it's looking more and more likely that i'm going to need to take the head back off my saph as i've done over 700 miles now sinse rebuild and the tappets are still noisy as hell.

it's only 1 maybe 2 of them but it's driving me insane now and i cant help but feel it's more than likely a blocked oilway going on what i've seen come out of another head that was ported by the same place that did mine it taps from cold but then shuts up once driven for a few miles but then as soon as you come to a standstill and leave at idle for a minute it starts again.

so my dilema is this.......it's bad enough i'm going to have to take it off and strip it down after spending over a grand on headwork plus new MLS gasket and headbolts but am i going to need to get it skimmed again? done just over 700 miles sinse it was last skimmed, had the block face skimmed too and used a MLS headgasket. i'm undecided as part of me is in pain at taking more thickness off the head but then the other part of me thinks i'd be a fool to not get it done incase there is a slight leak when i put it all back together.

your thoughts please peeps.

cheers
john

 

You can clean out totally the entire head oilways, with the head in situ, a bit cramped to do but no bigee.
The heads oil gallerys run on the outside/side of the head each side, and are plugged at each end, the oil drain back is easy to block with paper towel etc, and use a drill(in your hand) to check each oilway is clear, can take the plugs out each end and pull through with proper lace brushes to make sure everything is 100% spotless.
tabetha

 

As tabetha said you dont need to take head off to do oil ways also it might be worth taking the tappets out and checking them incase any are faulty then do an oil change.

 

What was your piston protrusion measurement from the block when you built the engine?

As long as the head face is perfectly flat still it won't need skimming if you decide to take the head off.

 

any idea where i can get the brushes to do this as i've been looking everywhere i can think to get some but everywhere i ask just sound confused!

 

I'll ask today, can't remember where I got mine, they're about 20 years old but still good.
I'm picking me pistons up today(hopefully) so will ask when I'm there.
If there is any crud it will be at the rear of the head in the oil gallery, usualy exhaust side is MUCH worse, due to being baked that bit hotter.
How many miles has the engine done anyway ?.
The tappets can be taken apart if any are sticky, just use a shot of compressed air in the oil hole on side, beware though to have the tappet in a rag to catch the innards as they fly out, very occasionally one will break the internal spring that pushes the ball against the seat, and that will cause rattling, but if you push down on each one with cams removed any not holding pressure will be immediately obvious, don't forget to squeeze the pressure out of them prior to re using, this is essential.
tabetha

 

tabetha, i don't believe the problem to be crud i believe it to be swarf from the machining on the head when i had it skimmed, ported and polished when i rebuilt the engine. the tappets are new ina items which i fitted a couple if hundred miles after rebuild as the tapping only started after i rebuilt it.

would it be a idea to take the bungs out then with the cams and tappets removed blow compressed air through the little feed holes where the tappets sit?

 

The bleed holes arre easy to clear with poking a drill bit or screwdriver or down each hole, there about 2" deep from memory till they bottom in the oil gallery.
It won't be swarf, but more powder like aluminum bits from porting, these won't block the oilways, they find thier way down ,and score the f**k out of the oil pump instead, as pick up strainer too coarse to stop these, head should have been cleaned after porting, before being rebuilt with valves etc.
You can certainly do as you suggest, it will do no harm, so long as oil drain back hole is well plugged.
tabetha

 

have you checked that the engine oil pressure is OK ? (worth doing even if the engine has been rebuilt - there have been plenty of horror stories about new oil pumps)

 

stack gauge is reading 80psi cold idle, 30-35psi hot idle after a good thrashing and runs at a constant 65-70psi during normal running.

is there any chance i could just be over worrying about things?
car has done 700 miles sinse a full rebuild, it's 2 tappets that are tappy at worst. just it's the most annoying noise in the world when you're spent all your savings rebuilding it and the 1st thing ppl notice is a tappy noise!

 

How about removing the cams and tappets, and then removing the dizzy and spinning the oil pump drive shaft with a drill to see if any oil squirts out of the tappet feeds ?

All this will cost you is a cam cover gasket, and you'll know if there are any oil supply issues.