Solid lifter conversion clearance specs

[marvinmartian]

A little info about the engine first,

-MC block and crank
-Pauter rods
-JE 4valve Pistons
-7A head w/ modified 4 port water outlet
-7A cams
-LS2 truck ign coils
-S4 water pump
-S4 serp belt & accessories
-GSXR 750 individual throttle bodies w/ o-ringed shafts
-Balance tubes between runners to help idle vacuum, cylinder balance, and drivability issues w/ itb's
-Water cooled IC integrated into a 2" ID runner intake manifold/plenum
-60-1 turbo
-3" full ss Exhaust
-ss exhaust manifold
-82lb/hr injectors
-8860 standalone (EMS)

Im hoping for a little under 600hp crank and maybe just under 700 with a different turbo.


More random pics here, http://s240.photobucket.com/albums/ff267/rabemotorsports/


I had bought the head used a while back. The valve guides werent worn too badly so i installed new valves, seals, lapped them and called it good.

I found out later that the guides werent installed all the way down and the valve keepers were smashing into the seal and the guide. It wasnt enough to break things but it was enough to deform the seals. It also managed to destroy the hydraulic lifters to the point where they were frozen solid and hanging valves open.

I just got new guides installed/valvejob again and ended up going with the 2 piece solid lifters from eurospec. I used .015" clearance on the exhaust and .008 on the intakes. I found this from UrQ bently and figured it would be close enough.

The valvetrain is very noisy. Its about half as loud as the your a quart low on oil lifter tick these cars do. The clearance is obviously too much but i dont know by how much.

Basically asking if anyone has any BTDT on solid lifter valve clearance with a 20v 5cyl turbo engine.

Thanks in advance.

[G60Rallye]

I am using a solid lifter set up on my engine. The cam set up is from catcams and they are suggesting 10 thou clearance on the inlet and 14 thou on the exhaust. So what you have set yours to would seem about right? Did you manage to get the right size shims at the first go of measuring?

[driftin jo]

What you have does sound about right to me, have you checked it since running it as it may be that the clearances are not what you measured when you assembled it ?
Oil under a shim could give you a small clearance when measured during assembly but after running it could be a lot more after the oil has been squeezed out and they have settled in.

[marvinmartian]

The valvetrain noise is the same now as it was at the initial start after installing the lifters. I spent about 10 hours specing them and they were all clean, and pushed all the way down.

I wonder if there is a difference between the ramp on solid cams vs hydraulic that helps with the noise.

I spun the feet in my lathe and used 400 grit wet sandpaper to get them perfect (the last .001") one exhaust valve has an extra thousandth, the rest are all exact.

[marvinmartian]

There is only about 3 hours on it now. I need a couple days away from it for my sanity then I will pull the valvecover n check them and post the clearances.

[Jonnybravo]

Out of interest what type of shims are you all using ?

Has anyone got a picture of some please

[marvinmartian]

I am using the 2 piece eurospec lifters here,
http://eurospecsport.com/products/co...0309%20TP_.jpg

http://eurospecsport.com/products/components/valvetrain-cam-folowers.html

They have one piece lifters that you can machine the foot down but i didnt know how to cut it to length and end up with a perfectly clean/flat surface.


So how much noise is considered normal for solid lifters? If i heard these on someones car i'd tell them they need their valves adjusted. I took a video to give an idea how loud it is but all the audio is garbled and you cant make anything out. I'd love to hear someones experience who did a solid lifter conversion with 7a or maybe other hydraulic cams.

[Audi_CQ]

I wonder if there is a difference between the ramp on solid cams vs hydraulic that helps with the noise.

It is

[speeding-g60]

here is my factory cams and my solid lifter cams... I-4 20vT. i see a little difference there, but nothing too awful noticeable. and with mine, CAT states clearly that this cam HAS TO USE mechanical lifters.