[downest]

Well, I'm not really driving it because I don't want to mess anything up.

I checked the LMAs and they sprung back fine, but I took them out and let them sit in oil for a few hours, and pumped them in and out while they were submerged. Reassembled, checked the valve lash again. A couple of the intake valves were a little tight, so I got everything the same, 006 intake and 008 exhaust as per the Crower specs for the cam. Retorques all the bolts in the head, but nothing was really off anyway. Set the timing to 12BTDC. Then when it was warm I changed the oil.

I used a clean pan to check for metal flakes or anything that would indicate a bad bearing, didn't see anything. I even took the filter apart to see what was in there, what a pain in the ass. I didn't want to hacksaw it because that would put more metal flakes in there, so I mangled it in the vise and used a hammer and chisel/screwdriver. Nothing. There was a little piece of RTV, on one of the circumferential holes that's visible on the filter when you hold it normally.

I did a compression test after that, 200-220-220-200. I think the middle two had a little oil in them still, as it was on the plugs. I regapped the plugs from 025 up to 035. Started it back up and it ran smooth, the knock is again intermittent, now it's quieter and at higher RPM only when it does appear. I'm stumped! I'm going to borrow a laptop later if I can and see what my AFRs look like, but it's louder than what I've heard detonation to be with my old motor (more of a clatter than a metallic buzzing).