eds240z Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 can anyone help? i built a 81 280zxt motor for my 73. f54 block p90 head. installed msa stage III cam. i have what i think is valve noise. initial start up cold no noise. warming up at about 1500 rpm, 1min 1/2 later bad ticking noise appears. idle no noise. rev it a little noise comes back when idle goes down. rev it high to redline no noise. seems to happen at lower rpm 1200 to 1500rpm. valves out of adjustment? chain noise? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theghosttanker Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 You're asking US if your valves are out of adjustment? Go check! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nismopick Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Check it himself? That's crazy talk! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zmanco Posted February 5, 2009 Share Posted February 5, 2009 Does your P90 head have solid or hydraulic lifters? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eds240z Posted February 6, 2009 Author Share Posted February 6, 2009 sorry i wasn't quite clear. i adjusted the valves hot and set them at intake .010 exh .012 and still made noise. then i tried .008 int and .010 exh. same noise. i'm checking with lobe striaght up. this is correct right? or is it different for a stage three cam (msa). and this is a solid type set up with the rockers. i think p90a heads are when they changed to hydraulic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zmanco Posted February 6, 2009 Share Posted February 6, 2009 Did you check the wipe pattern when you installed cam? I'm not sure why you would only hear the noise at a certain rpm range, but it's something you should check, especially since if it's too far off, it will likely damage your cam. Other than that, I follow your thinking about the chain, specifically the tensioner, given it's only across a relatively narrow rpm band. But I'll have to defer to others to comment if that's likely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daeron Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 What did you do to pre-lube the assembly before your initial start-up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eds240z Posted February 10, 2009 Author Share Posted February 10, 2009 i used redline assembly lube. also schnieder instructions told me to hold rpm at 1500 for 10 mins for break in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zmanco Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 I asked earlier but perhaps you didn't see it: did you check the wipe pattern? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eds240z Posted February 11, 2009 Author Share Posted February 11, 2009 yes i did check the wipe pattern and it looks perfect. i did a search before this thread and found the thread on valve lash. everything checked out ok. i hear no noise at idle and nothing pass 1500 rpm. i'm starting to think its my chain. its hard to hear cuz the noise transfers through the head. but is more noticeable at the front. i think! i just want to figure this noise out. its really annoying and embarassing! especially when driving in traffic, or even in a parking lot. i want people to turn there heads and say nice car!!! not "what the hell is that noise? POS!!!" just to let everone know, the car runs great! has no problems on take off, cruising speeds and especially at wot to redline. oh, i forgot to mention, after doing the engine rebuild, i replaced the cam once cuz i didn't like the performance, and again when i changed the head to a p90. the cams i had were complete kits. included the HD springs, lash pads, rockers(feet). everthing was replaced again with the new cam. and yes, that means i pulled the head again. sucks! you guys think i could have damaged the tensioner some how? or maybe stretched the chain? i don't see how but anythings possible. to all who's watching this thread any info is greatly appreciated. thanks again!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PalmettoZ Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Hey- When you installed the cam did you keep the chain tensioner compressed over to the side ? If not it could have popped out and that might be a source of noise. Also did your timing marks line up correctly at TDC at the top with the cam sprocket ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eds240z Posted February 11, 2009 Author Share Posted February 11, 2009 tensioner did pop out. had to play with it to get it back in. didn't have to fight it though. are those things that sensitive? its difinetly in though. timing marks lined up on the dot. using #1 mark notch on sprocket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nismopick Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 tensioner did pop out. had to play with it to get it back in. didn't have to fight it though. are those things that sensitive? its difinetly in though. timing marks lined up on the dot. using #1 mark notch on sprocket. You must be a magician because it's near impossible to get the tensioner & spring back it the hole with the timing cover still on. Have you checked the chain slack? You shouldn't be able to push it in or out hardly at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PalmettoZ Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 tensioner did pop out. had to play with it to get it back in. didn't have to fight it though. are those things that sensitive? its difinetly in though. timing marks lined up on the dot. using #1 mark notch on sprocket. Hey- One way you could check to see if the tensioner is working is to take the valve cover off so you can see the sprocket and chain. Turn the motor by hand clockwise so that there is tension on the straight side. Now take your finger and pull on the slack side of the chain and see how tight it is. If it is flopping around, chances are the tensior is not installed correctly. Of course don't check the slack and turn the engine simultaneously, but I think you know that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zmanco Posted February 12, 2009 Share Posted February 12, 2009 I think there's a misconception about the tensioner. While there is a spring inside to keep it pushing out, the spring is relatively weak and won't provide much tension on the timing chain by itself. With the engine running oil pressure is applied to the tensioner and that's what provides the tension on the chain. With the engine off, I don't think pressing on the slack side of the chain is a good indication if the tensioner is properly installed and/or working properly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheg Posted February 13, 2009 Share Posted February 13, 2009 yes i did check the wipe pattern and it looks perfect. i did a search before this thread and found the thread on valve lash. everything checked out ok. i hear no noise at idle and nothing pass 1500 rpm. i'm starting to think its my chain. its hard to hear cuz the noise transfers through the head. but is more noticeable at the front. i think! i just want to figure this noise out. its really annoying and embarassing! especially when driving in traffic, or even in a parking lot. i want people to turn there heads and say nice car!!! not "what the hell is that noise? POS!!!" just to let everone know, the car runs great! has no problems on take off, cruising speeds and especially at wot to redline. oh, i forgot to mention, after doing the engine rebuild, i replaced the cam once cuz i didn't like the performance, and again when i changed the head to a p90. the cams i had were complete kits. included the HD springs, lash pads, rockers(feet). everthing was replaced again with the new cam. and yes, that means i pulled the head again. sucks! you guys think i could have damaged the tensioner some how? or maybe stretched the chain? i don't see how but anythings possible. to all who's watching this thread any info is greatly appreciated. thanks again!!! I'm getting that same noise and i was told that it could be my valves BUT LOL it's pretty embarrassing haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwnwar Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 Did you install a new tensioner with all this work?? Might be clogged alittle or worn on the shaft, is the spring long enough/worn/weak.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 If the tensioner really fell out I think it would make more than an intermittent ticking noise. For this reason I doubt that it came all the way out. Or it came out when he had the timing cover off, and we're all assuming that he changed the cam without pulling the cover. If he had the cover off, yeah, it's pretty easy to get the tensioner back in. When I hear schneider cam and valve noise, my immediate reaction is to think that the cam is losing a lobe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eds240z Posted February 16, 2009 Author Share Posted February 16, 2009 i never took off the timing cover. i replaced the cam with the cover on. tensioner popped out but not all the way. not far enough for the spring to pop out. i just used a long screw driver and a flashlight with a lot of patience and i got the tensioner back in. now i don't know for sure, but i could've scored the bore or something when i was trying to put it back in. this coming weekend i'm going to pull everthing apart. i got a new timing set just in case. hopefully this cures it. if it does not change you'll be hearing from me again. thanks again for all the help!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan5138 Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 Hmmm, you could just be hearing your injectors firing. Nothing wrong with that. On my 280 with brand new bosch injectors, the injectors are more more noticible at certain RPMs. For me, high idle when it's still cold. If you had timing set problems / poor valve adjustment it would get progressivly worse with higher rpms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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