Valve Springs debrief

[move_over]

Okay, got the valve springs changed. Not a hard job, but it was time consuming. Used the std. GM L-bracket tool with another hole drilled in the side - worked like a champ. I installed the RamChargers replacement spring, new valve guide seals. Did manage to loose 1 keeper, looked for over 1 hour and couldn't find it?

Now to the main question, at initital startup the lifters made all sorts of racket - I assume because the pushrods were removed and they had to prime again? I dunno, but it took 2-3 minutes of bumping from idle to 1800-2000 to get the oil back up to the top of the engine. Engine now runs quiet and pulls nicely up to and above 5000. Have other people ran into this noise after valve spring installs?

 

[salvageV6]

Took me about a minute to get oil up to the top, well visibly dripping out anyway.

Noises didn't last very long however, maybe 10-20 seconds or so.

Other car I put the covers on and didn't look.

 

[d0n_3d]

i had a loud tappet noise...one of my rocker arm screw holders broke when i first started the car up and a pushrod came loose and got bent at a 45 degree angle...fixed that and never a peep since...you shouldn't have any noises if everything was put together properly...

 

[move_over]

Originally posted by d0n_3d
i had a loud tappet noise...one of my rocker arm screw holders broke when i first started the car up and a pushrod came loose and got bent at a 45 degree angle...fixed that and never a peep since...you shouldn't have any noises if everything was put together properly...

No major problems, just some lifter noise @ initial startup. Now all is quiet and car runs good. I did notice boost dropped to 15 lbs after installing the springs - was set to 18 before the springs? Can't explain why the springs would affect boost? I guess I'll have to turn a few cranks on the old wastegate to get the boost back up to where it should be.

 

[petesgn]

Did you ever find the keeper ?

 

[move_over]

Originally posted by petesgn
Did you ever find the keeper ?

Nope, keeper is gone.

 

[move_over]

Originally posted by petesgn
Did you ever find the keeper ?

BTW, how are those CKperformance tranny parts? I'm about to order a shiftkit from them, just wondering what effect it had on your car?

 

[petesgn]

Originally posted by move_over
BTW, how are those CKperformance tranny parts? I'm about to order a shiftkit from them, just wondering what effect it had on your car?

The are real good , I think he may still doing the freebie just post the results on the trans forum on how it works for you .

 

[Dayzz]

Originally posted by petesgn
The are real good , I think he may still doing the freebie just post the results on the trans forum on how it works for you .

Good to know ill check it out.

 

[boostedLC2]

Originally posted by move_over


Now to the main question, at initital startup the lifters made all sorts of racket - I assume because the pushrods were removed and they had to prime again? I dunno, but it took 2-3 minutes of bumping from idle to 1800-2000 to get the oil back up to the top of the engine. Engine now runs quiet and pulls nicely up to and above 5000. Have other people ran into this noise after valve spring installs?

When you're working on the engine and rotating it over (like when changing valve springs) w/o oil pressure the valve springs force the oil out of the high pressure chamber of the lifters. The chamber is refilled from the low pressure reservoir as the lifter comes off the lobe but as the process is repeated there is no oil left in the reservior to refill the high pressure chamber and air is sucked into it instead. Once air gets in the high pressure chamber it takes several minutes to purge it out after start up. The air is much more compressible than the oil so it makes the lifter spongy thereby creating the valve train noise. You didn't hurt anything in your motor (unless the missing keeper happens to show up in the wrong place ).

HTH,

Jim

 

[move_over]

Re: Re: Valve Springs debrief

Originally posted by boostedLC2
When you're working on the engine and rotating it over (like when changing valve springs) w/o oil pressure the valve springs force the oil out of the high pressure chamber of the lifters. The chamber is refilled from the low pressure reservoir as the lifter comes off the lobe but as the process is repeated there is no oil left in the reservior to refill the high pressure chamber and air is sucked into it instead. Once air gets in the high pressure chamber it takes several minutes to purge it out after start up. The air is much more compressible than the oil so it makes the lifter spongy thereby creating the valve train noise. You didn't hurt anything in your motor (unless the missing keeper happens to show up in the wrong place ).

HTH,

Jim

Thanks for the information, that would explain the noise. Any idea on the boost setting droping back to 15 lbs? Strange, I'm not sure why it would drop with new valve springs. I fixed it by cranking a few turns on the old wastegate, just not sure why it would change boost to begin with?

 

[QuickWrench]

As far as the decreased boost goes...

It's entirely possible that the new springs are finally allowing the valvetrain to properly follow the profile of the camshaft, thereby altering the flow of air into and our of the combustion chamber. If you bear in mind that BOOST is simply a volumetric measure of the air that DIDN'T make it into the engine (and therefore piles up inside the intake manifold), your new boost pressure of 15psi is likely what should have been occuring in the first place.

As far as the lost keeper goes...

If you lost the keeper inside the engine, you NEED to get it out of there, so CHANGE THE OIL!! Cut the filter apart, and see if it's inside. Assuming you didn't lose it on the garage floor or inside a frame rail or fenderwell, check further. After draining the oil (and checking for it in the drain pan), take a large magnet under the car, and on the bottom of the oil pan, move the magnet from each corner of the pan toward the drain plug. Also, you can take a small rubber mallet and tap the bottom of the pan (with the oil drained) to try to hear it bouncing around when you tap the pan.

Good luck.