[T3] clacking valves cont'd...:(

[David Yaghoubian]

I drove ~20 miles and did the valve check dead cold. Readings are not 
encouraging:

#1 Exhaust .013, Intake .012
#2 Ex .004  Int. .008
#3 Ex .006  Int. .006
#4 Ex. .004 Int. .006

My current hypothesis, putting everything together as best I can, is 
that I am the Pwned by Lack of ZDDP posterboy of 2011. I'm guessing 
the cam and lifters (and potentially front cam bearing) are severely 
worn...exponentially towards the front of the engine based on the 
pattern in the clearance readings. The #1 exhaust adjustment screw is 
now completely flush with the locknut. I still can't figure out how 
that steel #3 exhaust pushrod bent, but my guess is that the impact 
of the force that bent it either screwed the cam, the lifters, the 
front cam bearing (which is closest to that pushrod) or all of the 
above. Perhaps it was the inverse... worn cam/bearing/lifters bent 
the rod somehow? I'm thinking ZDDP lack could be the culprit, since 
this engine has been obscenely well maintained and pampered, and to 
this day has never skipped a beat.

I'm going to drive it 20-30 miles again and repeat the valve check, 
but if the trend continues, I'm going to run out of thread on the #1 
ex. valve soon. Hence, I think I'm looking forward to pulling the 
engine soon and replacing the cam, lifters, and cam bearings at the 
very least. Thoughts? Also, I checked the printed spec sheet from the 
build dyno test and under cam it says "TM-10". Does that ring any bells?

Thanks again all,

Dave Y.
68 sqbk