Just installed new roller Morel lifters. Crane Gold rocker arms. Adjusted all rockers to ¾ and primed the oil system. Heads have about 25 hours on them from full freshen.

I am hearing a noisy rocker arm on number 7 exhaust. You can hear it without a stethoscope. Using a stethoscope it has a very pronounced tick. I tried tightening the rocker to 7/8 and then 1 but the sound did not change. I backed it off and the sound did not change until it was down just over 3/8 turn so I don’t think it is the lifter.

Pushing on the lifter end of the rocker with a rubber handled screwdriver with a lot of pressure does not change the sound. Same with the valve end.

I removed the rocker arm and swapped it with one that was not noisy, the noise stayed on number 7. I also verified that the rocker stud was torqued properly. Not sure what to do next. Is there something in the keeper on the valve that can cause noise? I am sort of at a loss here.

Any thoughts on what to check?

sticky lifter plunger?
retainer hitting bottom side of rocker?

Check to make sure the pushrods clear the bottom of the guide plate. It should be ok unless you changed rocker ratio. Double check the lifter without the engine running to make sure it properly pumped up. I've had problems with those lifters not pumping up.

I will check the lifter geometry and clearance.

Trouble getting them to pump up? Oil is flowing out to the rocker and I can't make it quiet by pressin on it. All valve train stuff is new so I would not suspect a problem there. Might just have to run it and see.

Any possibility it is something with the valve?

Try taking the rockers off. Cranking the engine to get oil preasure and then set 1 to TDC. Install and set the rockers 1 cylinder at a time. This way the valve spring wont be trying to squeeze the oil from the lifter. Just a thought but cant hurt. Its a good trick for a tired valve train. Yours is new but there may be a clearance issue in the block???.
Hope this helps

OK, lets do a what if.

Upon first installation I pumped the lifers up by spinning oil pump with a distributor and hand drill. They all pumped up fine. Adjusted all rockers and fired the engine. That is when I heard the noise on 7 exhaust. In the process of rotating the rocker from 7 exhaust to another rocker the lifter seemed to still be pumped up. With the lifter on the base circle the first ½ turn depressed the valve, this tells me that the lifter was indeed pumped up. If we rule out the lifter and the mechanical interference as in post above what is left?

Thoughts:
Remove rocker stud and inspect
Rotate pushrod

Re run engine and back that rocker off. Re prime oil system with drill, snug 7E rocker arm down 1 turn and watch valve depress, measure valve stem height and let it stand or observe valve to see if it raises. If the valve stem moves after sitting this means the lifter was pumped up. This would tell me if the lifter plunger is bottomed out and acting as a solid. I hope this is not the case. Lifters are new.

Is lifter being pumped up too much? Oil temp never really comes up while on the hose. If lifter is being pumped up too much the valve could be held off seat. This would show up in a compression test?
http://www.cranecams.com/?show=faq&id=5

Assuming that the lifter is fine, geometry is correct and no mechanical interference what in the head could cause a noise? I may be able to use a valve spring compressor and remove the keepers for an inspection. Not sure what to look for.

I am at a loss and trying to get some diagnostics done to avoid pulling the head, huge project on a blower motor due to all the associated stuff that has to come off first.

i have the same setup as you and i have had a similar problem...drove me nuts and i never found the source. i cannot say that mine was on #7e, but it was there. i was also getting oil up top and everything looked good.
this, however, happened to me in my second season. so i looked for unusaul wear on retainers and valve stem top to find nothing wrong, inspected all rockers and swapped quiet one for noisey one with no improvement.
i never found the problem and it went away!! i have put another season on it with no problems(40-50hrs) im still nervous about it but what to do?
keep me posted on your findings please

and yes my valve train was same as your with morel and crane golds.

b70

A worn valve guide will give you a ticking noise.
Jeff

Valve guides have 25 hrs on them. Heads done by a very reputable shop. I am going to swap rocker studs and rockers in the morning.

I don't see what the studs have to do with it.