EPS 226/230, tea 5.3 1.5, fast 92/92
08-29-2011, 06:35 PM
#102
Launching!
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Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: northern indiana
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I wanted to bump this up as it's been a while since I've posted.
As I started to hate the car I finally worked on it last week again. Ends up I had an exhaust leak on the driver side collector. It was leaking in two spots on the top and I missed it before. My gas mileage had went to **** as I was getting around 9mpg. I also found my cutout wasn't closed all the way. The car sounded like a big piece of **** really. Rattled when I started it and such.
I fixed the the collector leak and took the cutout off and put a plate on it.
It's amazing what two small exhaust leaks will do on one of these cars. It sounds better than I ever remember it sounding. My gas mileage has doubled as far as I can tell. It idles correctly now, doesn't buck and die when I take off.
The valve train noise I had around 2500rpm was actually the exhaust leak. How I don't know but it doesn't rattle anymore.
When I got my car dyno'd my tuner said my gauge was off by a point from his. My W/B is in the passenger side and his was in the drivers which is the side the leak was at. I think it might have been leaking then too but I don't know. I don't remember the car ever running this smooth.
Back to the pushrod length question. I think I have a lot of preload .130 according to vettenuts w/ 7.4
Would it be worth it to try some 7.375's?
Thanks!
As I started to hate the car I finally worked on it last week again. Ends up I had an exhaust leak on the driver side collector. It was leaking in two spots on the top and I missed it before. My gas mileage had went to **** as I was getting around 9mpg. I also found my cutout wasn't closed all the way. The car sounded like a big piece of **** really. Rattled when I started it and such.
I fixed the the collector leak and took the cutout off and put a plate on it.
It's amazing what two small exhaust leaks will do on one of these cars. It sounds better than I ever remember it sounding. My gas mileage has doubled as far as I can tell. It idles correctly now, doesn't buck and die when I take off.
The valve train noise I had around 2500rpm was actually the exhaust leak. How I don't know but it doesn't rattle anymore.
When I got my car dyno'd my tuner said my gauge was off by a point from his. My W/B is in the passenger side and his was in the drivers which is the side the leak was at. I think it might have been leaking then too but I don't know. I don't remember the car ever running this smooth.
Back to the pushrod length question. I think I have a lot of preload .130 according to vettenuts w/ 7.4
Would it be worth it to try some 7.375's?
Thanks!
09-13-2011, 05:24 PM
#103
I talked to Shane@Thunder Racing today. First off I want to say he was great to talk too. All I ordered was a valve spring compressor and some valve seals. I think I talked to him for almost 45 minutes. He never rushed me and answered all of my questions. His customer service is top notch. His knowledge seems top notch also.
He could have just taken my order for the compressor and the seals but he didn't. He asked what types of problems I was having. After a lengthy discussion and him looking at my dyno graph he feels I am having valve float. He seems to think that with 921 springs are installed with too much height and after about 4800 rpms I'm getting valve train instability. I never really noticed before but the graph is smooth to around 4800 then it becomes jagged. He also thinks the valve springs are walking around which contributed to my valve seal problem.
I'm pretty sure the machine shop set up the height at 1.8. He said it should be closer to 1.725. He said the 921's are rated to .650 and since I'm only running .600 that is causing the problem. I figured that if a spring was setup at its recommend install height that it was good to whatever it's max lift is. This was really the only part that I didn't follow. I kept him on the phone for so long I didn't want to ask anymore questions. We also decided it would be a good idea to go back to the 7.350 and get 1 1/4-1 1/2 turn of preload on the lifter.
Thanks again Shane.
He could have just taken my order for the compressor and the seals but he didn't. He asked what types of problems I was having. After a lengthy discussion and him looking at my dyno graph he feels I am having valve float. He seems to think that with 921 springs are installed with too much height and after about 4800 rpms I'm getting valve train instability. I never really noticed before but the graph is smooth to around 4800 then it becomes jagged. He also thinks the valve springs are walking around which contributed to my valve seal problem.
I'm pretty sure the machine shop set up the height at 1.8. He said it should be closer to 1.725. He said the 921's are rated to .650 and since I'm only running .600 that is causing the problem. I figured that if a spring was setup at its recommend install height that it was good to whatever it's max lift is. This was really the only part that I didn't follow. I kept him on the phone for so long I didn't want to ask anymore questions. We also decided it would be a good idea to go back to the 7.350 and get 1 1/4-1 1/2 turn of preload on the lifter.
Thanks again Shane.
09-16-2011, 11:38 PM
#104
I picked up a comp cams spring compressor and Proform install height mic this week. Checked them tonight.
I only checked #2 because it was easiest to get to.
Exhaust 1.81
Intake 1.82
This is a way off from what Shane said it should be. This is the valve seal from the exhaust valve. The seal has been hammered.
The intake was surprisingly fine.
I need to check retainer to seal clearance but don't have a real good way of doing so.
I only checked #2 because it was easiest to get to.
Exhaust 1.81
Intake 1.82
This is a way off from what Shane said it should be. This is the valve seal from the exhaust valve. The seal has been hammered.
The intake was surprisingly fine.
I need to check retainer to seal clearance but don't have a real good way of doing so.
09-28-2011, 01:25 PM
#106
I had a local shop check the springs and the numbers didn't make sense. I don't know if they tested them correctly or not. I ended up sending them to Shane@Thunder to have them checked out. Hopefully I know exactly what they are by the end of the week.
09-29-2011, 09:29 AM
#107
The spring install height should have nothing to do with pushrods or how they act. Shimming them up to 1.750" or less would only give you more spring pressure on the seat and open. On that small of a cam I wouldn't sweat messing with the spring install height unless you started seeing valve float.
Now your pushrod issue is just that... an issue. You stated that the heads were milled to 59cc... using my math that's around .030" off the deck of the heads. Also the camshaft may or may not have the same size base circle as stock so that would also change the pushrod length. You need to target around .050"-.065" preload on the lifter.
Now your pushrod issue is just that... an issue. You stated that the heads were milled to 59cc... using my math that's around .030" off the deck of the heads. Also the camshaft may or may not have the same size base circle as stock so that would also change the pushrod length. You need to target around .050"-.065" preload on the lifter.
10-01-2011, 01:18 AM
#108
Finally figured it out what was wrong. The springs are 921's. Which is the good news.
The retainers, seat locators and install height were wrong and I didn't have enough retainer to seal clearance.
I have the new seat locators and shim kit already. I have to pick up some new retainers. I'm going to shim these bitches up and throw the 7.350 pushrods back in and see what happens.
I think my valvetrain should be quieter now.
I have a set of titanium retainers for 1.30 OD springs if anyone needs them.
Props to Shane@Thunder Racing for figuring it out.
The retainers, seat locators and install height were wrong and I didn't have enough retainer to seal clearance.
I have the new seat locators and shim kit already. I have to pick up some new retainers. I'm going to shim these bitches up and throw the 7.350 pushrods back in and see what happens.
I think my valvetrain should be quieter now.
I have a set of titanium retainers for 1.30 OD springs if anyone needs them.
Props to Shane@Thunder Racing for figuring it out.
10-01-2011, 07:12 PM
#112
It all started with a phone call to order some seals and a valve spring compressor. I want to build something else now just so I can buy some stuff from him because I feel guilty how much time he has spent with me and how little money I've spent.
11-09-2011, 12:43 PM
#113
I should get the retainers today. 
I have everything else and hope to have it running this weekend. I won't have the extra scratch to get it tuned but I might get it on a local dyno to see if the curve smooths out any and see if it doesn't drop off up top.
I have everything else and hope to have it running this weekend. I won't have the extra scratch to get it tuned but I might get it on a local dyno to see if the curve smooths out any and see if it doesn't drop off up top. 
11-10-2011, 10:09 AM
#116
I ended up installing my Patriots with no shims which put them at 1.785". I hope that is good enough for my .600/.615 lift cam.
My old setup was stock heads with PAC1218s installed without shims. I measured a couple at 1.80-1.82". Old cam lift was ~.574/.568 iirc.
My old setup was stock heads with PAC1218s installed without shims. I measured a couple at 1.80-1.82". Old cam lift was ~.574/.568 iirc.
