noisey head, maybe a lifter? HELP

[sil80]

OK i got my sr20det running (redtop) wile putting it togather I did not soak the lifters in oil. I am getting a small noise around the top of the head. I would like any info anyone has on checking the rocker arm to cam clearence. when I put the engine back togather i could not find any info on valve shims so I just therw them in, in no special order (i know this was wrong). how can I check if i am out of tolerance.

Or do you think lifter have not filled up w/ oil yet?

[navysnail]

how many miles has it been since you put the lifters in?

[sil80]

lifters have never been changed. the head has less than 40k miles on it.

[navysnail]

40k since you took everything apart? im trying to figure out if the lifters would have had a chance to get some of the air out

[sil80]

ok so i made sure timing was right and it was, so i drove it around and the noise stoped for a wile then i drove it about 15 min later and the noise came back. any ideas?

[sil80]

BUMP!

[Second Shadow]

from hijackers rebuild thread:

Installing the Hydralic Lash Adjusters is the next step. First, you should bleed them as you have easy access to them, and we all hate the sound of ticking lifters.

Proper shimming of the head requires that you place the rocker arm guide, which is the shim with the center cut out of it on top of its valve, and then use a dial gauge to measure the distance from the top of the guide to the top of its adjoining valve stem. Nissan requires a special dial gauge stand to make this work, and that stand is pretty much impossible to find anymore.

There is hope, though. Custom Steel makes a dial gauge tool.
It's not cheap at $175, but considering that you have your head shimmed properly, the price seems worth it. Especially if you and your friends build SRs often enough. Email Pat at [email protected] to order. His turn around is about 2 weeks from receipt of payment.

it's up to you, but i strongly recommend you pull that head apart and bleed the lifters. he does mention a bit later that most people don't bother checking the shims, and for $175 I can't say I blame them too much, but it will be better.
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