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Investigated noisy valvetrain, valve covers the culprit?
I've noticed what sounds like the valvetrain has been getting gradually noisier ever since I finished my head swap a few weeks ago. Initially I had an issue with my pushrods getting shaved away by the guide plates because they weren't hardened. Replaced the pushrods, adjusted the guide plates, and the engine seems to be doing fine. Drove 170 miles to a dyno on Monday, made 4 pulls to 6,500 rpm, then drove 170 miles back with no issues. Ever since that pushrod business I've been more aware of noises in general.
The noise is hard to describe. I've had a loose rocker arm and I've had a pushrod pop off a lifter and it sounds nothing like that. It's not a tick, and it isn't loud. I guess it sounds like someone shaking a coin purse full of change 50 feet away if you can imagine that. It's most noticeable during low load cruising such as around town. I don't notice it at idle, on the highway, or during accel or decel.
Anyway both sides sound the same so I pulled the drivers side valve cover and the valvetrain looks pristine. No marks on anything and everything's tight. All I could find were marks on the valve covers. You can see the base of the bolt tunnel seems to be getting chipped away and there are gouges on the top that can only be from the set screws. The chips on the bases can only be from the head bolts... somehow. The studs that came on my new Trick Flow heads are taller than the studs on my stock heads so this wasn't a problem before. I'm wondering if the noise I'm hearing is just valvetrain noise being amplified by the valve cover since it seems to be making contact.
Well if it's got witness marks I'm sure what you're thinking is true. Damn that's a bitch!! Been following along on your journey haha. I'm pretty sure someone makes a "thick" cover gasket. Maybe try that before looking for new vc's. I have some LT4 vette composite covers with the mounting hardware I'd sell for a decent price if you are interested/ if they would clear.
Well if it's got witness marks I'm sure what you're thinking is true. Damn that's a bitch!! Been following along on your journey haha. I'm pretty sure someone makes a "thick" cover gasket. Maybe try that before looking for new vc's. I have some LT4 vette composite covers with the mounting hardware I'd sell for a decent price if you are interested/ if they would clear.
Don't know if those studs are made for guide plates but the heads came fully assembled from LE with these studs.
Lloyd would have sent the right ones. Only reason I asked was your lock screw on RR sits up quite higher but IDK if TF heads are for some reason different in that way vs GM LT1 heads
Originally Posted by SS RRR
You ever check your valve sweep?
^^^^, Have you checked sweep across the valve tip?
Did they mill both sides of the head while doing head work, I had that happen once they cleaned up the valve cover gasket landing ,, which moved the cover towards the rockers..
Lloyd would have sent the right ones. Only reason I asked was your lock screw on RR sits up quite higher but IDK if TF heads are for some reason different in that way vs GM LT1 heads
^^^^, Have you checked sweep across the valve tip?
No I haven't done my chores yet
It looks like it's going to be a time consuming job so I just said a prayer to the LT1 gods and went off on my dyno day. The part that I'm really not looking forward to is changing the springs out. Even though I have the Crane tool it still takes for ever. I'm gonna keep reading up on it and see if I can leave the valve springs in some how. I know the lifters pumping down is the big issue.
Originally Posted by pdxmotorhead
Did they mill both sides of the head while doing head work, I had that happen once they cleaned up the valve cover gasket landing ,, which moved the cover towards the rockers..
The marks look to be from the locknuts and yours do stick out a good bunch more than mine, which is a near identical setup. How many threads are inside the locknuts? To me, it looks like the studs are too short.
I'm now wondering if the rocker bodies are bottoming out onto the guide plates. It really would be in your best interest to remove a few and check it out. Something just don't look right, sir.
Originally Posted by ******
you did install RR with the flat part of trunion facing up...right?
If that were the case the locks would be in further than normal because the adjusting nut would be sitting higher.
The marks look to be from the locknuts and yours do stick out a good bunch more than mine, which is a near identical setup. How many threads are inside the locknuts? To me, it looks like the studs are too short.
The studs were too long causing the lock nut to stick out farther. I just reinstalled my old shorter rocker studs and the lock nut sits flush now. Haven't tried running it yet, still have to check valve sweep.
Originally Posted by ******
OP
you did install RR with the flat part of trunion facing up...right?
How long are your PR?
Can't tell by pic but what part of the RR lines up with witness marks...the lock set screw or the roller tip side??
Since the heads came assembled (less RR) from Lloyd I would think the RR studs are correct size
Have you asked Lloyd to comment on this?
pushrods are 7.2"
the set screw is what lines up with the witness marks.
haven't asked Lloyd to comment, I'll send an email tonight.
Originally Posted by SS RRR
I'm now wondering if the rocker bodies are bottoming out onto the guide plates. It really would be in your best interest to remove a few and check it out. Something just don't look right, sir.
If that were the case the locks would be in further than normal because the adjusting nut would be sitting higher.
The rocker bodies weren't bottoming out on the guide plates, looked like maybe 1/4 of space between them.
Here's a comparison of my old shorter rocker studs and the longer studs that came with the new heads.
Lloyd wrote back saying the only reason he used the longer studs is because that's what Trick Flow included with the heads. He said use the shorter ones since the longer ones are hitting the valve covers.
Checked valve sweep finally. I had to bore out my Crane Cams valve spring compressor even more because apparently the rocker studs on these heads are farther apart than they are on stock heads. Also I used Moroso checker springs for this job. My procedure was as follows:
bring cylinder to TDC
swap on new springs
clean oil off rockers and valve tips
use black dry erase marker on valve tips
install pushrods and rocker arms
get zero lash and add preload
move on to next cylinder
some valve tips didn't get their marker rubbed away but the ones that did look okay... I think
Also I was unable to check cylinder 1 because the studs were even farther apart than the rest and I didn't feel like grinding away at my crane cams tool any more. You can see the inside edge of the roller tip for the intake rocker has marks, I'm guessing because the stud isn't located quite right? Is there any way to fix that? Is it even a big deal?
Also I was unable to check cylinder 1 because the studs were even farther apart than the rest and I didn't feel like grinding away at my crane cams tool any more. You can see the inside edge of the roller tip for the intake rocker has marks, I'm guessing because the stud isn't located quite right? Is there any way to fix that? Is it even a big deal?
This is where the ISKY adjustable guide plates really work well to allow the RR tip to be dead nuts centered on the valve tip L-R
Perhaps it's just the picture, but I don't like the looks of some of those valve tips. Are they rough when you drag your finger across them? Is the surface on the roller bearing smooth? Does it roll smooth? There is no reason to put a test spring on when checking sweep. Just take the rockers off, mark all valve tips, put rockers back on, adjust them, run car for a few seconds, then take them all off.
04-26-2018, 05:57 AM
Investigated noisy valvetrain, valve covers the culprit? 
