Yes, another noisy valvetrain
Thread Starter
Teching In
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Yes, another noisy valvetrain Posted in the wrong forum at first. I'm new on here. I'm deployed to afghanistan, and I'm having a GM tech do a build on my car. Here is a list of everything on it. Running on stock tune at the moment until this gets sorted out and can drive it to the dyno.
TSP 5.3L 2.5 Heads
TSP 228R @112
LS7 Lifters
Ported LS6 Oil Pump
Double Roller Timing Chain
TSP 7.4 Pushrods
K&N Cold air induction kit
SLP lid
UNK brand LT's
Custom Y and catback
SPEC 2+
TT2's
He said that there is a generalized valvetrain ticking. I know what you guys are going to say. "measure preload", or "remeasure". It has be measured by 2 different people on different occasions at .075". I know that is a little high, but I couldn't see that making so much noise. All of these parts are brand new on a car that just had LT's and exhaust. Any suggestions? pushrods were soaked in oil before install and the parts have been checked and rechecked.
Thanks
Chris
TSP 5.3L 2.5 Heads
TSP 228R @112
LS7 Lifters
Ported LS6 Oil Pump
Double Roller Timing Chain
TSP 7.4 Pushrods
K&N Cold air induction kit
SLP lid
UNK brand LT's
Custom Y and catback
SPEC 2+
TT2's
He said that there is a generalized valvetrain ticking. I know what you guys are going to say. "measure preload", or "remeasure". It has be measured by 2 different people on different occasions at .075". I know that is a little high, but I couldn't see that making so much noise. All of these parts are brand new on a car that just had LT's and exhaust. Any suggestions? pushrods were soaked in oil before install and the parts have been checked and rechecked.
Thanks
Chris
I have the same heads and cam with a 114 lsa. That preload just seems off with ls7 lifters. I have a preload of .065"/.085" int/exh on a 7.425" PR with ls1 lifters. Mine sounds like a sewing machine as well. The ls7 are .050" taller in the cup which would suggest a 7.375" Length. Obviously all engines are different and if you measured the .075" then so be it. The ls7 lifters can run up to a .110" preload IIRC and .100" would be just fine using a 7.425" PR based on your current measurement.
Another thing to keep in mind is that the TSP 228r uses comp XER lobes I believe which are quite noisy due to the high ramp rate. Only thing I can suggest are slightly longer pushrods. After that it would be a fancy set of morel lifters then a different lobe like the newer LXL lobes.
Another thing to keep in mind is that the TSP 228r uses comp XER lobes I believe which are quite noisy due to the high ramp rate. Only thing I can suggest are slightly longer pushrods. After that it would be a fancy set of morel lifters then a different lobe like the newer LXL lobes.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 16
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I have the same heads and cam with a 114 lsa. That preload just seems off with ls7 lifters. I have a preload of .065"/.085" int/exh on a 7.425" PR with ls1 lifters. Mine sounds like a sewing machine as well. The ls7 are .050" taller in the cup which would suggest a 7.375" Length. Obviously all engines are different and if you measured the .075" then so be it. The ls7 lifters can run up to a .110" preload IIRC and .100" would be just fine using a 7.425" PR based on your current measurement.
Another thing to keep in mind is that the TSP 228r uses comp XER lobes I believe which are quite noisy due to the high ramp rate. Only thing I can suggest are slightly longer pushrods. After that it would be a fancy set of morel lifters then a different lobe like the newer LXL lobes.
Another thing to keep in mind is that the TSP 228r uses comp XER lobes I believe which are quite noisy due to the high ramp rate. Only thing I can suggest are slightly longer pushrods. After that it would be a fancy set of morel lifters then a different lobe like the newer LXL lobes.
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Teching In
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. Want the best preload I could have both for performance and minimal valvetrain noise. 
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Jul 2010
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From: Maryland
Had the same problem when I installed my heads, cam, and lifters. I loosened the preload up to about 0.65" and the noise went away and it runs a lot better. Mine may have been better b/c I have LS6 heads, but I have never seen anything concrete about the actual preload spec's for the LS7 lifters....just a lot of speculation.
I noticed two things when I installed the LS7's: the cup is def 0.50" higher in the lifter body and there only seems to be about 0.200" of total travel for the internal plunger. It would seem logical that if 0.100" is preload, the remaining 0.100" plunger depth could possibly collapse easier since there is less oil available within the lifter body...esp on higher faster ramp cam lobes. Just my thoughts, but I know what worked on mine.
Anyhow, best of luck to you in the nation of inbreeds...get home safely and thanks for serving!
I noticed two things when I installed the LS7's: the cup is def 0.50" higher in the lifter body and there only seems to be about 0.200" of total travel for the internal plunger. It would seem logical that if 0.100" is preload, the remaining 0.100" plunger depth could possibly collapse easier since there is less oil available within the lifter body...esp on higher faster ramp cam lobes. Just my thoughts, but I know what worked on mine.
Anyhow, best of luck to you in the nation of inbreeds...get home safely and thanks for serving!
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Jan 2011
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Had the same problem when I installed my heads, cam, and lifters. I loosened the preload up to about 0.65" and the noise went away and it runs a lot better. Mine may have been better b/c I have LS6 heads, but I have never seen anything concrete about the actual preload spec's for the LS7 lifters....just a lot of speculation.
I noticed two things when I installed the LS7's: the cup is def 0.50" higher in the lifter body and there only seems to be about 0.200" of total travel for the internal plunger. It would seem logical that if 0.100" is preload, the remaining 0.100" plunger depth could possibly collapse easier since there is less oil available within the lifter body...esp on higher faster ramp cam lobes. Just my thoughts, but I know what worked on mine.
Anyhow, best of luck to you in the nation of inbreeds...get home safely and thanks for serving!
I noticed two things when I installed the LS7's: the cup is def 0.50" higher in the lifter body and there only seems to be about 0.200" of total travel for the internal plunger. It would seem logical that if 0.100" is preload, the remaining 0.100" plunger depth could possibly collapse easier since there is less oil available within the lifter body...esp on higher faster ramp cam lobes. Just my thoughts, but I know what worked on mine.
Anyhow, best of luck to you in the nation of inbreeds...get home safely and thanks for serving!
In post #20 of this thread Patrick G suggests .080 to .100 preload so you might try 7.425 pushrods to see if that helps. I had some success reducing noise (same thread) going to beehive springs instead of duals but at the same time I also did the trunnion upgrade & changed pre-load. IMO .075 to .090 preload and beehive springs is the quietest combination.
Thread Starter
Teching In
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In post #20 of this thread Patrick G suggests .080 to .100 preload so you might try 7.425 pushrods to see if that helps. I had some success reducing noise (same thread) going to beehive springs instead of duals but at the same time I also did the trunnion upgrade & changed pre-load. IMO .075 to .090 preload and beehive springs is the quietest combination.
I guess I will try the 7.425's
. I'm going to go ahead and put it on the dyno, and when I get home, do the PR install myself. The only thing I've ever worked on is 4 stroke MX bikes, so I have a general idea, but it will be interesting. Do you think it would be feesable to go ahead and change the rockers while i'm doing that? Also, may sound like a stupid question, and i'm pretty sure I know the answer, but do you need to do anything with tuning after a change in PR's? I would do the rockers at the same time. If your stockers are in decent shape (which they should be with 83k) I doubt the trunnion bearings are causing the noise but if you're doing the upgrade anyway you might as well do it when it's apart for the PR change. The tune won't be affected by the PR change.
Re-reading the thread - your oil pressure seems a little low. It's possible the oil pump o-ring got pinched during the installation. If that's the case that could be the source of the lifter noise. What oil pressure did you have before the installation?
Re-reading the thread - your oil pressure seems a little low. It's possible the oil pump o-ring got pinched during the installation. If that's the case that could be the source of the lifter noise. What oil pressure did you have before the installation?
Thread Starter
Teching In
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I would do the rockers at the same time. If your stockers are in decent shape (which they should be with 83k) I doubt the trunnion bearings are causing the noise but if you're doing the upgrade anyway you might as well do it when it's apart for the PR change. The tune won't be affected by the PR change.
Re-reading the thread - your oil pressure seems a little low. It's possible the oil pump o-ring got pinched during the installation. If that's the case that could be the source of the lifter noise. What oil pressure did you have before the installation?
Re-reading the thread - your oil pressure seems a little low. It's possible the oil pump o-ring got pinched during the installation. If that's the case that could be the source of the lifter noise. What oil pressure did you have before the installation?
Yeah i know the stockers are in good shape, I've just heard aftermarket rockers will also help quieting it down. As for the oil pressure. It would be hard to find a control on that, since the whole install was done, and I went from the stock oil pump to a ported ls6 pump.
