Ticking noise/timing chain

[dnthmn87]

I'm relatively new here, usually do more reading than posting, but haven't found any clues on my current situation.
I've got an 87 T-type limited, of which was bone stock until about 150,000 which is when I got it, about 7 years ago. First thing I did was replace the timing gears, chain, camshaft, and valve springs, and maybe pump gears. Starting the day I did the cam break in, it had a faint ticking noise. In the last 30,000 miles nothing at all has gone wrong, except the ticking has gotten louder. The sound couldn't be heard on one side of the motor more than the other, but it seemed real loud at the front of the motor.
I pulled the front cover, timing chain tensioner seems to be on correctly, and not worn out, but the chain seems a little loose. I had a mechanic suggest I throw a double roller on while I've got it apart. This car will probably never be faster than a high 11 or low 12 second car, especially not in the near future where i'm still in college eating ramen for 3 meals a day. The cam and springs were intended for a TA-49 turbo setup which it currently has. Any reason to go with the double roller? Could a loose chain cause a ticking noise?
Any help would be great! Thanks

 

[mikestertwo]

Are you sure the ticking isn't coming from the cam sensor? No reason to go to a double roller unless you want to. The stock setup with a tensioner works just fine. What cam and springs did you put in the motor?

 

[dpasadena]

The cam sensor in my higher mileage car used to rattle/tick pretty good. At first I thought it was coming from the timing cover area. Replaced the cam sensor and no more noise

 

[dnthmn87]

Are you sure the ticking isn't coming from the cam sensor? No reason to go to a double roller unless you want to. The stock setup with a tensioner works just fine. What cam and springs did you put in the motor?

208/208 cam I think, not sure on the springs. Better than stock, good enough for 12 second quarter mile is what we were shoooting for at the time. BTW, the chain is actually pretty loose, the sound was described by someone else to me as almost a rattling ticking sound.

 

[dnthmn87]

Just went an examined the cam sensor, seems to have alot of up and down play, and a little side to side. Are there bushings I can redo in there to tighten it up? And btw, the ticking/rattling noise was pretty loud last time I drove, like easy to hear over the Hooker dual exhaust, cat delete setup. The ticking noise went away upon deceleration, and was noisiest at idle. And how long should a timing chain last without stretching and becoming loose??? BTW I don't know how loose is can be and still be ok, there just seems to be alot of slack in it when you pull the tensioner back.

 

[turbojkt]

dnthmn87 is my son and I helped put the cam, lifter and springs in. If I remember right we got all the parts from the GSCA.

 

[dpasadena]

Just went an examined the cam sensor, seems to have alot of up and down play, and a little side to side. Are there bushings I can redo in there to tighten it up? And btw, the ticking/rattling noise was pretty loud last time I drove, like easy to hear over the Hooker dual exhaust, cat delete setup. The ticking noise went away upon deceleration, and was noisiest at idle. And how long should a timing chain last without stretching and becoming loose???

Rjc sells the cam sensor shaft rebuild kit

 

[GNONYX]

I'm in the process of replacing both sprockets, timing chain, and front rope seal. I too had the same problem of the ticking noise at start up, and as the engine warm up the noise disappear. The cam sensor has some up/down end play since it does have and I believe a waver spring washer and this is normal. Mine did have some side to side movement which this should not be, and because of this I'm replacing with a new cam sensor. I will replace the old cam sensor shaft as a spare unit with Rjc replacement Kit http://www.rjcracing.net/proddetail.asp?prod=RJC-CSR.

 

[dnthmn87]

RJC is sayin that his kit won't fix the side to side play, so I might try re-bushing it. I ordered a roller chain and sprocket set to throw on while its apart, and have a spare cam sensor to try if the chain doesn't fix the ticking noise. Thanks for all the input guys!

 

[GNONYX]

RJC is saying that his kit won't fix the side to side play, so I might try re-bushing it. I ordered a roller chain and sprocket set to throw on while its apart, and have a spare cam sensor to try if the chain doesn't fix the ticking noise. Thanks for all the input guys!

Yes you are right, I email to RJC and the same time as I wrote on thread #8 and they claimed the kit won't fit the side to side movement. I did spoke with Mike (m233roller) who also said you might need to re-bush it. Thanks for the follow up.