Why are the KA's so noisy?jimwolf cams?

[mikesloud]

Can any one tell me why are the KA's so noisy? This is my second engine , first was stock with jim wolf cams , the motor seemed noisier after installing cams . Now I have a fully built motor with parts from KA24DE.COM valves ,stiffer springs and jimwolf cams,ross pistons, rods, arp studs, turbo ,etc. and I hear sometimes a knock like sound at idle. but with stethoscope it sounds like it is all from valves.Anyone elso have these parts and is yours kinda of noisy also.How did you break in your motors and when can you get on it some? I just want to be sureit is OK. My SR20det in my other car is a lot quieter. Anyones opinions or info will be appreciated. :ylsuper

[klattr1]

is your timing chain guide still in there? mine didnt make any noise at all after rebuild but I didnt put aftermarket springs, valves and retainers in there.

[mikesloud]

I did not put guides back in. I was just seeing if there is any else using the same cams, valves, springs and is it kinda noisy?

[NX95240]

hope you find out because i have the same stuff iam putting in my 95'. post if you find out.. thanks

[Stuntman240]

aren't the valves supposed to colse faster and harder with those mods?? did u check all of the tollerences? just throwin some ideas out there.

[BadMojo]

did u check all of the tollerences? just throwin some ideas out there.

You might want to check your valve lash. I didn't think you needed to re-shim with JWT cams, but then again, I'm not overly familiar with the product.

You may need to get some new and strangely expensive shims (AKA small metal disks) from Nissan. The FSM shows how to check lash.

[C-Kwik]

Sounds like you may have too much valve lash.

[mikesloud]

See I took it to the nissan dealership today and let the head hi up top mechanic listen to it and I was going to leave with him to check valve lash and I ll be damned if the car just ran as smooth as a kitten !!!! I could not get it to make the damn clatter noise !! It was hot today 105 degrees and it made no noise at all very quiet!!!! All stuff fine on it . It does not do it all the time just every once in a while. It did it this morning about 3 minutes after started clattered alittle and quit after driving a mile to work.Maybe just the ****ty reg. oil not setting in for a second. ,I don't know!!!:eek: Every time I let a mechanic look at it or listen, it will not do it!!:mad: I have wasted about $150 on listening and checking stuff by 2 different shops . I am just trying to be cautoius and safe ,I spent too much money to let it **** up now!The car drives awesome ,all my A/F numbers are great, everything is working perfect. When can I get on it some maybe 12lbs or so.? I have it at 8 now and I step in it a little everyonce in while to change up loads on car. When should I go dyno it? Should I wait another 1000 miles to get synthetic in it?:help

[BadMojo]

http://jimwolftechnology.com/w...E.PDF

It seems that the JWT cams shouldn't need to be re-shimmed, but they do recommend checking (see step 14). As for why it didn't do it while you had it at the shop...all I can say is that I've been there, man. Damn car keeps messing with my mind!

[klattr1]

yeah he wouldnt have to reshim the jwt cams if the clearances were already correct with the stock cams in there. This guy obviously has had some machining done to fit the pistons so they prolly installed the cams too. They should have checked the clearances for themselves but who knows. Feeler gauges and a FSM are all u need.

[#RealRiceGSR#]

mikesloud. Please change and update your e-mail address, it is getting invalid hits.

[C-Kwik]

Not having to reshim the stock cams are going to be very dependent on if the stock cam grind is consistent with JWT cams. As ideal as this would be, it's harder to achieve than it may sound. The factory provides different shim sizes even just for use with the stock cams. It's important to check and adjust lash as necessary with any cam upgrade.

[Projex240]

try switching to a thikcer motor oil--maybe 20/50--thats what i rtun, it ups the oil pressure,a dn quits it down---thats whay your car is quiet when it heats up. also--you may be worrying about it too muich..my car does it even without the timing chain giude--but its still the timing chain.

[HaveBlue]

if its a ticking or clacking noise comming from the valve cover that comes and goes it could be a stuck hydraulic lifter.

[C-Kwik]

only on a SOHC. The DOHC KA has solid shim on bucket lifters.

[HaveBlue]

oops, my bad. thought it was a sohc. thats what i get for reading posts at 1 AM.

[NateDogg]

mikesloud:

The sound you are talking about is too much valve shim clearance. You said it perfectly "it was 105 degrees out and ran smooth". As temperature rises, metal expands and reduces the clearance, thus making your valvetrain barely tight enough for it not to be audibly *clacking*. When you first start up the car in the morning however, the metal will be cold or contracted and the clearances will be much greater. I hope you have an FSM, that $50 will save you hundreds in the future. It will show you how to measure valve shim clearance and everything else pertaining to fixing your ride.

If you want to up the boost to 12 psi you will need at least 50 lb. injectors and timing management.

Good luck!

[Def]

Just a shot in the dark, but could it be piston slap?

I've heard a few cars with forged pistons that sounded very weird on start-up. Almost sounded like valvetrain noise if you didn't know what you were hearing.

[BadMojo]

I've heard a few cars with forged pistons that sounded very weird on start-up. Almost sounded like valvetrain noise if you didn't know what you were hearing.

I'd still check valve lash. I'm not sure if I'm missing something, but did the original poster install the JWT cams himself or did a shop do it?

If a shop did it, they really should have checked the valve lash when installing the cams. Sure, JWT does good work and theoretically you wouldn't have to re-shim if everything was within spec before the cam swap, but we're talking about a few millimeters here.

If it's a valve lash problem, it's a pretty straight forward fix, if somewhat time consuming. The only downside is that those shims are freakin' expensive. I wonder what the book rate is on checking/adjusting valve lash.

Anyway, I really think C-Kwik and Nate have it dead on.