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Texas Speed 224r Cam question

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Old Oct 9, 2011 | 09:37 PM
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Default Texas Speed 224r Cam question

I have Installed a Texas Speed 224R 581/581 114 Cam and I can't get rid of the valve train noise. Does anyone else have this cam with the same problem?

Mods are TEA Stage 1 heads with Beehive springs, LG Street Pro LT's, Fast Intake, and the Texas Speed Cam

I have the right size push rods installed with about 0.80 preload on LS7 lifters and it's still ticking. If its the nature of the beast then I guess I have to live with it, but I don't like the noise.

Last edited by TheDEfan; Oct 9, 2011 at 09:40 PM.
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Old Oct 10, 2011 | 07:23 AM
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Did you change the rocker arms? They may be hitting the stock valve covers.
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Old Oct 10, 2011 | 07:39 AM
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Normal,

let the engine warm up a bit. and or go to a heavier oil.

last option would be to Install LTs and straight pipes. Never hear the valve train again
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Old Oct 10, 2011 | 08:15 AM
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Originally Posted by kmart454
Did you change the rocker arms? They may be hitting the stock valve covers.
Stock rockers.
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Old Oct 10, 2011 | 10:09 AM
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i am just curious how you know you have to right size pushrods? Did you measure or use the ones TSP recommended.
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Old Oct 10, 2011 | 12:51 PM
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My 228R from Texas Speed and Performance sound track listening to valve train noise!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QydZ7OOroTs

Pardon my Obama impersonation...Uhhh...Uhh...Uhh.

Last edited by sfc rick; Oct 10, 2011 at 02:37 PM.
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Old Oct 10, 2011 | 01:41 PM
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Post a video.
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Old Oct 10, 2011 | 01:43 PM
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Where do you hear the noise? With the hood open and you listening? Or while driving? If it is while driving, it may just be the valves echoing through the header (normal). If it is noticable with the hood open, you may have measured PRs incorrectly.
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Old Oct 10, 2011 | 04:09 PM
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I have that exact cam in my 97. Yes I have a clicking noise. Had it for about 5 years and many track days. I took AU N EGL advice about two years ago and went LT headers, no cats, and muffler bypass. Now that beautiful sound kind of out weighs the clicking noise
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Old Oct 10, 2011 | 05:22 PM
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Originally Posted by TmillerC5
I have that exact cam in my 97. Yes I have a clicking noise. Had it for about 5 years and many track days. I took AU N EGL advice about two years ago and went LT headers, no cats, and muffler bypass. Now that beautiful sound kind of out weighs the clicking noise
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Old Oct 10, 2011 | 10:26 PM
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Pre load issue, asking for a problem.
How did you figure the pr length?
surely you meant .070" pre-load?
How did you determine your pre-load?
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Old Oct 11, 2011 | 01:33 PM
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This is what I did, and from what I've read the lifters I'm runnining need about .080 of preload

use the Comp, which is 6.800" closed.

How to use

Each turn of the pushrod is 0.050". When fully closed, it is 6.800". This is pushrod "gauge length" so you can't measure it directly as the pushrod length is actually based on the length between the ball ends where the ball end measures 0.140" in diameter. Assuming you are using stock rockers or a non-adjustable rocker.

1. Open the adjustable pushrod to the same length as your stock pushrods
2. Close it down two turns
3. Put your rocker rail on the head
4. Make sure you cylinder (typically #1) is at top dead center on the firing stroke so both valves would be closed
5. Put the pushrod in place on the intake valve and make sure it is in the lifter cup
6. Install the rocker and snug down the bolt (don't need to torque, just make sure it is snug)
7. Lift rocker tip up and down, if it "ticks" the pushrod is too short. If you can't easily move the rocker the pushrod is too long.
8. You can try and adjust the pushrod in place but my fingers are too fat so I end up pulling the rocker and adjusting the pushrod length. Go either shorter or longer 1/2 turn and try again.
9. You are trying to get to the point where the lifter doesn't "tick tick" with the pushrod in place nor is the rocker snug. When you get the pushrod length such that you just barely get rid of the "tick tick", you have found "zero lash".
10. When you have found zero lash, carefully remove the rocker and pushrod without rotating the pushrod.
11. Tighten the pushrod until it is fully closed counting the turns as you go.

To figure out your pushrod length you do the following. Let’s assume it took 10-1/2 turns to close the pushrod down to its shortest length after you reached zero lash. Each turn is 0.050".

Your length is then: 6.800" (fully closed length) + 10.5 X 0.050" (number of turns times the length change per turn) = pushrod length minus preload. So for this case:

6.800 +10.5 X 0.050 = 7.325"

This is the length you measured to zero lash without any lifter preload. Now let’s say you want to have 0.100" lifter preload, you add that to the measured number and you end up with 7.425" pushrod.

Last edited by TheDEfan; Oct 11, 2011 at 09:52 PM.
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Old Oct 11, 2011 | 06:11 PM
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The XER lobes of that cam although not extremely high lift are very agressive on the opening/closing rates off the seat which adds to valvetrain noise.
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Old Oct 11, 2011 | 06:56 PM
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Originally Posted by RX-Ben
Pre load issue, asking for a problem.
How did you figure the pr length?
surely you meant .070" pre-load?
How did you determine your pre-load?
every chart posted here says .080 for the LS7 lifter.
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Old Oct 11, 2011 | 09:49 PM
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At 0 lash at #1 cly @ TDC I was 8 1/2 truns out on the PR checker which is .425 added to 6.800= 7.225+ .80 preload is 7.305 I intalled 7.300 rods. So I guess I'm okay, but the noise drives me
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Old Oct 12, 2011 | 08:00 AM
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Originally Posted by PRE-Z06
The XER lobes of that cam although not extremely high lift are very agressive on the opening/closing rates off the seat which adds to valvetrain noise.
I change my springs each winter too. Comp 918s have worked well for me

now each winter means 3000 miles of 3000 to 6700 rpm HARD driving.
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Old Oct 12, 2011 | 10:42 AM
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Looking for a 224*, .580" cam for an otherwise stock '01 LS1 that would not need periodic valve spring replacement to be reliable ?
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To Texas Speed 224r Cam question

Old Oct 12, 2011 | 11:34 AM
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Originally Posted by had2have-it
Looking for a 224*, .580" cam for an otherwise stock '01 LS1 that would not need periodic valve spring replacement to be reliable ?
I ran Comp 918 with 224/220 .581 116 XER cam for almost 25k miles seeing 6800 frequently, so they can survive.

When you say stock are you talking no headers or CAI?
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Old Oct 12, 2011 | 11:39 AM
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Originally Posted by PRE-Z06
I ran Comp 918 with 224/220 .581 116 XER cam for almost 25k miles seeing 6800 frequently, so they can survive.

When you say stock are you talking no headers or CAI?
Zip tie "cai", the headers are soon to be installed ARH 1 3/4 long tubes and non-catted x-pipe running thru a stock LS1 catback.
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Old Dec 1, 2011 | 02:18 PM
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I know you said that you measured the pushrod length, but if you're using stock heads (unmilled) and stock gaskets - there's no way that the right size pushrod is shorter than stock. In order to get that level of lift, the cam grinder has to make a smaller base circle cam. For me the difference between the stock cam and the Comp cam was 0.102" for base circle diameter. Divide that by 2 and I should be running an extra 0.050" pushrod over factory 7.400". I had already purchased 7.425" and that's what I'm going with.

That said - my car isn't back together yet.
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