i have a 2005 kawasaki bayou 250 it got rolled into a creek and hydrolocked braking the intake rocker replaced it with a new one it runs great lots of power but has a metal to metal tapping noise i think its coming from the exhaust rocker if i pull up on the compression release it gets better what is going on please help..... if I take out the compression release its still noisey.. played around with all day if anyone has any ideas I would like to hear them. yes vavles are set correctly can not see anything wrong had head off to inspect did not see anything out of the norm...PLEASE HELP I NEED TO GET THIS RUNNING RIGHT

 

If your leak down test proves that your valves and rings are holding.....are you sure that the noise is not the CCT needing adjusted again after the rebuild? Just a thought, good luck and welcome to KF

edit: CCT= Cam Chain Tensioner