Valves ticking

[92ColoradoTurbo]

Hey so I know this is a 1st gen legacy forum, but I'm hoping a few of you can spot me on this question.
Just purchased a 98 fozzy with the rents yesterday since my t-leg is down and I need a car asap for delivering for work. It has some lifter/rocker noise and I think it's because the PO did a neew head gasket but forgot to soak the rockers. It's leaking from the valve gaskets as well so I wanna do it all in a weekend.

Now to do that, is it the same as on a legacy? I know how to "bleed" the rockers for a ej22t rocker assembly but is it the same for a forester?

[PhyrraM]

A '98 Forester, with the original motor, does not have rocker arms. It used a DOHC system with shims on top of the valve actuating buckets.

If it is actual valve train related ticking, then you will need to measure the current shim thickness and the clearance. Then you can deduce the new shim thickness to order.

[mike-tracy]

Add oil?

[free5ty1e]

Add oil?

This. At one point, with my leaky valve cover gaskets, I used to listen for valvetrain noise to indicate to me that it's probably time to add oil. It typically happens about 1qt low. Valvetrain is last in line for oil methinks.

Not a good practice, but when I didn't check my oil levels regularly enough -- valve tap was my indicator that I needed oil. Typically upon engine startup, maybe goes away after the oil has circulated for a bit....

[92ColoradoTurbo]

Yep lol it's full on oil and it still has its ticking noise. Is it a bad thing? or can i drive it until the noise makes me go insane? If it were a rod knock, it'd be dead already like my legacy, but this is just pattering and not sounding like it's getting worse.

[PhyrraM]

If it is indeed a ticking from the valvetrain, a little bit is OK for a while. Eventually, the clearance may become enough for the shim to come out. That would be bad.

I would check clearances when you have the rocker covers off.