Head vibration noise.

[4g63t]

I have been trying to track down a vibration noise for a while now. The car has bc 280 cams and bc springs and retainers.
This is not a ticking noise and it only starts at above 3500rpm. It is very high pitched. I thought it could be the alternator or water pump so I pulled the belt and nothing changed. I also remounted the coil pack and igniter thinking that they could have been vibrating on my smim. I also replaced all the timing bearings with oem.
It sounds like it is coming from under the vc. I took off the vc and everything looks in place.

My only theory at this point is a lifter roller that is vibrating when at the above rpms. I can stick a screwdriver between the wheel and the housing on the roller and wiggle them a tiny bit,. Is this normal? What are the specs on the play? Do I need shims under the lifters?

I will try to take a video of the noise tonight, just want some things to check from those who have tracked down this sort of thing before.
The car runs and the noise does not seem to effect the performance at all.

 

[marcman804]

I had a similar issue with the last head I had on my car. I had stock springs and valves but I had comp cam 101200 cams. It was very buzzy in the higher RPMs and it would actually vibrate the car really bad. At first I didn't pay it much attention but I noticed when I let the car sit at idle and WOT it smoked like it had a bad valve. From my research I believe my head had a cracked or broken valve spring. The car performed pretty decent but I ended up putting a new head on the car. Im still curious to what exactly caused this.

 

[4g63t]

It does not seem to vibrate the car but the buzzing sound is rite on. IT does seem to smoke every once and a while at idle. But I don't see how a valve seal could be causing this sound. I am going to get a stethoscope and take a video. Tonight.

 

[crimsondragon]

The roller has side to side play or up and down? A little side to side is normal. If it's moving forward and backward then you have an issue.

 

[4g63t]

The roller has side to side play or up and down? A little side to side is normal. If it's moving forward and backward then you have an issue.

just a litte side to side

 

[marcman804]

Let us know what you find out. It was more of an annoyance than anything. Im not sure if it actually hindered performance but I was to afraid to redline it or anything because it was awfully loud and buzzy. I was afraid something might damage the block or pistons if it were to break.

 

[4g63t]

OK here is a short vidio i took. You can here it a little in the video when i rev it.

Now it does not seem to be coming from the head... I bought a auto stethoscope and put it on each of the timing bearings the tension bearing area might be the couplet. I cant even leave the stethoscope probe on the bolt in the middle of the bearing when I rev it because it hurts my ears. That bearing is oem and has maybe 4k on it. And the noise was there before and after i replaced the bearing. So im thinking the tensioner might be making the noise Blahh..one thing after another. What do you guys think??

here is a link if the vid wont load.
http://s137.photobucket.com/albums/q218/lelej1080/?action=view&current=VIDEO0034.mp4



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[crimsondragon]

I feel like I hear belt whine. Did you tension the timing belt correctly?

 

[4g63t]

ITs not a belt wine even though it kind of sounds like it. I'm almot positive its either the timing tensioner/arm or bearing. I'm going to get some new ones coming and go from there. Im just glad it is not in the head!