rickyhils

I have just removed and inspected cam, rockers, HLAs, and valve ends on the left side of a 1991 Loyale SPFI non-turbo. Will get this all back together today and then just be happy that this rebuilt long block runs as well as it has over the past few weeks. I just felt better in double checking that left cam tower. Now it's time to just drive it. * Cam shaft turns smooth and solid using fingers. * All oil holes are clear and that banjo bolt oil spray assembly is clean and the long spring is doing it's job. So, at higher rpm (and higher oil pressure) more oil squirts directly on each cam lobe? I'm impressed. * HLAs feel hard and cannot be depressed with using only fingers. In a vise they did start to ooze out oil at the hole. So, all good on the HLAs as tested? My old engine w 326k miles had HLAs that would easily compress using just fingers. And in a cup of oil they would not pump up at all. * Valve end. Only one valve looks like the measurement from the keeper to the valve tip is not exactly as the other three. There is a pic here of that. Would guess that it is no issue. Anyway, all valve springs are there. * No remarkable wear marks at rocker/cam lobe areas. That's after maybe a cumulative 10 hours of idling over the past two weeks and 20 miles of local driving. I did not "baby" the acceleration. I just drove it like it should be driven. And the oil [10W-40] has been closely checked over the past two weeks. * It seems like EA82 rockers have a minuscule "barely perceptible" horizontal flat spot about in the center of where they contact the cam lobe. It can be felt using bare fingers. Am not concerned, but just asking. * And, just curious. Looks like all EA82 cam lobes have a little steep "bump" in the curve just as they reach full height. I guess that is part of the standard cam lobe design. Now, time to put it back together and drive. And I will NOT forget that "o" ring [Subaru OEM] where cam meets the head.

And it might just be that HVLAs in tip-top shape would cause that left side cam to run quieter. And if I go in there I'll check as many oil paths as I can.

Thanks. I trust your judgment and I had a feeling I was a bit overly concerned there. So, I'll just drive it as is. And I do have the other 8 HVLA in that engine I just removed. I'll contact Mizpah. Thanks.

Dave T - I hear you re: the 10W-40. I am in Los Angeles County. Not ever very cold.

I think I have the disease called - "I spent so many hours/days on my car, so why does it not sound perfect?" Do I dare put a bottle of Marvel Mystery Oil in the crank case, let it idle for twenty minutes, then change back to all 10W-40? Or should I just drive it? I just don't want to have any possible cam shaft premature and accelerated wear.

Here is some audio. There is some added static from the electronic ignition that my digital recorder is picking up in it's circuitry. Subaru Sound (2) to mono.mp3 Subaru Sound (7).mp3

I used 10W-40 oil. Maybe 10W-30 will cause the left cam to sound normal.

The oil pump was spun with a drill and a socket, and plenty of oil quickly went to the disty slot on the cam. That was when engine was still on the stand. Engine did sit for a good long while after rebuild. However, there has never been a "tick of death sound" at all. I know that sound well from the other engine. You are saying rev for 20 seconds. At what r.p.m.? Have already test driven at 3k rpm.

The disty rotor is not chewing into the cap. Can only look at rockers and HLAs for the answer.

The disty rotor I can double check it's path clearance by comparing to removed engine. Could be that at least one HLA is somehow stuck at a way high position. If it is, then maybe that could cause that one cam lobe to sound "different". When rocker cover off I will try to push on the HLAs. Can compare it with a working HLA from old engine. I do know that all four HLAs have plenty of oil.

That chafing sound is coming from inside the cam carrier and not from the belt and cam gear.

I am not grasping how belt tension can affect a single cam/rocker.

I've run with no TB front covers for years now. Maybe try adding some more slack a bit more on that side? Or, I might just put on another new belt that I already have.

EA82 left side cam has a chafing sound. 400 or so times per minute at idle. Has got to be a single cam lobe/rocker making that sound. Stethoscope on right side cam has a more uniform machine sound. Left side sound is not a clunking or scraping sound, but like a chafing sound which does not sound overly loud so not really alarming. Car runs well. Rebuilt engine has only 25 miles and maybe 6 extra hours at idle spanned over one week. Could this be a "breaking in" sound? The rockers are sitting squarely last time I checked. And there is plenty of clean oil getting there.

I will be back here for sure. I will be putting a lot more local miles on this car. I'll look out for a few extra spare parts. I have an extra oil pump [Beck Arnley], front wheel hub, OEM starter and and OEM alternator. And a backup C/V axle. Car is FWD. Important to get that axle nut up to 150 ft/lbs or hub splines will strip out. And on the hub centerpiece I ground off that outermost "lip" that forms over time. There is still enough "meat" on it for the "THIS SIDE OUT" washer to give a good push on it. Onward.

I still had a rough idle and erratic acceleration. So I swapped out the NGK plugs for another set and double checked the gap, making sure the plug wires were firmly attached. The car now runs well. Once again it is a fun and reliable drive. Gotta hand it to them Subaru cars. And there is that thin metal wheel well panel that the left tire would rub against when steering hard right. It was bent outwards enough to have the tire make contact and the horrible scraping sound I first thought to be the outer CV joint self destructing. I had bent [pulled] that panel inwards when fighting the strut back into the steering knuckle after changing the axle. Point is that even well researched and correctly done repairs by the novice can quickly lead to causing peripheral problems. That's why good professional mechanics are worth every penny.

The exhaust has new OEM gaskets and the studs and bolts are ok. I did make a small galvanized steel cover for the driver side EGR outlet at the exhaust pipe flange. This EA82 was from a carb fuel system. The sound is emminating from the cam areas, and slightly more on the driver side. This engine has less that 20 miles on it. And maybe an extra 3 hours max of running time at idle, spanned over a week or more. Plenty of oil is getting to the cams and I checked today that the rockers are solidly on the HLA and valve.

I used the stethoscope. Nothing inside that sounds like a rod bearing. It sounds like the parts are working together reliably enough. I keep the revs below 3,500. I'll change the oil filter after a few hundred miles and, out of curiosity, cut it open and run a magnet over the elements. Just to keep tabs on it. It is running stronger than the old EA82 with 327k miles on it. As stated before, it was found locally on Craigslist for $100. Unknown who did the rebuild. And the new clutch is working ok. Part of it is that I was imaging problems that were not real problems. Different from you guys with all that experience.

Am going out now to get the stethoscope. And the cam is ok with plenty of oil getting in there. Rockers are in place on HLAs and valves..

Ideally you can get it to make the noise while adjusting the throttle by hand to vary RPM's and have a stethoscope to narrow down timing area (front), valve train (sides), or something else. Yes. Will get a stethoscope. But why is the idle so erratic? I will get new wires and rotor and cap.

idosubaru- Yes. The sound is like a "chuch chuch" noise rather than a metal to metal solid "clink" sound that a rod might make. All things considered, I'm more happy that you suspect that same cam/rocker side. I just now triple checked that the timing belts and TDC "0" with rotor at #1 are correct. I will take off the cam cover and have a look. FWIW yesterday I did a compression check and all 4 cyl read 120 psi. That check was when engine was still warm.

Last week a COLD compression test read 125, 130, 135 then cyl #2 read ZERO w/ open exhaust valve. Got that sorted out. Now there is a noticeable little "chunk chunk" sound on the left side. It is not cyclical and steady but a bit random. Revving the engine up to 3k rpm does not aggravate it. And when letting it quickly drop back down to idle there is no metal to metal "clinking" sound. I need to asses if it is either a bad connecting rod bearing [incorrect rebuild] or the cam shaft/ rockers/ valves. Oil pressure is good. The timing on the disty is exactly where it was on old engine. So, no ignition "ping". Timing belts were checked. Left cam [driver side] UP and right cam DOWN while at /// timing mark. Then rotate CW to "0" degrees with rotor tip pointing to #1 [hill holder]

This morning did a retension of the head bolts. All were still at 47 ft/lbs . Yesterday all cylinders had 120 psi. Compression test done while engine was still up to temp.

And, What causes that irregular "putt-putt" sound from the exhaust? Could it possibly be from the SPFI throttle body gasket? Can I clamp off that small water hose to the back of the throttle body to test?

Yeah. And the sliding mechanism on the inner was maxed all the way out.