my car took a big shit on me yesterday. I was driving around town and i decided to start to break the upper rpms in slowly. I just got 500 miles on the other day. i figured that i would go up 1000rpms about every 50-75 miles. so the first time i go to 4grand i get this horidenous grinding noise. i first thought that somthing was my bov rattling on my hood or something.

it sounds like something loose more that anything else. But it sounds like its coming from the valve cover area (cams and etc). My first thought was that it was the clutch and one of the 4 bolts that hold the flex plate on was loose. so i pull all that shit apart and yes there was 1 bolt loose. i tightened all of those with a big smile on my face and started the car up the the damn sound is still there.

it is getting progressivly worse as time go on. Is there anything that i should check that maybe i wouldn't think of right off the bat?

the camgears are tight, i pulled the valve cover and the cams are torqued to the right amount and i don't notice any thing broken or damaged in there (lifters, springs, retainers. etc)

i'm taking it back to the place that built the engine on Monday, and hopefully they will figure out what it is. the wierd thing is that it just happend, no warning no nothing.

I have good oil pressure, no CEL, no Blow By, perfect idle, and doesn't overheat. and it doesn't seem to affect the way car runs, except for the loud grinding/metal noise that makes me cry.

Where is the noise coming from? Can you here if w/ the hood open standing in front of the engine?

ya you can here the sound with the hood open. hell you can here the sound with the windows up. I can't really tell where the sound is coming from is the other problem. This just really sucks, all i want is a car to drive :-(

Invest in a mechanic's stethescope. They're invalueable in these situations.

dude that sucks! I just did a rebuild also, didn't take it over 3k for like the first 800-900 miles, then rodded it...seems to be taking well to 5 psi.
Hey your from Oregon, I was just over in north bend and got a ticket....is it normal to get a ticket for $177? I was doing 78 in a 65?

Like Dino Said
Get a mechanics stethascope, that thing is worth the 6 bucks you may spend on it. The grinding may be as simple as you PS/AC tensioner pulley! get the stethascope, turn the car on, and poke the stethascope on everything and listen! if you cannot find the location, get a paper towel tube and put it to your ear and then ove around the engine bay. this will help locate the general area that the noise is coming from then you can use the stethascope to pinpoint it!
lates
james

hey optimus have u checked your alternator belt and powersterring belt. i had the same problem after i installed the head gaskket. a horrible grinding noise came out of nowhere and it kept getting worse and worse untill i could not take it anymore and it too sounded like it was coming from the valve cover..but it turned out to be my alternator belt was really lose and problem solved..phewwww
check them out...

i'll check the belt area guys. thanks alot.

and i have no idea what the norm for getting tickets is. i haven't got one before (knock on wood). I live in Bend, its no where near north bend but if your ever in the area then we should get together.

i pulled the belts and it didn't do anything. so now i'm just pissed off. thanks for the suggestion though

so it wasnt the belts... :wary

dropping it off at the shop tomorrow. so we'll see what happens

Try this out. A while back I was driving around and heard this god awful sound coming from the engine bay. So I pulled over and popped the hood. I listened around for a minute and could hear it clear as day. It became progressively worse as I revved the motor. I just so happened that the timing belt/cam gear cover was being rubbed by the timing belt. All I did was wobble it around a little with my hand and it has never happened again. Try it out before going to the shop. Unless there is no cover there.

Have you ran it with the belts off? Do that to make sure it is not the AC pump or alternator making noise.