lower intake disassembly and diagnosis

[Quickstop [UK]]

So the truck has been ticking really annoyingly loud since I assembled it.

3 or 4 people have looked over the truck and we've thought over the last 18 months that it could be injectors (63lbs nope), bad rocker adjustments (they were redone a number of times by me and others), wrong rockers (I got rid of the 1.6s and got 1.52s) and lifters.

Today I took the lower intake off and removed all the lifters and inspected them. Visually they seem the same. They are 875s - could that be the problem? They are just so incredibly loud and annoying and make the truck sound like more of a POS than it is! From day one it sounded loud and "ticky".

I am at a turning point - do I just put in the new 850s or is there some way I can verify that the bottom end is safe? One event was the legendary overboost (37 psi) that has confused me. I also took off the oil filter and cut it nearly 1000 miles after the big overboost and saw nothing in the oil. Oil pressure hasn't dropped either so I am fairly sure the bottom end is ok.

Do I need to take the heads off to conduct further inspection or can I diagnose a fault another way? I may still do a compression check - should have done that before removing all the valve train. Oops. I think I can still do it without putting it all back together though - one cylinder at a time with both valves closed... come to think, that might be ideal so I know the rocker adjustment isn't a factor.

So... I guess at this point, I want to know... what would you do?

Thanks for all thoughts and comments.

 

[Quickstop [UK]]

Re: lower intake disassembly and diagnosis

Additionally, I found that my distributor is getting eaten so need a new gear - .491 and comp cams said I need it to be melonized - any idea where I get one? Apparently they don't make them! Unbelievable!

 

[TYRODD]

Re: lower intake disassembly and diagnosis

How much endplay do you have in your dizzy, Mark? Just curious...

 

[Quickstop [UK]]

Re: lower intake disassembly and diagnosis

Not much at all - seems pretty solid. Comp Cams said I need a melonized distributor gear so I think it is the material rather than misalignment.

Is it possible to misalign it from the top, wrong install angle perhaps? I don't think so but :dunno:

 

[Icarus-54]

Re: lower intake disassembly and diagnosis

Mark,get the composite gear and be done with it

 

[Quickstop [UK]]

Re: lower intake disassembly and diagnosis

I'm trying! Know where to get one? I think it is .491.

Comp Cams said the composite didn't last as long - what do you think?

What about the rest of my woes?

 

[Icarus-54]

Re: lower intake disassembly and diagnosis

Ive been running the composite gear for about 4 yrs now,recently took the motor apart and the gear still looked new.Jeg's #249-12200 for .491 gear.

 

[Try Me]

Re: lower intake disassembly and diagnosis

+1 for a composite gear. I used to go through 2 bronze gears a year, put a composite in and had it for 3 years and it looked new when i sold it.

Mark, just put an ls motor in it, there is no distributor, so there is no gear

 

[U ONT 2]

Re: lower intake disassembly and diagnosis

.

the lower intake gaskets that I have are different from yours. The rear ports are blocked off. Do I have the wrong fu(king gaskets?

 

[Icarus-54]

Re: lower intake disassembly and diagnosis

No--Mark has vortec heads,yours are probably stock

 

[Quickstop [UK]]

Re: lower intake disassembly and diagnosis

So - do I tear off the heads? What testing can I do if I did that? A dial gauge showing piston travel (to identify a bent rod maybe?)

Or should I just put the 850s in and then see if that solves my issue otherwise then rebuild it?

I have Eagles in it and the pan was cleared when I assembled it - at least that is what the builder said....

However, I used a jack to lift the engine up when installing the trans - wonder if my clearance has been reduced. Hmmm....

 

[Icarus-54]

Re: lower intake disassembly and diagnosis

could be

 

[bezerk]

Re: lower intake disassembly and diagnosis

However, I used a jack to lift the engine up when installing the trans - wonder if my clearance has been reduced. Hmmm....

Damn dog..how ghetto is that?

in you worst case the rod will come through the oilpan.
i would do the lifters before you take the head off, i hate pulling the heads in the truck, but you already openened up your exhaust manifolds, so getting them on again should be pretty easy:rotf:

if you don't find any metal in your filter or oil, you prolly don't have oilpan problems.

 

[Don W.]

Re: lower intake disassembly and diagnosis

:2cents: If a rod was hitting the pan you'd know it. Ask me. Very loud. Sound like a very bad rod knock. Since the oil filter is clean I'd say bottom end is OK. My motor ticks also. and depending on where it stops the next startup can be very loud as the lifters pump back up. Soooo my :2cents: is to swap the lifters.

Regarding the dist gear. I've been running a stock gear against a Comp 412 for over 2 years with no issue. So why you're having trouble there I dunno. Maybe your gear just happens to be soft?

What procedure are you using to set the lifter preload?

 

[Quickstop [UK]]

Re: lower intake disassembly and diagnosis

Don - I used your method

I set the truck to TDC and then did the sequence of exhaust and intakes valves and then rotate it and do the remainder.

I've had new rockers in, other people adjusting them etc and same ticking no matter what. I thought the 1.6s I had in there would be the cause but changed them to no avail.

I even made a video when I first built the truck.... ticking

Same ticking noise...aaargh!

850s going in it for sure.

Don,what lifters do you have?

I am also inclined to think the bottom end is good. I'll take a picture of the filter. I might wash it with turps as well so anything in there shows clearly. I guess I'll leave the bottom end for now. I have enough to do anyway.

Thanks guys. Now off to fight with some AN fittings.....

 

[Don W.]

Re: lower intake disassembly and diagnosis

I have 850's. Since my Vortecs have non adjustable rockers I spent a ton of time, initially, setting preload to .020. And then ordering custom length pushrods. (According to my notes which also mention .030 so I can't swear to where I ended up.)

I'd suggest that when it's back together get some "rocker oil hole stoppers" or whatever they are called. Then fire the motor. if it still clicks then take a .002-3 feeler and run it under each rocker and see if you can find the noisy one. Personally I wonder a bit about Comps quality control. I doubt Comp actually makes their lifters so whoever does may have an issue.

Meantime while your lifters are out, and full of oil, see if you can compress any of them. In my opinion you shouldn't be able to compress a good lifter if it's full of oil.

HTH

 

[nallj92]

Re: lower intake disassembly and diagnosis

my 875's are loud also, I think its somewhat the norm, 850's may be better in that department. I have set my rockers with the engine running and got the quietest results so far. I would like to try 850's but i dont forsee the intake coming off anytime soon.

 

[Syclone#2960]

Re: lower intake disassembly and diagnosis

Additionally, I found that my distributor is getting eaten so need a new gear - .491 and comp cams said I need it to be melonized - any idea where I get one? Apparently they don't make them! Unbelievable!

The .491" does not fit the stock distributor. You need the .427" from crowler.

 

[Quickstop [UK]]

Re: lower intake disassembly and diagnosis

I have 850's. Since my Vortecs have non adjustable rockers I spent a ton of time, initially, setting preload to .020. And then ordering custom length pushrods. (According to my notes which also mention .030 so I can't swear to where I ended up.)

I'd suggest that when it's back together get some "rocker oil hole stoppers" or whatever they are called. Then fire the motor. if it still clicks then take a .002-3 feeler and run it under each rocker and see if you can find the noisy one. Personally I wonder a bit about Comps quality control. I doubt Comp actually makes their lifters so whoever does may have an issue.

Meantime while your lifters are out, and full of oil, see if you can compress any of them. In my opinion you shouldn't be able to compress a good lifter if it's full of oil.

HTH

Oil hole stoppers? I checked and the lifters all seem good. I think the noise is inherent in the design

my 875's are loud also, I think its somewhat the norm, 850's may be better in that department. I have set my rockers with the engine running and got the quietest results so far. I would like to try 850's but i dont forsee the intake coming off anytime soon.

Did you watch my video in this thread about 4 posts back? How does the ticking compare with yours?

I'm putting 850s in - I'll let you know if it solves it.

The .491" does not fit the stock distributor. You need the .427" from crowler.

Have you got a part number? Apparently I need melonized or composite but I have only found bronze so far.

 

[randy merritt]

Re: lower intake disassembly and diagnosis

1.52 ratio rocker sound like non-self aligning Comp rocker. Don't want to jump in with BS, but do you have guide plates? I just went through this on a Vortec swap. Rockers I bought with set were Comp stamped steel 1.52 roller tip rockers. These are non-self aligning. I am having to order a set of full roller, self-aligning 1.5 rockers. Don't know if this helps or not. BTW, I did a lot of reading and research before my head, cam, injector swap (underway), and best I can figure, the 875 lifters are a better design, but are noisier. I decided to go with the 850 lifters.