I will give it a try

 

I finally got around to removing the valve cover to take a look. Everything seemed to be fine, plenty of oil flow, no broken springs. I could still hear it "pop" occasionally , just could not pinpoint it any further. I put the valve cover back on (with a new gasket), but I re-routed my wires, moving one above the PCV valve to keep away from the exhaust a little better, and now the "pop" is gone. My only guess is that there way some type of interference issue with the wires, maybe trying to fire a cylinder twice?. I kind of ruled out an issue with the wires previously, as I replaced them with Taylor 8.2mm wires trying to get rid of the "pop" and it didn't make a difference. I also thought I followed the guidance in the TSB routing properly.

I am not 100% it was the wire routing that was the issue, but that was the only thing I put back differently. Just thought i would share that its "fixed" now.

 

Sounds like basically a backfire, ie firing when an intake valve was open. I'd replace your wires with quality units....really the insulation and shielding should prevent this even if two wires are touching one another.

Glad you resolved the issue!

 

There was a service bulletin for plug wire routing for just this kind of problem. Think it's in the FAQ/DIY section here.....

Of course, the stock wires were fairly cheap.... and a good fix for the problem was better plug wires....

 

As a preventive measure, I'd remove those metal tubes around each of the spark plugs. They tend to allow debris collect around the base of the spark plugs and sometimes cause issues with the spark plug wire ends. You can take them out with some locking pliers and wobble the tube back and forth until it pulls out.

 

Is there any downside to removing the metal tube around the plugs?

I have a set of headers I am eventually going to put on, not sure of that make a difference or not. I assume the tubes are there to protect wire ends from exhaust heat.

 

I have a newer set of Taylor 8.2mm wires on it now, I thought they would help eliminate any issues as mentioned in the service bulletin, but I was likely wrong.

Any recommendations for better wires?

 

No issue with removing those spark plug tubes. I run shorty coated JBA headers and have had no issues with those tubes being gone. They were supposed to protect the plugs/wires from heat, but they seem to cause other issues. For example, dirt/crud/moisture can collect around the base of the spark plugs, causing great pain when it comes time to remove the plugs for replacement/tune-up. Once the spark plug tubes are removed, you can actually better see the spark plug in the head and the plug wire connection, in case there are any issues there.

As for your plug wires, I also use Taylor wires on my truck and have had no issues with them. I do coat the inside of the boots with a thin coat of dielectric grease to keep the boot from welding itself onto the plug porcelain over time and to cut down on possible arcing.