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valvetrain noise please help.

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Old Feb 5, 2009 | 03:47 PM
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Default valvetrain noise please help.

thanks ahead of time for input, here is the problem crank the car in the morning and all lifters are clattering for a few seconds until thy get pumped up then drive down the road a couple of miles and a loud tap sets in, i pulled over and let the car come back down to idle after a minute or so it stopped, you can still here slight noise at idle, all this started after i put lg g5x3 camshaft in the car it is a 98 model with 76,000 on the ticker, 5.3 heads that have not been milled, double springs that are good to .650, with a 7.400 pushrod, the car has had about 100 miles on put on it since heads and cam, could there be trash in one of the lifters causing it to bleed off, or is it time to tear back down and replace the lifters. What are the chances of this lifter getting back on duty.
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Old Feb 5, 2009 | 04:24 PM
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Originally Posted by jch1
thanks ahead of time for input, here is the problem crank the car in the morning and all lifters are clattering for a few seconds until thy get pumped up then drive down the road a couple of miles and a loud tap sets in, i pulled over and let the car come back down to idle after a minute or so it stopped, you can still here slight noise at idle, all this started after i put lg g5x3 camshaft in the car it is a 98 model with 76,000 on the ticker, 5.3 heads that have not been milled, double springs that are good to .650, with a 7.400 pushrod, the car has had about 100 miles on put on it since heads and cam, could there be trash in one of the lifters causing it to bleed off, or is it time to tear back down and replace the lifters. What are the chances of this lifter getting back on duty.
Are you sure you have the correct push rod length?

Have you checked the torque on the rocker arm hold down nuts?
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Old Feb 5, 2009 | 04:44 PM
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Originally Posted by AJay
Are you sure you have the correct push rod length?

Have you checked the torque on the rocker arm hold down nuts?
Exactly^^ First things I'd check.

I had to step up to 7.45's and it cut waaay down on any valvetrain noise
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Old Feb 5, 2009 | 04:44 PM
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Originally Posted by AJay
Are you sure you have the correct push rod length?

Have you checked the torque on the rocker arm hold down nuts?
yes 22 ft lbs, with 0 lash 1 1/4 turns to bottom
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Old Feb 5, 2009 | 04:47 PM
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did you guys here the same tap, after heads and cam swap
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Old Feb 5, 2009 | 04:51 PM
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are you saying that you measured for proper pushrod length? If not - do that, it is easy to do.

Otherwise, I cannot offer any more assistance - I have the same cam with different heads and do not have that problem.
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Old Feb 5, 2009 | 04:52 PM
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Originally Posted by jch1
did you guys here the same tap, after heads and cam swap
The most common description for valve train noise is that it makes a "sewing machine" sound. This is common for all H/C cars. If your car is making a clattering sound that goes away after start up with a subsequent loud tap.......that is not normal.
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Old Feb 5, 2009 | 05:06 PM
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Originally Posted by AJay
The most common description for valve train noise is that it makes a "sewing machine" sound. This is common for all H/C cars. If your car is making a clattering sound that goes away after start up with a subsequent loud tap.......that is not normal.
the loud tapping after driving a couple miles, then the sudden silence is what bothers me, even after warm up
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Old Feb 5, 2009 | 05:57 PM
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Did you replace the lifters when you did heads? How did you determine pushrod length?
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Old Feb 5, 2009 | 06:33 PM
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Originally Posted by vettenuts
Did you replace the lifters when you did heads? How did you determine pushrod length?
no, they were not replaced, my mechanic checked for pushrod length, so that may be the problem?
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Old Feb 5, 2009 | 06:43 PM
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At this point start simple and start cheap (don't throw money at the problem). Was the oil pump changed? Any difference in filter that you are running now vs. before the swap? Any fluctuations in oil pressure that you notice?
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Old Feb 5, 2009 | 07:16 PM
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Originally Posted by vettenuts
At this point start simple and start cheap (don't throw money at the problem). Was the oil pump changed? Any difference in filter that you are running now vs. before the swap? Any fluctuations in oil pressure that you notice?
yes i installed a new melling oil pump same filter brand as before, oil pressure runs about 20lbs at warm idle, 40lbs at cruise, 70 at wot.
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Old Feb 5, 2009 | 10:01 PM
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Originally Posted by jch1
yes i installed a new melling oil pump same filter brand as before, oil pressure runs about 20lbs at warm idle, 40lbs at cruise, 70 at wot.
Which Melling & spring installed? Seems a little low for that oil pump though....most are getting much higher warm idle pressures.
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Old Feb 6, 2009 | 12:15 AM
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I have an EG Whiplash Cam. Its bigger than yours.

I have patroit stage II heads, caddy racing lifters and the same push rods you have. I have lttle or no noise. I can literly hear the valve slam shut at idle. Thats the only noise that I have.

If I were you I would pull the valve covers off and look carefully at the rockers and make sure you dont have any rockers that puked out the roller bearings. Thats a common issue.

Bill
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Old Feb 6, 2009 | 05:39 AM
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Do you have access to an adjustable pushrod? Like Bill said, next step would be to remove the valve covers and inspect things (no cost).


Unfortunately, your installer should have recommended new lifters. With 78K miles, a very fast ramp cam of high lift and heavy valve springs is just not a good mix, especially since a new set would have been about $150 at the time and he likely had the lifters out of the car when he put the cam in if the heads were already off the motor.
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