Was wondering if anyone has had any issues with the 07 and newer style hydraulic cam tensioners?

My valve train is ticking badly on start up, decel and hard acceleration. Once the oil pressure is up or while Im cruising the valve train is quiet. I just replaced the tappets. I have screamin eagle +.60 perfect fit push rods and still cant get the valve train to quiet down.

Anyone have a possible answer?

 

If its quiet warmed up and running makes me suspect, and hate to say this but, the tappet clearance could be adjusted. Which you can't do with the pushrods you have.

Might look at 20-50 Amsoil or maybe 20-60 Red Line. Amsoil 20-50 is toward the high end for 50 wt oil.

I run, in Texas, 20-50 oil in the fall and winter and switch to 20-60 oil in the Spring and summer. If I lived in a little warmer area I would run 20-60 oil all the time.

But, what more that likely will help, is adjustable pushrods, adjusted 4.5 turns down from finger, just barely, tight.

Bummer about that leg.
My Dad had one leg like that.

 

I have been running Amsoil 20/50 for years. The racket my valvetrain is making is driving me crazy. When I get home on Monday from this roadtrip Im on Im gonna try swapping the adjustables back in and see if it stops the clatter. Otherwise the next step is replacing the rocker assmeblies.

The loss of my leg sucks, I would rather be riding two whels up instead of 3. But Im still able to get out in the wind this way

 

Some of the noise is also stiff valve springs I think.
I have done everything I can think to do about valve train.

Running stock chain cam drive. About 12K on it now.
Clearances opened up at covers.
Woods 160 springs set for 0.650 Lift but currently running a 0.575 cam. Woods 7H. good torque
Some have said bigger cam may quiet things down. Or less agressive ramps. Not a worry I am sure with the SE255 cam.
SE Forges support. Oil drain holes drilled.
Mounting holes bottom tapped and 1/2 inch longer Grade 9 sockets bolts with hardened washers used.
Whole set pushed to the pushrod side all it can. Not much really with the bolts.
SE cylinder studs
Axtell 107 cylinders
Forged flatops
S&S roller stock roller tips.
S&S shafts
S&S pushrods
Clearanced pushrod cover tubes. Thats easy to do.
S&S lifters
S&S travel liminters. These set 2 FLATS up from bottom. Comes out to 0.0104. (S&S calls for 1 turn or 0.0313.) My though is the cylinders grow more that the pushrods so the clearance opens a little, I figure.
Beiasly #1 spring(15& heaverier). Watching that, may go to #2 (30%)
Jagg oil cooler with thermostat.

TC lifters have way too much travel (0.200 total) but they came from Chevrolet roller tappets. Thing there is 65 plus oil pressure with that use.

Travel limiters close this, Total Travel, to about 0.06 inch or two Turns with a 32 TPI pushrod.
Also doesn't let the lifter bleed down much and close up the valves at starting time. Starts easier. Comes as a kit for about 20 bucks for stock type lifters. TC's use the smaller of two offered.

This engine is quiet except for some tapping at 2000- 2200 RPM. some harmonics I think. Dead quiet at 58 MPH or 2000RPM then a little tapping starts, but goes away by 2200RPM. Who Knows?

I have run HD a long time and other things besides.
Back in the solid lifter days I ran loose zero clearance on my shouvles. Ran OK and the vibration was less.
(Had to loosen them up though when the Wife was coming along or she complanined about the smoothness. We never went far though.) Good old days. Don't remember ever getting sunburned.

From a starting place with yours, which will not see 6200RPM ( valve float area maybe) Adjustable pushrods adjusted down 4.5 turns down will make a real big difference. This is the same as 1 1/2 turns up from bottom and will give about 0.055 clearance, more than enough.

This adjustment, by the way a lot of folks use, came to me from Bob Woods himself. It Works.

Good Luck.

 

Thanks for taking the time to give me some of your experience on this. I will be home Monday afternoon. I will post a new message Tuesday or Wed to let you know my results.

Tom

 

Yeah thats why I put all that stuff up there.

I've chased around this tapping and clicking a lot. At first it was a challenge. Now I'm tired of worring about it.

One thing, I have taken things apart a couple times and have never seen any kind of wear or damage from this noisy thing.
At stock rockers will probably be quieter.

 

Finally got the adjustable psuhrods installed today. Had to redo the rear cylinder pushrods due to a leaking O-ring that made a mess of the rear cylinder. The valve train clatter is down to 25% of what I once had with your advice of doing 4 1/2 turns on the adjustable pushrods.

I still get a little clatter on decel but for now Im gonna ride it and see how it goes. Im thinking my rocker arm bushings may have some excessive play in them.

Thanks again for the input Gunny it was greatly appreciated

Tom

 

Thats good.
If they didn't cost so much I would check out Jims lifters. Or at least look into them
Gotta be a better lifter design for the HD TC than the Chevy lifter.
But it was availible and serviceable I guess.