Valvetrain Ticking w/ Aftermarket Cam, valves, retainers
03-19-2010, 03:17 AM
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Valvetrain Ticking w/ Aftermarket Cam, valves, retainers About 4,000 miles ago I had a custom made cam installed and Comp Cams 921 springs with titanium retainers. The heads are stock but the cam is built around a LS2 headed car.
Just recently a ticking noise started come from the valvetrain (I think) and gets louder the higher the RPM and is hardly noticeable at idle. There is no noticeable power loss and motor appears to be running fine.
Other threads on here all point to a bent/broken pushrod or lifter. Is this a common problem for a cammed car? What causes a pushrod or lifter to become damaged? Does this hurt anything else in the engine?
Thanks in advance for any advice...
Just recently a ticking noise started come from the valvetrain (I think) and gets louder the higher the RPM and is hardly noticeable at idle. There is no noticeable power loss and motor appears to be running fine.
Other threads on here all point to a bent/broken pushrod or lifter. Is this a common problem for a cammed car? What causes a pushrod or lifter to become damaged? Does this hurt anything else in the engine?
Thanks in advance for any advice...
03-19-2010, 09:35 PM
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Yes. Comp Cams hardened push rods, Comp Cams 921 springs, titanium retainers, Stock rocker arms. On WOT passes the limiter is set to 6,800 RPMs but it has been months since it has been anywhere over 5,500.
It started happening when I was driving on the highway, as I drive about 30 miles a day roundtrip, all highway.
It started happening when I was driving on the highway, as I drive about 30 miles a day roundtrip, all highway.
03-19-2010, 10:18 PM
#4
About 4,000 miles ago I had a custom made cam installed and Comp Cams 921 springs with titanium retainers. The heads are stock but the cam is built around a LS2 headed car.
Just recently a ticking noise started come from the valvetrain (I think) and gets louder the higher the RPM and is hardly noticeable at idle. There is no noticeable power loss and motor appears to be running fine.
Other threads on here all point to a bent/broken pushrod or lifter. Is this a common problem for a cammed car? What causes a pushrod or lifter to become damaged? Does this hurt anything else in the engine?
Thanks in advance for any advice...
Just recently a ticking noise started come from the valvetrain (I think) and gets louder the higher the RPM and is hardly noticeable at idle. There is no noticeable power loss and motor appears to be running fine.
Other threads on here all point to a bent/broken pushrod or lifter. Is this a common problem for a cammed car? What causes a pushrod or lifter to become damaged? Does this hurt anything else in the engine?
Thanks in advance for any advice...
may have to redo the lifter preload...best to do it with the engine hot
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03-23-2010, 09:09 AM
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X 2.
I hate to see manufacturers get slammed on stuff like this breaking when 4 outta 5 times its the INSTALLERS fault for not checking things like this.
OP, im not calling you or whoever did the work an idiot but did you or whoere did the cam swap check installed height,coil bind, and seat pressure?
Good thing you didnt have only a single spring (like a beehive), b/c that valve would be in the cylinder and it wouldve made a really wierd noise right before it stopped running.
Good catch.
I hate to see manufacturers get slammed on stuff like this breaking when 4 outta 5 times its the INSTALLERS fault for not checking things like this.
OP, im not calling you or whoever did the work an idiot but did you or whoere did the cam swap check installed height,coil bind, and seat pressure?
Good thing you didnt have only a single spring (like a beehive), b/c that valve would be in the cylinder and it wouldve made a really wierd noise right before it stopped running.
Good catch.
03-23-2010, 08:32 PM
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The installer has done over 400 cam swaps and on every AZPS03 cam like mine he has used 921 Comps and has checked all the clearances each time. My car is the only one to ever have valve train failures as he knows. I contacted a rep at Comp to send back all the valves to have them pressure tested.
I'm draining the oil to look for anything shiny and taking out the rockers and rods tonight to inspect for further damage.
I'm draining the oil to look for anything shiny and taking out the rockers and rods tonight to inspect for further damage.
03-25-2010, 06:54 PM
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Nothing bad found in the oil or filter. A rep at Comp Cams stated it was probably just a bad spring and to replace it if nothing else is bent. I guess 921's aren't made of holy metal after all.
