so here is the deal. i just traded an old ratty 94 silverado and got a 94 z28 and it has a big comp cam and pace setter headers and it ran good for a day the starter went out and yesterday i got a starter and now it has a knock. i think it it just a rocker arm but is that possible. i know a few were really losse. it also would not idle it would start and then die but if you keep it up around 1500rpms it would not die. i have been told that it could be bad rings letting oil thru and then killing it i was also told maybe valve guides. but i am not sure. Thanks for the help

 

IS it burning oil? If that much oil was getting through to kill the motor you would def be in a cloud of smoke when it is running. SES light?

 

i have not had it long enough to tell i dont belive it is and if it is its not all that much. i have noticed some smoke

 

First things first....get all the rockers where they're supposed to be. Those being loose will definitely cause a whole lot of noise and crappy running. Then look at the stuff coming out the tail pipe. If you know it has loose rockers get them tight then look into other stuff. The engine needs to be mechanically in "good" condition before you can diagnose anything else.

 

i was also told that since i have an insane big cam that i might have a bent push rod. cuz when i got the car it came with new rocker arms and push rods. i was also told that the oil pressure is always lower in a LT1 then what i am used to

 

easy way to check.....pull the valve covers, check that all the rockers are adjusted correctly, if you are unsure or find one that is not, then quickly pull the pushrod out and see if it's bent....or youi could just pull all 16 and check them, then reinstall everything, shouldn't take more than an hour and a half, and a pair of v/c gaskets......pretty cheap imo

 

this weekend i am gonna take a look at it and see what i can find.

 

The easiest old school way to check for bent pushrods is to roll them on a piece of plate glass. Any ticking noises and they're junk.....

 

My 93 LT1 with 127K miles shows 50psi at idle on a mechanical gauge.

 

Does noise happen, cold or hot, at idle or above idle, does it have the stock pistons in it?

 

50 psi at idle? that sounds way high.

 

Mine sits at 80 psi at cold idle. Never had a problem.

 

LT1 specs are 6psi at 6000 rpm,18 psi at 2000 rpm and 24 psi at 4000 rpm. Mine sits at about 20psi at idle.

 

6 psi at 6000 rpm? Are you sure? LOL

There are specs and there is what people see and aren't 'scared of'. The rule of thumb for adequate oil pressure in a SB is 10 psi per thousand rpm. that's after warm-up, cold numbers are always higher....

 

I looked at it again afterwork and it would knock and the oil pressure stayed steady. i have been told that my valve guides were bad and letting oil in past the valves or it was a valve stem seal. This weekend i am gonna try and get the heads off it replace the old push rods and rocker arms. there all stock and i got a big cam. i was told that it might be a bent push rod thats messin me up to.