Any obvious clues from the outside to identify a hydraulic lifter engine?

I've just purchased a '79 Aspen with a 2bbl in it and it just seems to be too quiet for a mechanical tappet engine.

The valve cover is not completely rectangular. A hydraulic head's valve cover has about a 1" long 3/4" deep 'kick-in' on the passenger front corner. Here is a picture of that kick in on my '87.



-S/6

_________________
The "Silver Bullet"
87 Ram D150

Adjusted properly the factory cams are very quiet. I once had a guy try and convince me that changing his engine to hydraulic lifters was the best thing since sliced bread. With the price of the /6 hydraulic lifters and the effort involved I'm happy to adjust my valves every 30k miles or so.

_________________
Joshua

Forgive my tardiness in responding to your reply. The car had been dropped off for undercoating when I posed my question, and I've just now gotten it home. My rocker cover does not look like the one in your picture. It doesn't look like a regular cover could fit on a hydraulic head either. So now I'm confused. This engine just doesn't have the busy sewing machine/mechanical tappet noise I remember from /6s from years ago. I'm also suspicious that the engine has been changed in the car. I'll try wading through the goop on the block joint face to see if I can find some numbers.

Thanks again for the picture, it was a great help.

KM

Most people remember the \6 being noisy because most people neglected the tappet clearance adjustment on their \6s, as it seems to me. When they're in proper repair and adjustment, they are quite quiet. Careful, though—when they're adjusted too tight, they're also very quiet!

_________________
一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

So along with changing my manifold gaskets, replacing the broken exhaust mnfld, updating the distributor, rebuilding the carb and getting the right cap, rotor, wires and plugs, I'll check the clearances.

Good thing I didn't have anything else to do in November......