Priya's SX/4 project

[Prafeston]

Hey! I used the C!!!

[priya]

Hey! I used the C!!!

Way to go, Prafeston!

[standup650]

I wont risk running mine without zinc. i have done a lot of reading about it and talked to a lot of engine builders and it all points to the same thing. our engines need the additive. one guy i know that builds engines has a 55 gallon drum full of cams just to show his customers what the new oil does. it took him less than a year to fill it.

[Prafeston]

I'm convinced...making sure I add the zinc next time I'm due for an oil change!

[priya]

I wont risk running mine without zinc. i have done a lot of reading about it and talked to a lot of engine builders and it all points to the same thing. our engines need the additive. one guy i know that builds engines has a 55 gallon drum full of cams just to show his customers what the new oil does. it took him less than a year to fill it.

Could you get him to send me a picture of that drum full of cams?

[priya]

On second thought, an engine builder is going to throw out virtually every used cam that comes in if not every one so a picture of a drum full of cams wouldn't be convincing.

My husband has worked as an automotive technician for every year the zinc free oil has been in use,  he's seen dozens of cars come through every week, knows several mechanics, neither he nor any of the mechanics he works with have seen a systemic problem with flat tappet cams and zinc free oils. there's been no bulletins from automanufacturers warning to use zinc additives on non-roller motors, there's been no arcticles in the automotive trade publications, no one on the North American online automotive technicians network has mentioned it, the engine rebuilder that did my motor never mentioned it so I'm not buying it. 

If you want to debate zinc additives further please start your own comment topic about it.

[standup650]

WOW! i wasn't trying to be an  i was just trying help people out. believe what you want!

[priya]

I wasn't trying to be an either standup650, its just that I've heard this all before.  I'm sorry if I was too harsh.

[Prafeston]

No worries...priya just wants her thread to get back on topic...which would be that sweet SX/4 she's got!

[priya]

Thanks guys! 

[doneagle]

         HI    Priya the car is looking great the light blue looks good with the purple better then I thought ....
                the tick will eather go away or get louder wait and see .But I think it will go away Little by little
                The oil on the market today is better than it has ever been .  I love that car and the work you two
                are doing on it .......still a huge FAN .....and I mean huge.... keep up the good work......Don

[priya]

Thanks Don   

When I first bought the purple carpet and had the headliner redone in purple I thought it might come out looking pretty strange, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I like it.

[priya]

Ward and I headed out to the garage today to further investigate and hopefully fix the ticking noise coming from the motor.  Ward pulled off the valve cover and checked all the rocker arms to see if any were loose.  None were, but he found one pushrod was rubbing slightly against the hole in the head and after some thought pulled the pair of rocker arms and noticed the one with the rubbing pushrod was worn more on one side than the other where the valve stem rides.  He decided to replace that rocker with one with even wear.  He checked the torque on all the rocker arms and coudn't find any evidence of a bad lifter or any real problems in the valve train so we put the valve cover back on and started the motor.  The tick was still there but seemed less noisey.  

Not knowing what to look for next we went and got Ward's stethescope and he spent a few minutes listening to the motor in various places and found the noise was coming from the distributor.  After loosening the cap and retightening he found the cap wasn't sitting square on the distributor.  Reseated the cap, started the motor, and voila!  Ticking noise gone!  (I said right off the bat I didn't think it was a valve lifter noise).  It turns out all the time we thought the ticking was getting quieter was just our imagination.  The motor sure sounds sweet now.

The day wasn't a total success though.  After Ward loosened the valve cover bolts I noticed coolant on the ground and sure enough, it was dripping from the back of the motor.  Turns out the previous owner had attempted to install the aluminum valve cover and when tapping the holes had cut into the water jacket on one of the holes.  As the only workable alternative is to replace the head we put some silicon on the bolt for that hole and if it doesn't hold we'll replace the head then.

[Prafeston]

Well, that sure does suck about the water jacket. Hope the silicon fixes the problem so you don't have to replace the whole head.

[mudkicker715]

What dissy cap are you using? i just fired up wifeys stroker to hear a small tick. she has the big cap however. not tfi'ed yet but close. i was thinking lifters need to fill. it got better but not gone.