Put the rocker assemblies back on my heads and drove home to san diego.
got very loud rocker noises coming from the engine

re adjust the valves.
drive it for a little while and bigger clacking noise and starting to lose power.

I think i *effed* it up installing the new studs and then torqing the rocker assembly nuts with my old torque wrench. thought i seated the studs properly, and torqued the nuts right, but now the valves dont seem to be holding an adjust.

so what the worst that could have happened?
stripped the studs from the heads right?

Time to pull of the rocker assemblies and really get a view of what's going on.

any way to tell if the stud is starting to pull out without cranking on it?

Yes, look at how much is sticking out past the nut. They all should be the sma elenght and they should not be that long. I feel for ya man. This was the last problem that I had with my 2.0. If you used the old holes they might be stripped and you will need to get special larger studs and have them threaded in.

they were the original holes.

I'm thinking the loud valve noise that prompted the tinkering may have been a prelude to my current problem.
Every time i adjusted them they would be quiet for a few days then get noisy again.

No worries though. I was thinking of pulling the motor to figure out the geometry and do some rust repair anyway, this will just be another rung on the ladder.

Damn it was running good too.
i'm going to have a beer.

QUOTE (brer @ Jul 5 2005, 06:05 PM)

Put the rocker assemblies back on my heads and drove home to san diego. got very loud rocker noises coming from the engine re adjust the valves. drive it for a little while and bigger clacking noise and starting to lose power. I think i *effed* it up installing the new studs and then torqing the rocker assembly nuts with my old torque wrench. thought i seated the studs properly, and torqued the nuts right, but now the valves dont seem to be holding an adjust. so what the worst that could have happened? stripped the studs from the heads right?

QUOTE]I'm thinking the loud valve noise that prompted the tinkering may have been a prelude to my current problem.


[/QUOTE]so what the worst that could have happened?
stripped the studs from the heads right? I, wouldn't think so.

If, your lucky, it may just be bent pushrods.

If, your not lucky, Are you sitting down? Have you had those Beers?

The worst it could be is a FLAT CAM.

re adjust the valves.
drive it for a little while and bigger clacking noise and starting to lose power. Is, a prime indication of a cam going flat.

you mean like grinding down a cam....how often does that happen?

QUOTE (brer @ Jul 5 2005, 07:12 PM)

they were the original holes. I'm thinking the loud valve noise that prompted the tinkering may have been a prelude to my current problem. Every time i adjusted them they would be quiet for a few days then get noisy again. No worries though. I was thinking of pulling the motor to figure out the geometry and do some rust repair anyway, this will just be another rung on the ladder. Damn it was running good too. i'm going to have a beer.

[QUOTE]Every time i adjusted them they would be quiet for a few days then get noisy again.

So, there was something, going on before, you tried to put the new rockers on.

Before, did you notice, when you were adjusting the rockers, if it was always the same ones that were loose?

Always look for something out of the norm.

After you spend some much time working on your motor, you will know every little noise it makes and why, and this goes for everyone, I have no better way to say it, other than you then become one with your motor.

QUOTE (bd1308 @ Jul 5 2005, 08:13 PM)

you mean like grinding down a cam....how often does that happen?

Like, grinding the lobes completely off, and eating up a 1/3 of the lifters.

About a year 1/2 ago, I had 2 cams go flat, back to back, the first 1, reason was up in the air? (operator error, assembly, breakin error, the heavy chevy springs I run ) the 2nd one, prompted phone calls, not only my 2 but a couple others cam back flat also.

My supplier, contacted WebCams, Scat, and they also had cams come back flat.

Do, to that they all get there cam cores from the same supplier, the thinking was, it was the cams, but I had 2 cams prior to the ones going flat, and no problems, and they were from the same batch of cores.

It, turned out to be lifters, causing cams to go flat, I 've been very leary of new cam and lifters since then.

I've only adjusted the valves once since i got the car.
Put maybe 2000 miles on it, and always thought it was a little clacky on the passenger side.

Even had another person at the WCC comment that it sounded like it needed a valve adjust. I pulled one of the adjusters and it was pitted badly, hence the new adjusters and rockers.

Only now its loud on both sides. Really loud valve noise.

Flat cam. jEEEESH.

Sure Hope not.
I just spent 50 buck on oil and filters.

will know more this weekend.
thanks for all the feedback.

b.

QUOTE (brer @ Jul 5 2005, 09:44 PM)

I've only adjusted the valves once since i got the car. Put maybe 2000 miles on it, and always thought it was a little clacky on the passenger side. Even had another person at the WCC comment that it sounded like it needed a valve adjust. I pulled one of the adjusters and it was pitted badly, hence the new adjusters and rockers. Only now its loud on both sides. Really loud valve noise. Flat cam. jEEEESH. Sure Hope not. I just spent 50 buck on oil and filters. will know more this weekend. thanks for all the feedback. b.

Sorry, for the scare, it's not a flat cam, it's something simple.

You, may not have gotten the push rods, all the way in the lifters when you put it back together, then after you ran it they poped into place, then left alot of clearance, and would make alot of noise.

Then, the PO may not of spent the money to have the heads rebuit right. Should have at very least had the exhaust valves replaced, probally didn't, new springs would of also been a good idea.

Then there's the quality of the work done by the shop, they may not of even refaced the tips of the valves, the stok rockers are setup to rotate the valves, and that cleans up the seat and valve face, but also concave's the valve tips, and when you adjust the valves, to the proper clearance, there is still the wear in the valve tip that you can't adjust out, and so will always be noisey. Then there's the retainer keepers, there just so much, and alot of people do QUICK CHEAP fixes, especially if there selling the car.

Keep this post updated, with what you find out, plenty of people here to help you out, I'am not the only one here with an opinion with whats wrong.

QUOTE (bd1308 @ Jul 6 2005, 12:13 AM)

you mean like grinding down a cam....how often does that happen?

once per cam.

QUOTE (ArtechnikA @ Jul 6 2005, 05:34 AM)

QUOTE (bd1308 @ Jul 6 2005, 12:13 AM) you mean like grinding down a cam....how often does that happen? once per cam.

thanks. i can breathe now.

QUOTE (bd1308 @ Jul 6 2005, 07:58 AM)

QUOTE (ArtechnikA @ Jul 6 2005, 05:34 AM) once per cam. thanks. i can breathe now.

it's like airplanes.

"How often do airplanes crash?"

"once per plane."

Hey Bear, once you get the engine out, you could bring the heads. stuff over here.

I've got my own valve and seat grinder to rebuild heads, also sand blaster, reamers, lathe, milling machine, etc. Still a tool junky. Been building heads, engines, for a long time. Of course, most of the engines have been in the multi-ton, massive horsepower range. But I've always done my own heads since I got the valve grinder set up years ago.

The only problem I have about working on other peoples cars, is I don't have room/parking for them.

Give me a call, or pm me if your interested.

Regards, Don

went out and turned her over to listen again.

the loud clicking noise is not as apparent when its cold.
there is oil smoke exiting from the passenger side exhuast pipes.
pulled the plug wires one at a time, cyl #1 makes no effect to idle speed.
generally rough idle.

QUOTE (ArtechnikA @ Jul 6 2005, 05:24 AM)

QUOTE (bd1308 @ Jul 6 2005, 07:58 AM) QUOTE (ArtechnikA @ Jul 6 2005, 05:34 AM) once per cam. thanks. i can breathe now. it's like airplanes. "How often do airplanes crash?" "once per plane."

Not quite. I flew a small twin a long time ago that had been crashed twice!
cheers, Elliot

QUOTE (Elliot Cannon @ Jul 6 2005, 07:11 PM)

[/QUOTE] it's like airplanes. "How often do airplanes crash?" "once per plane." [/QUOTE] Not quite. I flew a small twin a long time ago that had been crashed twice! cheers, Elliot

It serves them right for letting you fly it again.

So here's a picture of the problem.

I took the valve covers off, and the #1 rocker assembly was completely loose meaning the valves were not opening on it. I pulled the nuts off and the rocker assembly out, and when counting the pieces noticed i was one washer short. I found it down in the pushrod tube near the lifter and extracted it with a magnet tool.

these little bass turds came from my FLAPS and worried me when i bought them. The guy said they were fine and i believed him. Cheap compared to the hardened german ones i'm used to, and it broke of course.




Any predictions?

a little oil smoke never hurt right?

QUOTE (V6914 @ Jul 5 2005, 10:42 PM)

QUOTE (brer @ Jul 5 2005, 09:44 PM) I've only adjusted the valves once since i got the car. Put maybe 2000 miles on it, and always thought it was a little clacky on the passenger side. Even had another person at the WCC comment that it sounded like it needed a valve adjust.  I pulled one of the adjusters and it was pitted badly, hence the new adjusters and rockers. Only now its loud on both sides.  Really loud valve noise. Flat cam.  jEEEESH. Sure Hope not. I just spent 50 buck on oil and filters. will know more this weekend. thanks for all the feedback. b. Sorry, for the scare, it's not a flat cam, it's something simple.

I'am glad it was an easy fix, as I'am sure you are.

it aint fixed yet!


I need to find some proper german wavy washers and get it back together to see if she still runs alright. I'm more than a little worried.

Then plans to pull the motor and check/set up the geometry, powder coat the engine tin and paint the engine bay if i dont end up needing to rebuild the heads.

If this motor goes south i'm going subaru

I have the new German wavy washers in stock..... If you can't find them locally..

Don't give up on the aircooled power......

ok, i'm not giving up yet.

NEVER give up...

If you want something with a Subaru engine- Buy a damn WRX!

i still have this to play with.

I'm talking about the car.

60 was a good year...

Its needs a MassIVe 4...

Okay swp to a suby in the 914 and keep the bug for a heart transplant from the teener..

I was thinking of rebuilding the original 36hp.

Want about a massive 36hp?

so i put the new rocker assembly's on with .030 spacers.

cyl #2 and #3 still are too close to adjust. Is there something about the rockers on those cylinders that makes them closer? I can see that those two are the same type.

I need custom pushrods.

BTW- it lives! going for a little drive. no apparent problems.
still in need of custom pushrods i think.

I love beetles.....it would be so cool to have one.

there is a '68 for sale....the person wants $4000 for it. rebuilt engine. type1

all i have to say now is.