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After I installed an aftermarket cam a couple of years ago the engine has a tick, but I've been told that's normal after installing an aftermarket cam. The cam is a Brian Tooley BTR Stage 2 with specs being 227/238 .620"/.605" 113.5LSA and it came with dual springs that I installed. Recently when I started the car it started to make a louder noise from the engine, so I immediately shut it off and removed the valve covers to see if there's anything wrong. I didn't see anything lose but I removed one of the rocker arms to see if they're worn out and I recorded this much play from them. The rockers move side to side, but not up and down. Is this much play acceptable or do I need to replace them? Some reason after doing all this, the engine sounded normal again.
The OE trunnions/bearings were designed for the lift and valve spring pressure of the OE parts. Higher camshaft lift, combined with greater spring pressure, is pure hell on the stock trunnions, especially ones that have some miles on them. The rockers, themselves, are good pieces, but my recommendation would be for you to install the BTR trunnion upgrade kit, ASAP, before your current trunnion bearings come apart, and allow the needle bearings to start circulating through your engine.
The OE trunnions/bearings were designed for the lift and valve spring pressure of the OE parts. Higher camshaft lift, combined with greater spring pressure, is pure hell on the stock trunnions, especially ones that have some miles on them. The rockers, themselves, are good pieces, but my recommendation would be for you to install the BTR trunnion upgrade kit, ASAP, before your current trunnion bearings come apart, and allow the needle bearings to start circulating through your engine.
because that's the one I've been eyeing on for a while. The engine already had 98k miles on it, and it was already making a tick which I attributed to piston slap. I did take a long screw driver and put my ear on it all over the engine and the right valve cover dead center makes the loudest tick. Specifically with the screw driver between the head portion and valve cover is where tick is coming from. I'm gonna try and remove those rocker arms in that area and see if any of them are worn.
Here's the two rockers and pushrods from that area I hear the tick. I noted a mark on one of the pushrods but don't know what caused it or if it came from BTR's factory. I show the wiggle in the center of the rocker but again I don't know if that's the cause of the tick. I put this on YouTube because I don't think people see the .MOV file.
To answer the question you posed, "Do I need new rocker arms", I'd say no. Just get either the BTR or Straub Technology trunnion kit, and install it into your current arms. I initially installed the Comp Cams kit in my rockers, when they were the only upgrade in town, and they were still "clicky". A couple thousand miles later, I replaced them with a Straub kit, with bronze bushings, rather than needle bearings, and the valvetrain is nice and quiet, and has been for the last several thousand miles.
To answer the question you posed, "Do I need new rocker arms", I'd say no. Just get either the BTR or Straub Technology trunnion kit, and install it into your current arms. I initially installed the Comp Cams kit in my rockers, when they were the only upgrade in town, and they were still "clicky". A couple thousand miles later, I replaced them with a Straub kit, with bronze bushings, rather than needle bearings, and the valvetrain is nice and quiet, and has been for the last several thousand miles.
I ordered the BTR kit and will report if that quiets down the clicky noise from the engine.
I started installing the lifters with the BTR bearings installed and I couldn't get the valve cover back on the right side of the engine. Apparently the washers and c-clips are making the valves extra wide. Tried looking for
Of course I could just cut out the ducts with a dremel, but that would probably make the engine suck up oil? How should I deal with this unexpected problem?
Know anybody that works in a machine shop? If so, maybe they could "shave" 0.015-0.020" off those "interferences"...........
I ordered the new style valve covers and will splint that one vacuum line to connect the rear one. The plastic bits in the OEM one is removable but I don't want to start carving and watching this ingest oil.
Decided to make a better recording. At this point I'm thinking the dual spring nature of the BTR valve springs is making this noise? Found someone who also installed the BTR cam kit and had a similar issue. Apparently it's normal?
Decided to make a better recording. At this point I'm thinking the dual spring nature of the BTR valve springs is making this noise? Found someone who also installed the BTR cam kit and had a similar issue. Apparently it's normal?
Close the hood turn up the music and enjoy. People try to run down this noise, but never figure out. The way i look at it is change the cam and lifters because that's the last things you can change that's part of the drivetrain. Or save yourself all that work and drive it.
Close the hood turn up the music and enjoy. People try to run down this noise, but never figure out. The way i look at it is change the cam and lifters because that's the last things you can change that's part of the drivetrain. Or save yourself all that work and drive it.
acceptable rocker arm play?
