If the timing set is contacting the cover you can always 'clearance' the inside of the cover a little for more room. I did that with my switch to a Cloyes double roller chain.

I think I would be concerned with shimming the cover out. If the drive pin in the cam is marginally reaching the cavitiy in the back of the opti a few thousnaths of shim could make it less than reliable....maybe

 

I only clearanced the timing cover for the (cloyes double roller) chain. I need to pull the oil pan and cover and grind some off behind the opti seal. I'm 95% sure this is the problem and I will know for sure after I pull the cover since I sprayed primer on the inside to identify clearance issues. With the opti out I'm measuring the clearance with feeler gauges to be about .010" from the timing cover to the cam gear; way to close.

Synchro, since your engine builder is probably liable for an internal clearance issue such as this, take the car to him and have him fix it. You don't want to keep driving it since you're just slowly running aluminum filings through your oil and bearings.

 

Engine is being pulled tomorrow and will be back at the builders on Monday. Sucks I have to do it that way, but that is the only way I can get this issue looked at and resolved in a timely manor. I plan to give them all these suggestions when I take it in. i will make sure to let you know as soon as the find anything.

 

Well the timing cover does not appear to have been touched by the cam gear. I'm out of ideas now. The only option left is the timing set.

 

If the dowel pin is too long it can break the bearing retainer plate in the opti and cause the rotor to rub against the cap. While you have the opti off measure the dowel if it is to long try tapping it in before you shim the opti. LF

 

I took the opti off, put play doh in it and put it back to measure the dowel. there is lots of room in mine. wouldn't even come close to bottoming out. i dont think the dowel is the problem here.

 

While checking the water pump drive gear, pull the inner water pump shaft bearing (in the block) and check it also. I had to replace mine. LF

 

Are you sure that the opti is fully and properly engaged in the cam? There are o-rings that make it tough to get the opti properly engaged in the cam. The opti should sit flush with NO space between the opti mounting holes and the timing cover.

In another words, you should not be drawing the opti to the timing cover with the mounting bolts....it should be flush with it..no pressure to get it that way.

I had a hard time getting the thing to seat in the cam and if you don't get it right, it will put pressure on the rotor and bearings to the point it could destroy it.

There are two o-rings that engage into the cam...the first one is no problem, it's the second one that is tough.

 

I remember the fillet on my callies stealth crank snout not allowing the crank timing gear to go back as far as it should. When I ran a straight edge the crank timing gear (I think) was like 1mm further out than the cam timing gear. I wonder if this slight misalignment could cause that sound at idle?

I suppose I'll pull the crank gear and chamfer it so it clears the crank snout fillet ans sits further back.

 

Have you found anything yet?
My engine is out and at the builders They will be going though it this week sometime.

 

The chamfer was plenty big. There were however large gouges I made somehow (probably when I pulled it the first time). The crank gear was probably 1/2mm from seating all the way back on the crank due to the burrs. I'm going to call Cloyes tomorrow and ask them if they're ever heard of this.
When I put a straight edge across the crank gear it still looks like it's sticking out 1mm further than the cam gear. I do have an aftermarket crank (Calles Stealth 3.75" stroke).

Be sure to let me know if the shop figures anything out because I'm at a loss.

 

Well i got the Engine back today, this is what they found, the Reluctor was contacting the timing cover. they clearanced the cover and put it all back together. I wont know for a few more days until I can get it all back together if that was actually the noise. I hope that was is though

 

Any updates?

 

hey man,
Yea, well I got the engine in, and fired up. the noise is still there. so it was not the reluctor. i am totally out of idea's and i have not called the engine shop back. i will be doing that next week to see what they say for options. I am a bit ticked off right now lol

 

What crankshaft and harmonic ballancer are you running?