So I get my new Yella Terra rockers and finally got them installed. I followed the instructions on JMX’s site. BTW great write up. Well the rockers turned about a turn and a half after 0 lash. So I put the shims on and now they just barely turn 1/4 turn. I put everything back together and start it up. The valve train is noisy as hell now. I shut the car off and tore it apart again thinking something was wrong. All of the bolts were still torqued and nothing was rubbing. I took the shims off and tried it again. The noise is even worse. So I redid everything again with the shims. Still very very noisy. I let the car warm up and took it for a drive and it’s still noisy. What in the heck is the problem? Does anyone have any suggestions? Help.

 

My car is the same way. One of the benefits of the Yella Terrs after reading numerous posts on this forum and other forums was that Yella Terras were supposed to quiet the valvetrain noise down.

When I took it back to the shop who did the work they said it is normal. In fact one of my lifers sounds almost like it is loose. That is normal too, they say.

It's not that I mind the valve train clatter, but if they aren't supposed to sound that way, then why does my valve train clatter and sound almost like solid lifters.

My cam is a 224/228 114 lsa with comp 987 springs on stage II heads with new comp lifters and comp pushrods.

I would like an explanation or an answer too.

 

I think I will just stick to my stock rockers.

The car now has 39,000 miles on it and 6,000 miles since I installed the head, cam, header package in it, and the stock rockers have never fallen apart. So, I think the the stock rockers will be staying in the motor.

I damned near purchased the Yella Terra's since hearing that they will normally quiet down these fast ramp cam's, but I now keep hearing how they don't always do that.

Ron,

 

Take the shims out and try it. You need more preload imo.

 

If I had to do it over, I would not have wasted the money but I was sold the fear factor (stock lifters spill their guts) and also that YT's add 6-8 hp.

3 or 4 shops who gave me an estimate on my heads/cam package did not recommend YT's but the shop who did the work did and so I went along with it and spent the $money.

As one shop said, these motors did fine and made lots of horsepower with lots of heads and cam work with the stock lifters without abnormal breakage, then Yella Terras came along and everyone is pushing to sell and install them.

IMO spend the $500 for 5 horsepower somewhere else.

 

Dave Carney

Is there anyone in Wichita Kansas who you can recommend to give me a second opinion and a good LS Edit and dynotune on my car.

I got a whopping 40 lbs of torque gain over stock (353.9) with the works heads/cam/tubes/ory pipe.

Needless to say, I'm not impressed and refuse to take it back to the shop who did the work and want to go elsewhere.

 

Have you tried it with the stock rockers? How's the sound?

Dope

 

I have Yella and my car sounds like a wash machine. I haven't any difference and may return to stock.

 

$500 isnt much when compared to the price of rebuilding the bottom end after filling the lower half with needle bearings. You had more peace of mind with your YT's installed I'm sure.

For what its worth, my YT's with a TR224 was quieter until I installed Comp R lifters. It has been a bitch getting the shimming and pre-load correct on it. Switching back to Comp OE style lifters soon.

 

I did that and the noise was even louder. The other thing was even though the piston was at TDC when I tightened down the rockers before torquing them the intake valve and spring compressed about 1/8 to 1/4 inch and the exhaust didn't. I did this on 2 different cylinders and they both did the same thing. It was like the valve was open just a little and would never be completely closed. This was all without the shims. I’m kind of pissed spending that money and the damn thing is like 5 times louder than the stock rockers. Would torquing the bolt down to a higher ftlb help any?

 

Torquing the bolt down more will not help and I wouldnt suggest it. If more preload didnt help quiet it down, I'm not sure what the issue is. Sounds like something is definitly wrong.

 

I don't have any more noise than when I started and my drivetrain did quiet down a tad. Still sounds like a singer sewing machine albeit a quiter one

 

My YT's are definately not louder. I dont know if they're worth the money, but I feel better about it shifting at 6500+.

Eric

 

There must be something else that's wrong? I just can't see it being the YT's. I mean there isn't much to it, just a roller rocker paired to it's next door neighbour. They are on a 1.8 ratio so the pushrods may need adjusting or maybe the valve stems should be longer as per LS6. This is what I'd look at.

 

He has 1.7 ratio rockers. But like was said I don`t see them being an issue either. All I have installed had zero problems.

Nate

 

The rockers were the only thing that I did. All of my other mods were done over the winter. I am going to try and find some washers that are not as thick so I can try and get better preload. Like you guys said there's nothing to them so what in the heck is the problem? Got me.

 

Valvetrains are full of resonances and vibrations. I have attributed the quietness of the Yella Terra's to the fact that they must calm a particular vibrational resonance or somehow not pass it along. In your case, you may have introduced a resonance or an opportunity for a vibration to pass from one thing to another making it far louder. This is IF they are truly installed properly. I assume that you have been through everything and have spent awhile examining the setup.

Im not worried enough about the stock rockers spilling their guts to buy them just for insurance alone. If the valvetrain wasnt noisey prior to these YTs, Id put the stockers back on and be happy that you can have a quiet stock valvetrain.

Im looking at YTs because at this point, my valvetrain probably couldnt get any louder while workign just fine. I once did have an LS1 valvetrain that was so loud you could hear the valvetrain coming 1/4 mile away...but thats a WHOLE different story, and not all was as it should be

chris

 

When you put more pre-load on by taking out the shims....How long did you let the engine run? It could be simply lifter pre-load your hearing...Let it run awhile with out the shims. If that is not it then you have a geometry problem set off by the change. Is your oil low? You may also have a oil pressure problem causing abnormal pre-loading.... Hope these ideas help.
Later.

 

Actually, thats a good question... How long did you let it run, and what weight oil are you using?

chris

 

What I have is:
S2 5.3 Absolute heads
TR 230
918 springs
titanium retainers
Katech oil pump
Double roller timing chain
ASP pulley
and all the exhaust stuff, etc.

I had very little valvetrain noise before with the stock rockers and now the YT's or something sounds like they are clicking very very loud. With no shims 1.5 turns and with shims just barely turn 1/4 turn if that. I went to Lowes and got some new thinner washers and now I have right between 1/4 and 1/2 turn. However when I started the car up and let it run it's loud as can be still. I have had the car apart 8 times now and even had 2 other people double check everything I did just incase I was missing something. I have also let the car run a while and warm up every time and it still clicks very loud. So now I am just major F#*king pissed. I know the more you mod the more problem you can have but damn. Now to top it all off when I started the car the last time and drove it for a test drive it’s acts like it has a misfire at idle and is very very slow to return to idle. Once again I have double and triple checked everything. I am to the point of just beating the motor with a bat.

The oil is full and the pressure is good. Redline 10w30