Got towed home, it fires right up, idles smooth, but it feels like it is running on 6 or 7 cylinders. There is a definite rocker slap on the driver's side bank. We were 1 hour into the camping trip when it happened. We were both commenting on how well it was running. It was pulling the grade just fine, didn't get hot, nothing bad and then it made an odd sound and it maintained semi-decent power until the next exit. Just wanted off the freeway as quickly as possible. Pulled off and parked with it running, checked tranny fluid, and listened. To me it sounded valve train related. Was going to limp it home on backroads, but there weren't any that could get all the way home without needing to hit the freeway. Called for a tow. Now regrouping, and contemplating going camping a day later.
The heads are fresh vortecs from GM Performance Parts, barely 1,000 miles on them. Without tearing into it, I suspect a lifter quit, the cam quit, or a push rod got bent.
I have this GM Performance Parts cam and lifter kit laying in my work room, a GM# 12364051, I bought it when I bought the vortec heads. I cannot remember the specs on it, but if my memory hasn't failed me, it is good from idle or 1500 rpm to 4000 rpm. I am thinking if I have to tear into, may as well replace instead of troubleshoot. If a pushrod is bent just get new ones. And I will get fresh cap, rotor, coil, and wires, because I am not sure when the PO replaced it all. Plugs were replaced with the heads, and this engine just passed emissions with flying colors, dang it this sucks.
I do run the crappy Cali fuel but I do splurge and run Chevron 91 octane in all my vehicles.
I have been writing pulling from my memory brain, and sharing stuff from returning home from the tow. I do think it is valve train related, because there is definite slap under the valve cover. I am not tearing into the engine right now, I need to fulfill some plans that ran into a snag.
Thanks for the input, with your input I know where to look when I tear into it.
