Wheeee

"Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To" (murdersofa) 08/02/2017 at 21:18 • Filed to: None

1

12

This shit sucks. No collapsed lifters but I still suspect a cam or lifter issue. Tomorrow I’ll pull the lifters out and inspect them all. Hopefully I’ll find my smoking gun and he able to order a new cam and lifters and be done with this shit. Also I’m gonna clean the hell out of the intake manifold and probably paint it high temp black so it won’t look instantly dingy again.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 08/02/2017 at 21:22

1

There are few things I hate more than to see antifreeze green somewhere on top of a motor. Not the problem here, I know, but it’s such a reliable indicator of “shit’s fucked”...

Die-Trying > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 08/02/2017 at 21:32

4

did you get a chance to check the rockers WHILE it was running for a loose one?......... usually there is just one that has fallen out of adjustment........

did you get a chance to verify the base timing before pulling the distributor out? to rulel out spark knock?......

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 08/02/2017 at 21:35

0

Nah that is more ‘fucking coolant went everywhere when I took the heater hose off’

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Die-Trying 08/02/2017 at 21:36

0

Yesterday we checked the dizzy, re-checked the dizzy, adjusted spark timing, and today I ran it with the valve covers off and everything was fine. Lash was all good, none were abnormally loose, and the sound still sounded like it was coming from within the valley. None of the pushrods were “squishy” either, which would indicate a lifter with a stuck check valve.

MM54 > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 08/02/2017 at 21:37

0

Will it possible to do the cam with the engine in the car? I’m not sure what’s in front of the engine in this car, or if you’ll be able to get at the pan/timing cover. If not, it’s coming out anyway so why not pull it sooner than later and do less work jammed in the engine bay? Hopefully you find the culprit soon!

Also I bet you’ll drain the coolant down a ways before you pull the intake again :) Goes without saying you’ll be wanting to change the oil as soon as it’s back together, regardless of if you change any parts now or not.

You did check the lash on the rockers, right?

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 08/02/2017 at 21:39

3

I figured. But, I’m talking in the context of usually only seeing it when a gasket has failed, a hose has failed, there’s been an overheat, a housing has cracked... or, like in this case, a hasty autopsy surgery is in progress. Never. Good. Things. It’s like the car version of frothy blood everywhere.

Die-Trying > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 08/02/2017 at 21:54

0

it sounded SO much like something in the valvetrain out of adjustment....... while it was running, were you able to check if all the pushrods were spining?, which might indicate a slightly bent pushrod,........ have you been able to look real close at the valve springs to see if one of them may have broken?.....

you might also check the bolts in the exhaust system to check that the clatter wasnt just and exhaust leak.....

how were the torque converter bolts? anything loose? have you gotten a look at the flexplate to see if it might be cracked and starting to break?

19JRC99 > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 08/02/2017 at 22:07

2

If it’s a flat tappet cam, I’m putting money on a flat lobe on the cam.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > 19JRC99 08/02/2017 at 23:54

0

It is, and that’s my thought. I guess “SBCs are reliable” means “...but flat-tappet motors will nom camshafts like candy”.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Die-Trying 08/02/2017 at 23:57

1

Checked the flexplate and exhaust first. No cracks, no loose bolts. It actually looked fairly new and pristine. Exhaust had a minor leak (stupid flat gasket on the collector) but that’s not where the sound was coming from (stethoscope). Valve springs are fine. I’m going to check pushrods and lifters tomorrow if I can get the lifters to come out somehow (magnet?). It’s a flat-tappet motor so we’re thinking it might have ate a lobe. It isn’t super bad though because I didn’t see any rocker arm obviously moving less than its neighbors.

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > MM54 08/02/2017 at 23:59

1

I have no idea. I highly doubt it but who knows. I don’t have an engine hoist though so... we’ll see.

Yeah, I drained a bit of coolant out before but a little still dribbled into the valley. XJSes have this really neat petcock that is operated with a linkage that goes to the top of the radiator, and then spews coolant all over the subframe instead of anywhere you can reasonably get a catch pan under.

A couple of the rockers had ever-so-little play in them but when it was running I didn’t near any ticking coming from them, all the noise was coming from down in the valley.

19JRC99 > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 08/03/2017 at 01:46

2

The way to prevent it is to run zinc in the oil. I didn’t find out about the Camaro having a flat tappet until a year and a half ago, and it conveniently started knocking just to ensure I knew.