I used the kent moore valve spring compressor & cam gear bracket. The valve spring compressor worked great!

I did this w/o removing the head by the way.... I pressurized the cylinders with a compression tester fitting and my 3 gallon 125 psi air compressor. I regulated the air pressure at around 95 psi.

On a crappy note,

My car jumped timing somehow during the install. I even had the kent moore cam gear bracket installed (correctly). Might have happened when I was placing the gears onto the cams. Not 100% sure where or how it jumped, but I'm in the process of timing the motor. So far, it's not too hard....

 

No worries Ford! Like I said earlier, just trying to help out. I know how you feel about fixing something and then having it break the next day. All the time I spent tearing the front cover off and redoing timing and all the other work involved each time I had issues really has me turned away from modding for now. I am just happy to have the car running like new again

Again, these are all just things to look out for, doesnt necessarily mean my issues are your issues. But, it seems more common on ppl that have modded the LNF head like you and I did. I think it happens more but ppl dont report it or document it on a forum like we have.

 

Cmiller did you use the LNF tool to hold the VVT gears in place? Then follow the book procedure otherwise the actuators wont park .
This apart from the issue with springs which are hanging up on the rocker I suspect...

 

what part number? Supertech do NOT recommend the early 78 lb springs on an LNF. Due to installed height at full lift going wrong, with the new style rocker .
SPR-TS1012/EC 75 LBS : use this number
NOT
SPR-TS1015/EC 78 LBS

 

YUP! I had the old P/N installed. I bought them back in feb of 2010. This was before it became common knowledge that the supertechs werent a drop in as advertised for the LNF and require machining of the head to make them fit. Even WERKS has a special note on their Supertech valve spring sale page about them needing machining of the head now.

I think me and Yelloweye or BlkBaltSw over on GMSC had the same issues and he was the one that got Supertech to send him the revised P/N or something like that. They wouldnt replace mine for me so I opted for a new stock head, which is what I am running now.

 

Video as promised. Not as much chain slack as before i replaced everything, however it is still evident. Strangely even with less chain slack it sounds much worse now. We also noticed some ticking like a lifter was stuck once after turning it a few times. I couldn't replicate it by hand the next time i turned the car over. The ticking lasted close to 30 seconds before i thought to grab the GoPro and film that as well.

 

Mine does that too when it's turned by hand. All that stop and go is probably why. If you let it spin continuously like it does when the motor runs, I wonder how it would look?

The ticking sound may have been an injector from left over fuel or air or something (ya know, cam driven fuel pump and all just a guess).

 

yea I did, I also had dremmeled out some head material so the sides of the springs did not hit there. I checked all the rollers to the valve springs and there was none that hit, and thats with no oil pressure.

 

Excellent, the correct tools for the job is really important. And yup, I am thinking based on my discussion with the supertech guy who is/was very helpful, is that the LNF rocker compared to previous LSJ, is thicker in the contact pad, and therefore compresses the spring more than is desired at full lift with the 78 lb springs. at this point you probably know more than I do on this subject for sure.

 

I had to do the same to my head for the supertechs

 

Hope you get this figured out Ford! Was there any debris cought in the screens of the phaser solenids when you took them out?

 

Actually, no. They looked really good.

It's weird the car didnt jump timing this time, and there is much less chain slack than before. Prior it was actually coming up over the exhaust cam and pretty much coming off just hand turning. However, it sounded 10x worse. Maybe it was being inside the garage that i just heard it more but it sounded nasty so i killed the engine. I truly expected to see it had jumped timing again when i tore it down last night.

On the plus side, it only took 23 minutes to tear it down. I got it dissasembled before my friend fixed his boost leak.

I'm probably going to pull the head tonight just to check but i kind of want to pick up some studs and new gaskets if i do.

I sort of feel that once the head is off i should just go ahead and slide a new bottom end in.

 

There should be a pad between the two cam gears, is there not?

 

Lmao I was telling my friend "just watch someone will ask where the guide is and say its my problem.

 

Not saying that is the problem, but lack of oil pressure and the lack of that pad may make it look worse than it is.

 

Lol I'm just harassing you.

 

That top piece does nothing, there is about an 1/8 th inch gap between there and the chain.

 

With all this talk, it makes me nervous.. I to have that start up rattles for about 1-2 second on cold start up just the past year and I have close to 13000 miles since the mods. Recently I'd replaced just as a precaution includes: the 2 cam actuators and a tensioner. I do have the ZZP springs and S1 cams. Should I be concerned?

 

Considering that there are tons of cams/springs out there and there are only a few noted issues, no i wouldn't think so.

Also, mine had 0 noise until it **** the bed and mine was not related to the cold start only noise. In fact mine got worse as it got warmer. Quite different than the cold start noise.

 

That start up rattle is pretty common. My wifes brand new equinox does it whens its cold lol.

 

Heres a pic I just took. This is what the old supertechs needed.

 

Idk, I have the S1 cams and zzp 82# valve springs. Still on stock actuators and solenoids. No startup rattle here.

 

Bad lash adjusters can also cause a startup rattle though.

 

Cmiller:
Yeah I didnt clear the head like you did for the supertechs. It was close but they didnt touch at all from what I could tell when spinning the CAMs.

Ford:

Sorry to hear it sounded worse man. When you go to do the work tonight pull the CAMs off and see what the lash adjusters look like. That should tell you wheter or not you have to pull the head. Looking forward to finding out what your issue is.

And BLRT:

Like Ford said, considering the crazy amount of ppl out there with these mods and the relatively low amount of reported issues like this, I would say you most probably dont have anything to worry about. I think it comes down to the particular engine itself and how it was cast or any other variable you want to stick in there as causing these failures.

 

I like what Mr. Powell had to say about replacing the springs with 75lbs. I have the supertech's 78lbs that I bought in Oct 2011. The day they were installed upon starting up the car, is when I had first EVER heard the cold start noise and eventually leading up to chain slapping noise. My Motor has been built and will all be done by the end of the month. I had my machine shop machine the head to match the springs. I also had to buy all new timing components. One of the bolts that is located on the head near the chain(Intake side) was sheared off by the chain and fell into the oil pan. When we found this I was super happy that it didn't go anywhere else like THE CRANK as that could have been bad news. '


Also, I read somewhere on the first page I think, someone mentioning Performance AutoWerks Beefier tensioner. Yes, I got it and its installed but haven't had the chance to test it since I'm currently soldering my 5th injector into the car and finishing up with a few other things. Once I break her in and all I'll let you know.

Mr. Powell, your comment on going with 75lbs intrigue me and got me thinking about possibly getting 75lbs. I mean, are 78's overkill? I can understand guys with larger Turbochargers getting stronger springs for a higher powerband but what about for a BNR where I would be reving at most 7400?( As of right now since I haven't dyno'd and haven't seen where the BNR dies off, ultimately that is where I'll set the redline).

I have so many pics to share of my experience with all you but I'm currently in the middle of the ocean and our internet is...well of gay decent so uploading them would be a nightmare, but the first chance I get to upload them when I get to J-pan, I will. Cubaniche, thanks bud for all your help man. You were nice enough to take my call and chat about it. Great guy!!!! I'll call you when I get to Hawaii.

You know, I've done everything to match things and have the head modified for the springs, replaced all Lash Adjusters and Rockers, replaced a Valve, New Timing components, Valve stems seals etc and just seeing more and more people having similar problems once you make twice the HP as stock or so really gets me nervous still. I've spent(and I'm sure all of you have) a pretty penny building my engine and what not. I'd had for something(one component) to go wrong again or something. I guess you pay to play.