Help! Tapping noise from driver head after cam install

KingCobra07

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Hey guys, so swapped out my MMR cams for.some milder bullet cams. Car started right up and Lund says the tune logs look good.

Im getting an odd tapping noise though. You cant hear it at idle, at decel, or accel, but only at 0 while driving. Does it in any gear, any speed, any rpm, but only when keeping the cars pedal at 0 accel/decel. One of my more engineering inclined friends says he thinks it could either be a failing lifter/lash adjuster, so the rocker bouncing on the cam lobe, or that it could be something to do with my chain tensioners, and the tap is the chain on the guides.

Car still goes WOT and wraps out fine, just don't want to end up making one of those WOT pulls my last. Cams are degreed in to spec, and motor didn't make the noise before the swap. Running castrol 5w50 oil.

Any tips to figure it out, or anyone have a tapping noise like this before? Thanks!
 

tvspower

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Bro. Stock cams n motor run 5w 50
Installed BPS cams switched to 10w 30 for cams
Ran beautiful until I screwed up
Now fully rebuilt oil pan up and still using BPS cams
After break in, then dyno'd', and road tuned,
Still using 10w 30 PenneGrade1
Engine runs sweet, idles at 800 rpm , leaves stops very smooth......
Noise... Oil too thick, injectors dirty very noisy ,
Need to hear in person.....
 

KingCobra07

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Yeah, its not injectors. My ID1700's are pretty silent. Maybe ill change to 10w40 synthetic before i go and pull the brake system to get that valve cover off.
 

KingCobra07

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So....its saturday, so i said screw it and pulled everything apart . valve cover is off now....along with my FPR, braking system, and AC dryer...

The tensioner looks good. Primary chain is super tight, no ability to move. Anyways, before i pulled it apart i started the car and went around with my stethoscope. No odd noises or tapping on the timing cover anywhere, but when i went onto any of the valve cover bolts that go into the cam caps, i could hear the tapping noise.

Anyone know how to test lash adjusters or how to get them out WITHOUT pulling my cams? Ive got a special tool that compresses the spring to pull the rocker, but it only works on some, not all. Love the oddball parts they put on our GT500's!
 

Catmonkey

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I use one of these to remove the cam followers. It works on intake and exhaust. Removing them is just a PITA. Only reason I can think you have noise after the cam install is the base circle is smaller on your current cams. My understanding is you use shims to adjust the pre-load on the lash adjuster, but I couldn't tell you where to find them.
 

devilish64

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When my cams were originally installed they somehow went back in one tooth off wich resulted in a similar sound.... my installer pulled it all back apart and re-did everything and it was all good.... no damage. We were stumped for a second honestly.... good luck!
 

KingCobra07

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So I've wrapped the car out to 7500 a couple times logging for lund, so i don't think timing is off or I'd be throwing some misfire codes or be down a motor right now. Thoughts?
 

saleen97118

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Ok hear is what I would do
1-lets rule out valve bent,do a compression test on that bank all 4 cylinders(is that same side cam was off 1tooth on cam install?).
I would do that
After you get your compression test done,now I would test to see my oil pressure at what rpm and make sure oil pressure is good to the valve lash adjusters.dont forget oil pump pump more oil when rpms go up,but at idle less pumping pressure.i would try to test at top of engine head if possable and at oil pressure sensor to.if you blew a timing tensioner you could be loosing oil pressure at idle through that tensioner.when reved up pressure would now supply enough pressure to get oil to top of lash adjusters so noise would stop.
I would do this,I have rebuilt 2 engines but they where 99 and did my 97 to.so I'm going to say this (((I have never worked on your engine ok I had to look up to see if it had vvt phasers that could send a tape but you don't have them I guess).
 

KingCobra07

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So by the pressure sensor i have the super snake oil pressure sender. Anything over idle its a little over 75psi, idle is right below 50psi. Never dips below that. Also have the 2014 oil pan, and mmr billet pump gears. Should be getting enough pressure?

And I'm running a new ford racing filter.

Definitely going to do a compression test this week/weekend. See what's going on with cylinder pressures.
 

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