The 54-3100 has made the transition. But I've got a concern. I've got a pronounced "growl" in the cam drive line. I need some input from some 235 guru's. Just some background information:
The engine is a 56-235 car engine. I pulled the pan, no sludge or metal residue. 848 head. Valve train the same, plenty of oil to the top, oil pressure runs just a tad under 40 cold and maintains 30-35 when hot and at 1800 RPM. Compression is 135psi across the board. No knocks or strange noises from lower end. Rocked the engine and can detect no excessive timing gear slop. I suspect that someone has gone through the engine. Haven't pulled the timing cover. Opp's!
However, I discovered that the PO had used an older distributor from a forged cam engine in this cast cam engine. Installed the correct dizzy, growl still there!
My questions are:
1. Has anybody experienced the same sort of noise and is there some way without tearing the timing cover off to analyze this condition.
2. Would you drive it or recam/timing gear set/lifters/pushrods, possibly new rockers?
4. If you've replaced the fiber gear with an aluminum cam gear, was it appreciably noisier than the original. (Am I hearing things?)
3. If recamming is the word...which cam for a T5, 3.08 diff, 29" dia tire, Fentons into 2" exhaust, Holley/Weber 2 bbl. I want to retain the low end torque and am not interested in a high revving combo. Would I be better with a stock 261 cam or a m4F?
That about sums it up. Sure hope you folks can give me some steerage. I don't relish pulling the sheet-metal/cam/pan/timing cover but also don't want to wind up with a bunch of bent valves and ruin a good engine.
Thanks in advance,
Dave
