed the rt valve cover and the rockers are tight it sounds like the noise is the on the rt side I will pull left cover and check it next

Re: 1997 4.3 is a knocking
 

I understand you can run it. You didn't understand my question. Yeah the rockers are tight that you looked at. But if you "roll" the engine around by hand with valve cover off, you may find the rockers that were down at the time you looked, could now be loose once they are up. You may also find some are not going all the way down when they should because of a collapsed lifter.

Merely looking under the valve cover without rotating the engine only gives you a small portion of the puzzle. You have to see the rocker arms in motion.