Dapht Punk

Hey folks,

I bought an 87 camaro that is a V6 to V8 conversion. a lot of add ons are done, but I'm pretty sure the block and cylinder heads are original. Anyway, when I bought the car, the valves were ticking. I followed the directions for tightning them down per the chiltons book I have, sealed it all back up with a new gasket and started her up. Sounds great, so I take her for a spin. 10 minutes into the drive, I hear the valves start ticking again. I bring it home, let it cool off, and adjust them again to the same effect - 10 minutes on the road and they start ticking again. the tick gets louder as well, so its just loosening right up. (the culprits are #6 exhaust, #3 intake and #5 exhaust) 3 times I've done this now and I'm sick of spending 13 bucks every time I pull those damn covers off just to drive 10 minutes (although this last time, I decided to wait and make sure it's good before I buy another set of gaskets. I can deal with a lil bit of oil leakage while I get these damn rockers to stay on right)

Any ideas/suggestions? Should I just replace the rockers and nuts, or do you guys have any other tips?

Apeiron

Are the nuts just backing off?

Dapht Punk

yep, and I retighten them every time... the chiltons book doesn't say to use anything to keep the nuts in place, but what do you guys say?

Apeiron

If you're sure they're just backing off, try a jam nut on top or replace the lock nuts. If not, you could have worse problems.

thebigwelsh

Try a set of poly locks, and its best to do a hot valve lash adjustment after the engine is warmed up.

summit part number
MRG-920G

or

CCA-4604-16

five7kid

iTrader: (14)

Do the#6 exhaust, #3 intake and #5 exhaust have more threads above the adjusting nuts than the others? If so, your rocker studs are pulling out of the heads. If not, most likely the nuts are backing off.

Do the nuts exhibit resistance to turning? If not, the locking mechanisms are shot.

ShiftyCapone

iTrader: (7)

You should also be able to re-use your valve cover gaskets if they are the rubbery kind. If not I would look into a set.

Dapht Punk

I pulled off the #5 rocker and checked it out, it was pretty worn. the nut... well, it looked like a nut, but I decided to call it safe and buy all new rockers, nuts and whatever the hell those little swivel things are called (swivel bearings? lol)

anyway, 45 minutes later, my car was up and running, no more tick. drove it for an hour straight with not a single hitch! hooray!


Thanks for all the advice guys, I'd say the biggest culprit was that the lock nuts were worn out, although the rockers were pretty worn looking too.

Apeiron

Pivot ball or trunnion ball.

Dapht Punk

heh, thanks

AnotherfastIROC

I'm having the same issue as the person above, how ever I have gone to poly locks, replaced the rockers with roller rockers, 1.6 ratio, and adjusted then myself and had others adjust them. I am running 441 heads, comp rockers, guide plates, tall valve covers, and a 268/276 duration comp cams blower cams. I have slos replaced the lifters 2 times. once whne i first bought the car, and once when I did the cam/head swap. they are now extremely loud but you can hear them if the windows are up. It seems like the oil is thinning out, or the kifter refuse to stay fully pumped up. I have goo oil pressure aroud 30 at idle (600-700) and 45= at anything above 1k. I am currently running 10w-30 Penzoil, and have run other wieghts in the past. Any suggestions would be very helpful.

I tried adjusting them in the following ways:
Engine off - by the chilton
Engine off - by compcams recomendation card
Engine off by pro engine builders rec/help
Engine running-sdust until quite

Dapht Punk

dunno if this will apply in your case or not, but when I was talking to the crusty old dude at Auto Zone, he said that it's also possible that the rocker bolt in the head themselves can sometimes "stretch" causing even good locknuts to not work. Might be worth looking at *shrug*

vernw

iTrader: (2)

I noticed that you're using comp rockers. If those wre the pro mag roller rockers, the steel ones, get used to it. I tried a set out myself and they're just plain loud rockers. A couple of guys standing around when I pulled up asked "What happened to your car? Sounds like you collapsed or killed some lifters!" Adjusted them running on a warm engine. Put my generic aluminums back on and it is much quieter. TMMV, of course, but that's what I encountered.


Hope this helps....

AnotherfastIROC

I was thinking of insulating the underside of the hood think that will help deaden the noise?

Also if they are just loud then they are just loud... hopefull ythe blower whine will be louder

vernw

iTrader: (2)

I've got 7/16ths screw in studs as well. Pro Mag roller rockers are just plain noisier than aluminum ones from what I've seen.