This from a engine noise discussion .
So a little update. I ended up shimming the cam from .029 end play to approx .005, and it did totally silence the noise for about 15 minutes of break in time. then I changed oil and went to go for a rip, first time I revved it up the noise came back. I said screw it and took a couple easy laps up and down the street. The noise goes away as it rev's it up so thats weird. Or its actually getting totally drowned out by other noises Im not 100% certain, but it sure seems to get quieter with higher rpm.
Once I get some more free time and motivation I will tear the engine back out again and open it up. Its a pain in the butt to pull the engine on this golf cart all the time. Im not sure if the case could have worn in a little bit, or the shims might have got ripped out somehow, no clue.