Valve train noise after head cam install

**94RX7LS-1** · 09-21-2006, 07:19 PM

I just had a set of Patriot stage 2 heads and a 226/226 112 cam that I bought w/ the heads installed on my '99 LS-1. Swapped over the stock lifters and rockers but bought new 7.40 push rods. The shop that did the work is owned by a friend of mine and I trust the quality of his work, though his experience with LS-1s is very limited. The car is a '94 Mazda RX7 w/ a T56
and 3.90 rear. It has long tube headers and a cold air intake . (didn't mean to ramble, sorry ) After all that, the cars valve train is very noisy, and seems to have less power than before the install. I'm going to have it dyno tuned tomorrow at 'Mikes Next Level Performance' and hope he can get the car to idle smoothly. The car pulled 328rwhp before the swap and I was hoping to get in the low 400's but w/ the low power and valve-train noise I'm a little worried. After tomorrows dyno tune I'll know more. Is the top end noise normal w/ those heads and cam ? I read that some people have hp drops before dyno tuning after the same installation.

**Redphoenix1998** · 09-21-2006, 10:18 PM

valvetrain noise is pretty normal, but if I were, I'd check your valvetrain geometry. ushrods may be a little long because you're running stage 2 heads meaning they most likely have been decked (material taken off) so you may need a short pushrod