Engine tapping

Hi all
I'm hoping somebody can help with my issue, my 1998 Jim has a slight tapping noise coming from the valve cover gets worse up hills. I guessing i need to adjust the valve clearance is this a hard Job to to? I could be completely wrong and it could be a different issue. Any ideas guys?
Much appreciated
Darren

ignition pinging can occur like you say going uphill or when the engine is under load.
Not a common problem though, lot of miles on your car?

Valve clearance is more often all over the rpm's and even when idling. You can listen with a wooden stick on different placres on the valve cover. Place a two feet piece of broom handle or something like that on a place on the engine, and direct it towards your ear while you screen other sounds out by cover your ear except the broom with your hand...
The sound will now go up the stick and by listen to the end of it you can find where the sound originates.

Lousy explanation but i am from Norway. anyways i did this to my engine and found that the noise was a rattle and came from my exhaust manifold, the cat inside had broken and the pieces where rattling about in there. impossible to hear where the noise came from without a broom handle.

Thank you for your reply, sorry it's very late I had forgotten my password! Yeah she's got 104,000 I'll give that trick ago thanks!!!