86carbPU

What's good wid it? I just joined y'all and there's some cool pictures out there but before I go on I need a problem solved. I got a rebuilt 22r with new valves and springs. I've stumbled through the installation but finally it's on the road and I've got 300+ miles under my belt but there's a tapping noise coming from the top of the engine. Someone told me to hold a dowel against my ear and pinpoint the noise but when I held it against the valve cover it just sounded like it came from everywhere. So I bought a stethescope for about $15 and isolated the noise at the top of the timing chain cover below that rubber plug shaped like half a circle. It's a tapping noise that's there all the time. I can drive at all rpms and I'm not lacking any power considering it's a stock rebuild. Could it be the cam sprocket? The original rocker assembly was reinstalled with a new camshaft. The timing is set at 5 btdc with an inductive pickup timing light with the vacuum advance dealt with. The valve lash is set at .008 intake and .012 exhaust.

Thank you for reading all this and direction is appreciated.

thook

Pull the valve cover and look for anything loose. It could be the cam sprocket distributor drive gear, thrust plate, etc., but you could also have a guide that is loose.

I assume the new cam is stock sizing?

Did you get that little timing chain cover bolt in good and snug....the one that sits in the front of the head?

misterzee

Getting the valve lash adjusted juuuust right can take some time. If its not perfect, you will more than likely get some tapping. Additionally, you might have a rocker that's a little sloppy. Its probably nothing more than a little noise-annoyance though.

86carbPU

well I checked the head to timing cover bolt and it's at 108in.lbs.(9ft.lbs).

I do the valve lash when the engine is warm and set it by inserting the feeler gauge between the adjusting screw and valve stem. I tighten the screw until I can't move the feeler gauge(pinch) and back the screw off just enough to pull it out half way. Then I tighten the bolt and pull the feeler out the rest of the way so I can verify there's still drag.

I also went back and set the lash to .006intake and .010exhaust and the noise didn't really change. I don't want to burn my new valves.

I read that there's supposed to be an oil galley plug "on the inside of the oil pan rail close the the middle of the block". If this oil galley doesn't have a plug will it cause noise to the valve train? I don't have an oil pressure gauge on my dash.

I did try to take the truck over Stevens Pass(4000ft.) in WA with a big load in the back and it did start knocking pretty bad before I immediatly shut it off and had it towed back home. It hasn't knocked like that since then and I changed the oil with a quart of Lucas. That valvetrain noise was there before the trip up the pass.

86carbPU

Oh Yeah! when I was checking the head to timing cover bolt I noticed that the distributor shaft was harder to pull out than usual. I've taken that out a few times when first adjusting the timing and it slide out a lot easier than that. I smelled also smelled the distributor shaft and it smelled a little burnt.

If that oil galley plug isn't there on the bottom of the engine maybe there's not enough oil getting to the top of the engine???

86carbPU

OK It's been a while but I found out the reason for all that noise. For some reason the timing chain would rub against the bolts that hold the timing chain guides in place. The bolts are all knarled up but nothings broke yet. I think it makes the timing mark fluctuate besides the noise.

I just noticed it 6,000miles after the rebuild & the chain is still intact although I'm sure it's stretched pretty good. The whole timing set was replaced along with the tensioner 6,000 miles ago which makes me wonder why the timing chain would have enough slack to rub against those inside guide bolts. I have a 1985 celica 22RE Head on a 1991 22RE Bottom End & I think everything has been pretty well decked. Where else could the slack come from? I'll probably have to test the chain & then get an adjustable camshaft timing gear. Thanx for the help.

thook

Well, it's been long enough that I've been inside the 22re to know exactly about what oil galley plug you're talking about, but I can tell you if you don't have enough oil pressure (ie, caused by a missing plug) to keep the TC tensioner happy....since it works on oil pressure.... you're going to get slack. This could then cause the chain to rub the guide mounting bolts. What also could cause it is having the block decked low enough and the head shaved enough that you have less cam gear to crank gear distance. I think people have made up for that with a shim or thicker head gasket, but don't quote me on it. As well, there are other problems you'll run into with the deck height being too short = valve/piston clearance.

Whatever the reason for the rubbing, you should fix it before you drive it anymore. Your chain will eventually break and most, most likely you will destroy some valves and possibly do piston damaged. <<< Not as likely as valve damage, but possible.