Cstan14

I just got my camaro running this past week, its got a sbc 350, all stock internals. but mostly new, such as cam, pistons, etc. it ran good the first week, then it started to run like crap, checked my timing and it bounces a few degree +- at idle. im thinking valves. i noticed one rocker arm wouldnt tighten down enough to make it stop tapping. talked to a local machine shop owner. and loctite around it and hit it in a bit. i loosened all my nuts of the rocker studs loctite, then adjust properly. idled good, but the timing mark still bounced, drove down the road a mile and ran like crap. checked my valves most were tight few were loose. any thoughts? i cant seem to make it run right.

Cstan14

none of the studs seem to be coming out at all. theyre all pretty much the same height

v8sten

iTrader: (5)

cut your oil filter open and check for silver dust. prolly flattened your cam. how did you break the cam in?

94blackz

Cam go flat?

94blackz

Im sorry bud typed my post before reading yours.

Cstan14

after i got the engine up an running i high ideled it for 20-25 minutes to break it in then changed the oil. saw nothing suspicious. the cam is brand new. also i read up else where that the lock nuts can be worn out and not lock as well. i think im going to try and buy new ones, because i recall when i was adjusting one side before i got to the end the first one i did had come a bit loose, and had movement in it.

ZONES89RS

iTrader: (25)

Use locking rocket nuts and be done with it.

Otherwise, if you are not using zinc break in oil that is spec for older flat tappet cams, it will kill the lives as v8sten said. I only ran roller cams when I used the older engines so it was an issue. When I did try to use a flat tappet, sure enough, killed the lobes.

cambirdracing

iTrader: (4)

Timing will bounce with timing chain slop. As long as it's within a few degrees, I wouldn't worry about that.