Thread: new noise after V8 cam install

I'm no expert but 30 seconds at 2000 rpm with no oil pressure is bad. Maybe there's big end bearing damage? Might be a good idea to get a gauge and see what the oil pressure is doing.

If they installed a dual rollmaster chain , then have a look at these pics, there are rub points in the timing case, one at dizzy input there is a lug in the casting that will interfer, and the oil pump cover gets a scrape from the link pins.

I am darned if I know why you had the cam reground . New ones are not that expensive.
This will reduce the cam follower preload which is not adjustable (easily) in an RV8.

If you do something like this you MUST check the follower preload with a gauge to have between 20-50 thou "pressure" on the cam follower on the base of the cam. If there is too little the fix is to machine the bases of the rocker pillars
Aside from other possibilities, it is likely one or more tappets have no preload and this is causing the noise.( which is the same tappet clatter as with a worn out cam)
Regard sPhilip A

Originally Posted by pibby

had a new cam put in by an independent land rover workshop

I was in the workshop when they started the engine first time with the new cam and were bedding it in. ........ after the bedding in was done ...... engine was idling I noticed a noise which I would describe as similar to the sound of tapping the inside of a wooden mug.


Drove it from Melbourne to Hobart a couple of days later


I’ve had the hose and screwdriver on to it trying to identify the location but no luck.

I had to snip up the quote a bit ...... What did the mechanic say it was?


Use your screwdriver and listen veeeeerrrrrry carefully on the top of the rocker covers .... Close your eyes and move its position 1" at a time along the length of it






or .... Take it to JC

can't remember what timing chain was used. will have another listen and see if the noise can be isolated to the timing cover, when i checked previously it didn't seem to be.

philip - i asked cam shop if there would be a prob with regrinding (it was their suggestion - i've got little experience of this stuff at a hands on level, i did the reading and checked it was ok to use the reground cam). also checked with the workshop doing the install. they all said ok. you're right they are cheap items but i can only go on the advice of the experts ie those who do this for a living, that it would be ok.

if it is the lifter preload, any one know of a method how to check without taking plenum and rocker covers off?

additionally, if it is lifter preload does this mean i am probably the only person running around with special lo-lift lifters??!! but more seriously, if this is the case is there any damage being done?

when driving around today i poked my head out the window at low speed and could still faintly hear the noise - so it's present not just at idle.

Originally Posted by mike 90 RR

What did the mechanic say it was?

they said they didn't know what the noise was. without implicitly saying they were b'sing me i just made sure they were aware it was there. i was on the boat a day or two after heading home. car has only recently gone back on the road so will check a bit more and if appears to be related to something they have done shall call them. i'm heading that way in a few weeks time.

Originally Posted by mike 90 RR

or .... Take it to JC

yes, he's a busy boy and is rushing madly to get things clear before he heads off for easter. had to put a new kickdown cable in and after sizing it up last week thought i would rather pay someone with a hoist to do the job but jc couldnt fit it in till after easter. after doing it over the weekend, i really wish he could have!



shall recheck with the screwdriver along the length of the rocker cover. did that with the hose holding it on various spots but only a couple of spots with the screwdriver so shall recheck and hopefully be able to zero in on it.

philip - i asked cam shop if there would be a prob with regrinding (it was their suggestion - i've got little experience of this stuff at a hands on level, i did the reading and checked it was ok to use the reground cam). also checked with the workshop doing the install. they all said ok. you're right they are cheap items but i can only go on the advice of the experts ie those who do this for a living, that it would be ok.

The way you check it is to take off the valley cover and make up a gauge, usually from a piece of coat hanger about 100MM long . You make a right angle about 3mm long on each end and file one end down to 20thou and one to 50 thou. If the thin one goes in between the circlip and the plunger and the big one doesn't then it is OK. All should be checked on the back of the cam ie TDC firing.
The mechanics putting it together should have done that.

Grinding a cam used to be very common on pushrod engines with adjustable tappets. Any out of spec can be compensated for by just adjusting the tappets. But not so in a RV8.
Look, maybe they metal sprayed the cam to retain the original dimensions or only took a liitle off, but it is a strange thing to do with an RV8.
Just to confirm I had a look at P78 of How to Power Tune Rover V8 Engines. Des Hammill states
" The standard camshaft cannot be reground successfully to its original profile,or to an alternative high performance profile. The lobes are almost always worn too far for a standard regrind and , in addition, the lobes are just too small to be ground to a higher performance profile."

Maybe yours is the exception that proves the rule , but there is a high correlation of coincidence .
Regards Philip A

So I’m wondering out of the above work done to the motor what could be the cause of the new noise? My limited knowledge of this area is hoping it is a matter of the lifters not being shimmed either correctly or at all on the install.

It is more likely that there is NOT ENOUGH preload. In this case the rocker pillare have to be machined down. All in all IMHO , it is much easier to fit a new cam. Too much preload where shimming is necessary will not cause a noise, but the lifters will pump up earlier at high revs.

G`day Brett

is it a sharp or hollow noise ?

Someone that knows what a lifter tap sounds like should be able to pick a lifter noise straight away .

Depending on the age of your rocker arms , there is a batch of arm casting #s that are known to be a likely cause a valve train noise that could be interpreted as a lifter tap .

I`d suggest if a lack of preload the noise should be constant .

Does it make the noise from cold and at running temp ?

Did it make a similar noise only greater when they ran it with the oil light aglow ?

Are you aware of the type and/or thickness on the head gaskets fitted ?

Peter