Secondaries Malfunctioning & Valve Noise?

[philjw90SHO]

I have a 92 MTX with 107k and we just got finished with the valve adjustment and intake manifold cleaning. I have two questions. First is that my front secondaries are staying CLOSED at all times.

When I shut the car off the stay closed, and with the car running the stay closed, and above 4000 rpms, they stay closed.

Wierd thing is the rear secondaries work perfectly. I checked the electrical connection at the back and its plugged in. When I disconnected vacuum hoses, I only disconnected them at secondary acuators. Then I plugged them back in when I was done. Nothing looks out of the ordinary. No pinched hoses. Could the hoses where the T is be backwards, Meaning that the front on the rear and the rear on the front. Does it matter. I don't know. Any suggestions.

Also, after the valve adjustment. (We replaced all but 4 valve shims with brand new shims) There is a noise coming from the valve cover area. It is a constant tapping noise, not loud but it didn't do it before. There should be oil back there. Any thoughts.

one more thing. I accidently stripped a little bit of paint off the rear intake plenum. How can I touch it up. Is there a name for the color of paint on the manifold. Can I buy it. Where can I buy it. Thanks

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

<small>[ December 15, 2002, 01:55 AM: Message edited by: philjw90SHO ]</small>

 

[Chrisssssssss]

Hey man,

are you sure that your secondaries are staying closed, not oped? I thought that if the car was off and there is no vacuum, then the secondaries should be open. I thought that it used the vacuum that the motor created while it was running to keep the secondaries closed. It then releases the vacuum pressure to open the secondaries.

Thus if the secondaries are not moving when the car starts to the closed position, I would check your vacuum hose routing and make sure that the vacuum lines are not pinched anywhere.
If it were the other way around and let's say that they would not open at 4000 rpm then it would be a whole different problem.

Please correct me if I am wrong, but I think that I have that right.

As for the tapping, I would have a look again at the shims around where you think that the sound is coming from. Check again the specs of those shims. I had a tapping and found the shim to be too tight (not enough clearance)

 

[sdpatt]

The only ways for one secondary actuator to operate and the other not is to have the hose to the nonworking actuator either pinched shut or not connected. Not connected would create an audible vacuum leak.

From the sound emanating from under the valve covers, it sounds like you need to remove the intake manifold again anyway to double check your clearances and whether or not the shims are properly seated. Did you plug the oil drain holes in the heads with something and forget to remove it?

<small>[ December 15, 2002, 10:37 AM: Message edited by: sdpatt ]</small>

 

[Bizzy]

there are little "arms" on the secondaries, I think they are stops that rest against the metal of the whole secondaries housing. When the car is off or they are open these little arms should be pointing towards each other in the middle of the engine. That is "open". I was having questions about my secondaries after I cleaned my intake, but now all the sounds, and power have returned to what feels normal after about 2 hours of driving.

I would believe that if there is a vaccum leak on the hoses that control the secondaries, that niether would work right at all. Can you move the accuator for the secondaries on your front back by hand? Is it possible that perhaps it is stuck.

 

[Blast7]

You could have a vacuum hose for the secondaries pinched underneath the intake manifold. I did this once but fortunately realized it before tightening everything down.

 

[Bizzy]

lol I nearly did that myself!! I was wondering why the 4 main hold down bolts wouldn't line up even with all the clamps loosened on the intake.