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Thread: oh-no...

  1. #1
    HammerDown
    Something odd happened today...fired the engine after sitting for a week or so, and I herd what sounded like a lifter rapping... after a few moments I shut it down...my thoughts were a lifter didn't pump up.
    BUT...after I pulled the valve cover I come to find #2 intake rocker was loose...the nut/lock (didn't) back off. Yea I know...wiped the cam, maybe
    I'm HOPEING that by some odd chance when I adjusted the lifters several weeks ago the pushrod was on the side of the hyd unit...and when it bled down the pushrod then fell into the center of the lifter....(possible)?
    Tomorrow I'll have to check the lift at the rocker with a dial indicator. It would be a first...and a blessing if everything is ok.
    Re-adjusted ALL the lifters...the engine's nice a quiet again.

  2. #2
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
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    10,871
    Hammer a couple alternative possibilities to cam flat...
    Push rod end and or rocker socket going away
    Rocker ball going away (if stock rocker)
    Rocker stud pulling if press in variety (doubtful you have but worth honorable mention)
    Lifter is crap (leaker)
    If the nut didn't move, part wear (including cam) or bad lifter are the only explanations I can think of for loose rocker. Or your valve seat is falling out moving the valve down.

  3. #3
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
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    4,409
    that is what happened to me a month or so ago,i was sitting on the trailer warming up the motor.eneded up dropping a valve seat and destroying the heads and pistons.

  4. #4
    HammerDown
    Thanks for the feedback...Iron heads so no seat to drop (scratch that one).
    I looked at the push aftermarket push rod + Crowler rocker, both appeared ok.
    Maybe a bad lifter...hard to say.
    :idea: One thing ...last time out just over a week ago, when I got back on the trailer I drained the old oil... came out clean. I didn't refill with new oil and filter until today. Yes I filled/primed the new filter with oil.
    Maybe because I waited soooo long I should have re-primed the oil pump via drill in the distributor...
    :idea: But I'm wondering if the suspect lifter was just starved for oil...as it is located in the very front of the engine. Sure was noisy though, kinda like piston slap!
    Either way, dial guage tomorrow so I can check for lift at the #2 intake rocker and compare it with some other intake rockers................................
    ...................................keeping fingers crossed (BIG TIME)

  5. #5
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
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    10,871
    Look at the bright side Hammer, even if your cam's flat you now know how to post pics of the damage. :shift:

  6. #6
    HammerDown
    Look at the bright side Hammer, even if your cam's flat you now know how to post pics of the damage. :shift:
    :notam: thanks.
    Well it appears that someone above was looking down on me as...the suspect lifter and cam lobe are fine. I should have been a surgeon (why) with much patience and two telescoping maginets I was able to get the #2 intake lifter out... :rollside: without removing the Intake !
    Both the lifter and cam lobe looked great so back in it went. (that took some time). I'll say for what ever reason maybe a speck of debris etc it held it open...or just that I changed the oil and it took longer for it to pump up, but it's fine now.

  7. #7
    SmokinLowriderSS
    Glad to hear nothing BAD happened!

  8. #8
    meaniam
    i have had the problem of annoying lifter rattle on 2 occasions first time in my 71 chevelle got ugly really quick was strret racing a 93 vet and could only beat him if he shifted first way high on rpm proably 7000 + when done with race heard teribble noise broke rocker studpush rod nailing valve cover rocker itself resting quitly on head i chalked that one up to to many rpm rocker got loose enough on studs creating enough to fail
    second time 70 el camino found the biggest hydrolic cam in part magizine shoved it in started up maybe not even 2 second later same noise cam to big for pressed in studs ripped stud right out
    the point of me writing this is becuase it does happen and instead of retightening the rocker over and over agian if it comes loose agian you may want to look at your studs broken stud not worth my money to have machined out then head helicoiled cost new head already in my garage you may not be as fortunate to have lots of parts kicking it and boat do turn long hard rpms :devil:

  9. #9
    SmokinLowriderSS
    There was the worst weak point of the old BB Chevy. Those pressed in rocker studs. ANY of those need to be threaded if you are going to run anything but the mildest cam. :supp:

  10. #10
    HammerDown
    Glad to hear nothing BAD happened!
    Thanks...actually I had the boat out for several hours today. Same lifter etc and everything was great. The more I think about it I belive it was due to a oil change, maybe the oil pump lost it's prime and it just took longer than I thought it would to pump the last lifter up.
    PS. Just for giggles...think I'll be gettine some ARP rocker studs. :wink:

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