Okay so my head is at this local machine shop getting some work done. Basically installing valves, springs, retainers, guides, and a mild p&p... well turns out some guy I know got his head done by this same machinist and now his head is giving him problems... well he says problems. He says the valves are making a tapping noise and no matter how much he tries to adjust them it won't go away...now to me this sounds like a error he problably but I dont really know much. The guy is blaming the machinst for the problem... what do you guys think? I mean how much error can a person make while installing a valvetrain? I have done it just to do it on spare single cam head I had laying around just for learning but never put them on a block and ran em to see how they came out... so how much error can a person make assembling a head??? And does this sound like his or the machinist fault? thanks for the input...

 

the guides could have been installed wrong. the seats might be messed up. the springs might not have been installed at the correct height. a lot of different things could have happened.

 

Like how noisy are we talking? Built motors always run mechanically louder than a stock OEM motor would.

So uh, if it's really bad, probably seals.

 

My Supertech valvetrain is noticeably louder than OEM. Most aftermarket valve springs have about twice the seat pressure as OEM, and titanium retainers are much lighter so I would think this is normal.


What all did he have done at the machine shop? New guides, resurface seats, valvetrain brand?

 

i mean how hard would it be for someone to install springs, valves and retainers wrong??? I mean the guy is experienced but with muscle cars... but i dont know.. i trust him i think

 

If it was a simple swap of springs, retainers, valves, and new seals then its pretty straight forward. Cutting seats, changing guides, and p&p can be complicated.

 

Precisely.

If a valvetrain component were installed incorrectly, the engine probably wouldn't run because it dropped a valve or something.