<VV> Noisy OT Cams (was cam poll)

[kevin nash]

Ray- It makes sense that the cam is the cause, although I hadn't heard before that Otto cams
(particularly the TB's) were famous for being noisy until now. This is just another reason for me
to get my junkyard dog early turbo engine going (stock cam and corvair lifters) and pop the OTTO
cam out of the present engine. No matter what, before I put another new cam in, no matter what
the make is, I'm going to put it on a "cam doctor" to find out if it is going to be noisy before installing
it!
Kevin Nash 
 
> From: vairguy at echoes.net
> To: wrokit at hotmail.com; virtualvairs at corvair.org
> Subject: Re: <VV> Noisy OT Cams (was cam poll)
> Date: Thu, 10 Mar 2011 16:25:10 -0500
> 
> Kevin,
> 
> I'm dealing strictly in second hand information but I'd almost 
> guarantee that the Otto TB cam is the cause. The reason I say this with a 
> fair amount of confidence is that on the two or three occassions I've 
> personally had a conversation with someone complaining about a noisy Otto 
> cam it has always been an Otto TB cam that was the subject of their 
> complaints.
> 
> I'm not saying there is no such thing as a quiet Otto TB cam, just that 
> they have definitely been a problem for some folks. The last gent I 
> remember clearly, I met him at the DACC homecoming last year (may have been 
> canadian). He had a beautiful (yellow I think) turbo late model coupe with 
> stripes if I recall that he spared no expense on. The car was not present 
> at the show but he said every time he pulled into a cruise night everyone 
> would comment on the valvetrain noise and cite it as confirmation that 
> "Corvairs are junk" (That's just how he said it to me), and that it really 
> upset him given the time and money he had invested. I believe Bryan was 
> also involved in the conversation but I could be mistaken. Can't recall 
> which grind but I'm near 100% certain it was an Otto TB series.
> 
> Ray "Grymm" Rodriguez III
> Lake Ariel, PA
> 66' Corsa 140 coupe
> 63' Monza PG (winter driver)
> 65' Corsa 140 coupe (under construction)
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "kevin nash" <wrokit at hotmail.com>
> To: <virtualvairs at corvair.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, March 09, 2011 10:29 PM
> Subject: Re: <VV> Cam experience poll
> 
> 
> 
> > Ray- you are causing me to think that my noisy engine is caused by the 
> > cam! I have a OTTO tb-10
> > cam, (with the recommended valve springs, Ti valve spring retainers, heavy 
> > duty pushrods) and it
> > has been noisier than I'm used to hearing ever since I got it going (with 
> > this cam) in 2008. Originally,
> > I had the Source lifters in, but noticed that the engine was noisy, tried 
> > sealed power lifters (no real
> > difference in noise level), scored a set of NOS corvair lifters, put those 
> > in (slightly quieter, not enough to matter),
> > replaced all rocker arms and balls with the new clarks repro rocker arms, 
> > and again no difference in noise.
> > I gotta put a plug in for the new rocker arms- these really are very, very 
> > nice, very accurate repro of the
> > stock rocker arms, fit wise, but are a bit beefier, as the wall thickness 
> > on the new rockers has been increased
> > somewhat. I also replaced the rocker arm studs with new heavy duty ones, 
> > as some of the stock ones that
> > were in previously had an unacceptable amount of run-out. The rocker arm 
> > studs didnt help the noise level,
> > nor did any of the various valve adjustments that I did, nor the 2 
> > different pushrod lengths that I tried (+.06
> > and std.). The standard length ones are in now, and are the correct ones, 
> > as the wear pattern on the rocker
> > arm and the valve tip is dead center on both. My oil pressure is 25-30psi 
> > when warm at idle, and is 50 psi when
> > cold. I've experimented alot with various oil viscosities, going as high 
> > as 20w-50 (DONT DO IT!!!! very noisey) and down
> > to 0w-40, which seems to work the best.
> > Kevin Nash
>