CompCam 68-231-4 noisy or lifters bleeding down?

[TurboTom]

Comp cams told you the cam was noisy, and to set the preload at .040-.060.
So why do you have it set at .030?
Not that the change will make much difference, with your leaky lifter bores

[SilverXJ]

I set it at .030" because that is what the 822-12 lifter install sheet specifies. Now the tech says between .040" and .060"

Through various testing we have discovered that lifter preload should be set between .030” to
.040” or ½ to ¾ a turn of the wrench past zero for optimal performance

I did have some lifter tick at start up when it was cold, but since the weather has warmed up I rarely get the ticking. If the lifters are in fact bleeding down, why would they do it at high RPM when the oil pressure is high and not at low RPM and when shut off?

[Cheromaniac]

I did have some lifter tick at start up when it was cold, but since the weather has warmed up I rarely get the ticking.

Are you sure that ticking isn't cold start piston slap instead?

[SilverXJ]

Nope, I know what that sounds like. Plus it happens when warm too. I've seen a few threads on other forums that suggest the noise is normal for an XE cam... but I'm still going to look into it.

Is there any way to tell for sure that the lifters are in fact bleeding down? I just find that hard to swallow considering there is no severe noise at idle, oil pressure is good, and the valve train sprays oil everywhere when rev'd with the valve cover off.

[SilverXJ]

What about insufficient valve spring load? I have the Mopar performance springs which are installed at 100# seat load. It would make sense if the lifter was skipping over the cam lobe..

[TurboTom]

Me thinks you worry too much.
Read up on how lifters work...They are not bleeding down.
You are off on a tangent with the valve springs...Forget it.
Roller rockers are also noisy compared to the stock ones.

Now stop thinking about all this stuff, and show a pic of it knee deep in mud!!!!

[the_wrench116]

If letting your engine cool down a bit quites it up that leads me to believe it is a viscosity related issue. Maybe high oil temps? Are you running an oil cooler?

No oil cooler and the engine runs right around 210*. I don't have an oil temp gauge.

get one it will keep the motor alive! mine dropped 20 degrees at idle more down going down the road.
i used to run that hot without the A/C on 85 to 95 degree weather now i run the A/C and a big oil cooler. and my temps don't go over 210 even with the long skinny pedal on the floor 85+ in the summer even

sum-g4978_w.jpg

i agree with tom get the oil cooler on it and go get dirty i would but i have pinion angle issues

[SilverXJ]

Me thinks you worry too much.

Yes, I do. But after my previous engine (you can count the one before that too with a tick that turned into a piston in the pan) and several problems I don't want the next noise to be another costly repair.

Read up on how lifters work...They are not bleeding down.

I agree. It doesn't make sense to me that they bleed down at higher RPMS with more oil pressure and sound fine at lower rpms... plus I know what excess clearance sounds like in a valve train, just not at high RPMS. But you know... when one things about it one could rationalize that they are bleeding down at higher RPMs.

You are off on a tangent with the valve springs...Forget it.

Just want to makes sure all the bases are covered and there isn't something waiting to break.

Roller rockers are also noisy compared to the stock ones.

I know.... and I suppose that the noisy cam and noisy rockers make the racket.

That is what one gets when you have a machinist not familiar with the cam and is a bit hard of hearing.

Now stop thinking about all this stuff, and show a pic of it knee deep in mud!!!!

Nah.. this one isn't going to see mud anymore... well... at least deep mud.

[the_wrench116]

you could get mud stickers and take pics.

[SilverXJ]

I was thinking more along the lines of the spray on mud.

[George Dickel]

I'm running 10W40 Castrol and I'm pretty sure based on outside temperature that South Mississippi is south of Hell. I am not running the roller rockers. My 68-231-4 is not noisy. Maybe when I scrap the A/C compressor and replace with new I'll hear something other than the bad bearing in it but again, I've put my noggin pretty close to the valve cover and not noticed any odd noise.