ticking noise/ cam replacement questions

Jerry O. Johnson jerryo59@hotmail.com
Sat, 12 Jan 2002 17:08:16 -0600


  I need some of y'all's good advice: I've got a '91 SE-R (I bought it new).
It's got 159k miles, always gets 32-34 mpg. Just over a year ago, it started
making a ticking/tapping noise. It sounds like it's in the area of the
intake cam, second lobe from the chain. (I replaced the tensioner, it didn't
help).
   I've had the valve cover off twice. The first time, I was just looking
for something obvious, saw nothing. I cleaned out the cam oiler tube,
though. It was pretty gaumed up. The second time, I checked some lobe
heights and lash adjusters.
   I used a cheap dial caliper to check my cam lobes. One lobe(the suspected
noisy one) was about four hundredths (0.04) out of tolerance (that's way
off).
   The lash adjusters appear firm (can't hardly compress them at all; I took
them out, squeezed on 'em, did the oil-submerge/bleed-with-a-small-wire
thing, couple of small bubbles) They seem good.
   I didn't find any specs on the rockers. I don't know how to tell how worn
they are without looking at a new one.
   The valve shims and guides look good. I really don't want to go as far as
replacing the springs, because I don't have the tools to do it right.
   I'm pretty certain I'm getting new cams, and probably rockers, but what
else is essential that I should replace?
   Also, is there any way to clean out the galley that's supplying the cam
oiler tube? I stuck a pipe cleaner down in the hole in the head, but I feel
like I'm not getting adequate flow through the tube. Any thoughts on this?
   One last thing: How's the best way to break loose the bolt on the cam
sprockets? Those things are torqued pretty darn good.
   Thanks for y'all's time. Hope to hear from some better experienced SE-R
Heads real soon.