Noisy cam followers

[jpyke]

Ok, I think it is time to admit now that I've been very stupid:

When I had the heads refurbished (skimmed, new valves and guides) I took them to the chap who did it for me with one head already stripped of valves, springs etc. (I did this one so I could get an idea of condition myself). The head I stripped I was very careful to number all parts so I could put them back in the correct place. (I had new springs in the end so only ended up reusing the followers). On the other head I got it back with all the bits in a box in no particular order. I think on reflection he was probably expecting me to put new followers.

I very stupidly went through a process of fitting the followers and feeling for movement to find out which valve I thought they belonged to, I didn't think to buy new ones.

So, the endup is that the head I numbered all the parts for (RH) is nice and quiet, whilst the LH head is sounding very tappety. I originally thought it was because I hadn't got the clearances right but when I checked at the weekend I found that it was due to some sloppy followers.

Will getting new ones sort the problem or do you think that the head will be worn (esp. after running with different worn followers in different holes) and will I have to take it all off again and have it machined to accept oversized followers?

I really, really hope I can just put in new ones - I can't face having a head off again so soon after a complete rebuilt. I spent a whole day with engineers blue and a bearing scraper on the weekend just to get the manifold to mate better and eliminate a slight water leak.

Oh, and the other problem is I'm off to France in 2 weeks time! :?

[mjheathcote]

imported post

The followers generally wear before the hole in the head, strange with the head been aluminium, but true.
The head can also wear in some cases but the fact that your RH head is quite indicated this not to be the case.
I would therefore fit new followers to your LH head and re-shim accordingly.

[jpyke]

imported post

mjheathcote wrote:

The followers generally wear before the hole in the head, strange with the head been aluminium, but true.
The head can also wear in some cases but the fact that your RH head is quite indicated this not to be the case.
I would therefore fit new followers to your LH head and re-shim accordingly.

I must admit that is the kind of answer I was hoping for. I've got 8 new followers on order so will try to get it sorted this weekend!

[V Mad]

imported post

mjheathcote wrote:

The followers generally wear before the hole in the head, strange with the head been aluminium, but true.
The head can also wear in some cases but the fact that your RH head is quite indicated this not to be the case.
I would therefore fit new followers to your LH head and re-shim accordingly.

I can vouch for that. I have found that followers can wear dramatically, wheras the head seems to wear little. You will probably be lucky with that.

[Gresley]

imported post

Hi

I had exactly this problem and a new set of followers has cured it. I too put odd follwers in originally - a mistake it seems!

Brian