98FoRmULa_BiRd

Everything has been fine on my ride until today. I took 20 min ride on the highway where there was alot of traffic which ended up being like 40 min trip. When I pulled off the exit I decided to beat on the car for a bit. Now the oil pressure is hanging around 20 when its usually around 40 on idle. The next day I started her up and oil pressure was back to normal hanging around 40 again I am also getting a tapping sound sound coming from the heads sound like metal clanking. It sounds like its coming from inside the heads. My concern is shifting at the high rpm could it have done some type of damage I didn't miss a shift but I was revving high and shifting at high rpms when beating on it. I tried adding a half a qt of oil thinking maybe it was just running a little low but same result. The tapping is loud and the car just doesnt sound right when hitting the gas. I have a video to put up of the sound but from what I am seeing online it sounds to be very simila to a bent pushrod issue. From the pics I snapped does anything look to be abnormal or you cant really tell until you try rolling the pushrods on a flat surface?

98FoRmULa_BiRd

I just removed my head from where it seemed like the tapping was coming from. Before I go any further I need all the help and info I can get from you guys about changing pushrods. I really need info on stock size. Some say 7.4 this guy is trying to sell me a comp cam pushrod 7.250 set but I don't thing thats the right size for my ride.

Heres what I did all day now I need your help to finish the rest:







This is my first time changing out pushrods so please be easy with me and excuse my questions. I am confident I can get it done but I am still learning and just need your help. My biggest concern is buying the correct size pushrods to replace stock and also my second concern is when reinstalling the pushrods and torquing the rocker arms do they need to be torqued to a certain spec or just hand tight?

98FoRmULa_BiRd

What is the stock replacement size of Ls1 pushrods?

Cajun ELESS-ONE

stock size is 7.400 inch. if you have a stock cam then that length should work. u sure its a bent push rod?

98FoRmULa_BiRd

nah man not sure if its bent yet. I will know later in the week when I remove them. I didn't start taking the old push rods out yet. I am pretty sure it was caused by high rpms when beating on it. After beating on it i heard a tapping almost like something was tapping the head cover. I have a video of it I wanna put up so you guys can tell me what you think once I find my usb wire for my phone. From other videos I saw on youtube it sounds like someone's issue who had a push rod being bent so that's where my guess is right now. It sounds like its coming from the front like underneath the exhaust side 1st or 2nd rocker. Sounded like something was tapping the head cover. It would also increase as the rpms would.

Another forum says stock size 7.380 and it says 7.4 are for those that have a cam. I feel like I am going to get stuck when installing the new pushrods. I have to learn how to turn the motor over by hand so I can get the cam lined up. If i wanted to upgrade to 7.4 I will have to adjust all of them right including the other side. I really just wanted to go in check them and fix the one or 2 that i believe are bent but changing everything may make more sense for the future if I plan on adding a cam which I am considering down the road but just a mild cam.

98FoRmULa_BiRd

Name that sound this is the reason my car is apart right now...This is what it sounded like:


This is the one you can really hear it:

98FoRmULa_BiRd

Alright so I have 3 questions left after a lot of research, alot of cursing, and hands being cut up looking like a cat attacked me I am 100% confident that I can change pushrods with no issues. LOL

Question number 1: Is it absolutely important that I rotate my crank to set the piston position before you torque the rockers down?

Question number 2: What is the best way to test that everything is seated properly after I reinstall all my rocker arms and torque them down to appropriate spec. Should I just manually spin the cam like how its asking me to set it before installing the new pushrods?

Question number 3: If i have a lifter issue will a motor flush/ and cleaning where the pushrods go and lubing it up nice and good solve my issue or should I just open up the whole thing and get to replacing lifters? I pray pushrods solve my issue. I won't know until this weekend.

ZERO_POLLO

iTrader: (2)

Are you 100% sure is a pushrod, if you have low oil pressure, maybe is the oil pump is giving up and is not sending sufficient oilt to the rockers. or a fail lifter, check you oil first and look for any metal pieces. I will start with that first and go from there, I had the same problem with my car a lifter failed and also the stock oil pump was bad. did a complete top end overhauled.

sscamaroburn02

iTrader: (14)

Def check liters and pump. Common for fuese to go out.

98FoRmULa_BiRd

I am uncertain if its pushrods I'll know by Saturday. The oil pressure seemed to be ok the next day but when the knocking originally started after beating on her it was around 1/4 of the way and it would increase when I hit the gas. it just seemed strange considering its usually around 40 on idle . It could mean the oil pump on its way out but unsure as of yet. No harm in replacing the pushrods anyway since I got it all open and alot of people have said that high rpms can sometimes cause pushrods to bend. Its strange how the knocking is just happening on the driver side for the most part that is why i suspect a bad lifter or pushrod. The sound of knocking started when I was really beating on it. Very High rev's high rpm shifts Took her for a quick spin at the light. I figure I might start with pushrods considering I was able to get all of them for about 20 bucks from a ws6 with 30k on it. I wanted to stay stock because I heard that if I get the hardened ones they will damage the motor before they bend and just need to be replaced. I was even thinking of doing an engine flush after I change the rods to see if it helps to quiet down the noisy lifter if it comes to that. I really don't want to completely tear into the motor if I don't need to.

You guys def think lifters?

Which fuse should I be checking?

98FoRmULa_BiRd

Alright I have a couple of issues now. I replaced the pushrods oil pressure is good but I am having 2 issues. Car was idleing and running smoothly until I reved her up. I started to hear almost like a short coming from the back of the coil pack. I then heard a loud pop and a cloud of smoke. I checked everything and started her up again and that short sound started again so I immediately shut off the car. After this all happend I checked the valve cover again it didnt look as tight as it was originally. I tore the whole thing open again and double checked the torque on the pushrods to 22 lbs and to make sure there was no damage done from that pop. The air hose on the back of the valve cover looks to have a small hole in it from this whole incident and I am going to replace it. I don't know what happend but I really got freaked out. I think maybe the back spark plug wire wasn't making a perfect connection or maybe the valve cover wasn't as tight as it should have been those back bolts are a PITA to tighten down and I really did my best. Either way I am going to double check everything tomorrow. It sounded like a mini explosion. What could this be what should I look for how to fix? Could it just be the loose cover or is it a bad coilpack. My fear is to reassemble everything to get that explosion again. It sounded like my car backfired in the engine bay. This is all on the drivers side.

98FoRmULa_BiRd

The backfire sound I am getting is making me second guess myself. Although I think it had something to do with the coilpack or loose plug wire. I am going to go thru everything piece by piece this weekend until I get it right. My concern now is that when tightening down the rockers although I torqued them down to the appropriate spec my motor wasn't in TDC. Is this a necessity with stock pushrods? I heard I can just tighten them down to 22ft lb's rotate the tires about 3 times or turn the motor over and then confirm it is tightened to 22lbs and I should be fine.

It literally sounded like electricty going zzzzzzzz and then pop and the engine cut itself off pretty sure its a misfire.

The more that I think about it I am wondering if it was caused by the rockers not being tightened while the motor was in TDC possibly causing a possible misfire.

I removed the 4 first rockers on the drivers side pulled out the rods.
-then I replaced them and lubed them up with oil and put them back into place.

- I then tightened down the rockers to 22ft lbs using a torque wrench.
Made sure everything was tight put the valve cover and rubber seal back on.

-Put the plug wires back in and pushed them in relatively well except for maybe the last one which didnt pop into place like the others so I pushed it on the best I could.

- I reattached the air hose in the back of the valve cover.

- I started the car seemed to idle ok except for that buzzing I mentioned from the back coil back as if something was shorting out.

- Car started ok as soon as I revved it I heard zzzzz pop car shut itself off.

- Checked the air tube in the back looks to have some cracks in it. The valve cover was slightly loose causing some light smoke which can also have been what caused the problem.

My plan is to just reassemble everything double check the torque specs. I want to then make sure the valve cover bolts are extremely tight even the back ones no matter how I have to tighten them. I will double check the spark plug cables make sure they are tight.

Is there anything else that I should be looking into? I really don't think a coil pack would just go bad on me from removing it and re installing it but who knows? I know its an error on something that I did that is causing this misfire but is there anything left to check except for proper torque on rockers, tight vavle cover and rubber seal, and spark plug cables, and air hose on back of valve cover?

Because if I do all that and I still get the pop sound I have no idea what else it could be.

98FoRmULa_BiRd

Misfires are done and car idles and drives again all in 1 piece.

I put her all back together again and after double checking everything no more misfires. I still have the same annoying tapping sound and changing pushrods did not solve my issue. It doesn't sound as bad as it did in the original video though. My oil pressure is at 1/4 on idle and increases when I hit the gas. When I first start the car sometimes I get it at 1/2 oil pressure which to me is normal. I did an engine flush as well as a an oil change after I had her all back together hoping I can stop the noisy lifter if that's what was causing it. I don't know what else can be causing it and am about to just take it to a mechanic. My guess now is a lifter or an oil pump on its way out. I can still drive her but it sounds like a puttering when I hit the gas. Sounds horrible to those around me. There were also no metal pieces in the oil. When I flushed her the oil was black as can be but no shavings or metal pieces.

Any more ideas on what I should be looking into next?

My guess now is oil pump or lifters. Both of which I do not want to attempt

sscamaroburn02

iTrader: (14)

if your still running factory lifters, oil pump you might need to upgrade/replace anyways. Not sure what your miles or age of car is. Replacement lifters are the LS7's and you'll need different length pushrods most likely.

98FoRmULa_BiRd

The pushrods are all back together the car was driving fine I drove light on the car but it still had a light tapping as you heard in the video. It seemed to be fine. Next thing you know after about 30 min the check gauges light came on. I pulled over immediately. Turned the car off. I was able to start her again but the tapping was alot worse. I still have oil pressure not alot but about 1/4. When the car starts its around 1/2 and drops to about 1/4. I pulled into a gas station about half a block up real slow. At this point it sounds to me like a spun bearing or something worse.
This asian mechanic comes out and says you need new engine without looking for diagnosing anything just by listening to the sound. I flipped out on this guy just because of all the frustration I have had with this engine for the past 2 weeks. I told him he didn't know **** he didnt open anything up look at anything how can he just say new engine. I am getting it towed to a shop expecting the worst news possible. I am preparing for that by having a backup plan.

I am looking at this as a time to upgrade since the top part of the motor seems to be fine. I looked online and am looking to get a TMS Forged Ls1 Short Block and reusing everything I have in hopes that my cam is still ok. I figure its a spun bearing and my mechanic willl prolly charge 1200 just to pull the motor to diagnose the issue. Should I just go ahead and buy the shortblock or should I really have him diagnose everything? Either way it seems like he will have to pull the motor out regardless and will still prolly look to charge me for the whole bottom end saying how much work it is and parts etc as well as all the things that can go wrong with a spun bearing. The car was barely driven though and very lightly so as soon as it seemed to have spun. If I have to bring it to a machine shop I will spend approx 3g's anyway I figure. To get the block and cam machined if they are damaged. The shops rate is about $90 and hour which worries me on how expensive this is going to get.

This just seems like a good time to have bullet proof internals and supporting mods for a cam and heads upgrade for the future. I figure I will just keep her stock unless I can afford the new cam after all this work and get it all done in 1 shot. This would be the best time to do it. What would you guys do? I wanna know the differences on getting a aluminium forged block vs a forged iron block? My overall goal for this car are about 450rwhp. I just want a light cam/ exhaust and for it still to have street manners for a daily driver here in NY.

I also am curious on what the most affordable options would be at this time because I really wanna get her back on the road. I can't get anything done without a car and its starting to drive me nuts. I have about 2g's saved right now and adding to that each week. The new forged shortblock is going to run be around $2650 with high flow oil pump. Then I have to worry about shop labor at $90 p/h. Am I looking at the most affordable route or should I have the mechanic take apart the whole engine and see if its just bearings that need to be replaced and be better off with bigger bearings. Like I said I am expecting the worst but what would you do in my shoes? I still haven't taken the car to the shop because I only fear how much its going to be and knowing I don't have all the funds for it yet. I don't want the car to just sit there.

Help.

98FoRmULa_BiRd

Whats more affordable and smarter to do at this point?

-rebuild with existing motor that may have a spun bearing by bringing block/cam to a machine shop cam and replacing damaged parts?

-buy a new forged aluminum shortblock from TMS and still use the existing parts from my old motor?

If my cam was destroyed from spun bearing I will need to replace that also that is why I am trying to save $ but I still want reliability.
This is starting to get expensive real quick and I have about a 4k budget but can go slightly higher if I need to. If I do need to replace the cam I am getting a EPS 222/226 115+3 LSA cam.

How much are the labor rates for rebuilding a motor on average vs if I supplied a shortblock with built internals?

My initial plan was to purchase a forged aluminum short block. My question now is do I really need a forged block? Can I get away with just a regular shortblock thats not forged? My goal for the car is to have a mild cam and an exhaust. Do I really need to spend all the money on getting forged internals if my car will most likely never see a day over 485rwhp?

Would it be cheaper to buy a rotating aseembly and just use my existing block and replace the bearing and damaged parts?
I plan on keeping this car for a very long time. I want to make sure its done right.

What would you guys do?

thompson

iTrader: (4)

Give us a call if you have not done so all ready. I am sure we can help you get the car back together and going for less than you would think.