Loochy88

iTrader: (2)

The engine on my 99 z28 seems to run fine... it idles and drives well, no insane noises (there is a slight rattle when you rev in neutral, with the cutout open... but it seems to be coming from the exhaust). Ive never opened up the engine, and it has less than 40,000 miles. I purchased it at 35,000 and have changed the oil with mobil 1 5w30 every 2000 since i bought it.

This was stuck to my drain plug when i changed my oil today.

Is it a bearing of some sort, or maybe some kind of pin? Is there any way to tell?

Turbo LS1 SS

iTrader: (7)

looks like a lifter pin

nofearracing28

iTrader: (7)

rocker needle bearing? i've never actually seen one, but its real common.

Loochy88

iTrader: (2)

the lifter pins are that small?

common, maybe, but how bad? can i drive it to work this week, or do i need to pull the valve covers immediately?

ls1pwrdss

iTrader: (74)

Yes My Friend That Is A Roller Rocker Bearing Order You A Set Of Scorpion Roller Rockers Now.

Turbo LS1 SS

iTrader: (7)

i would def pull the valve covers, and at least pull and inspect the rockers. and he is right, it is more likely to be a rocker bearing

5_02ls1

iTrader: (20)

yep im gonna go with a needle from your roller rocker fulcrum.....id say you could find a good low mileage set in the f/s section of this forum.....def replace them though

Loochy88

iTrader: (2)

so i really can't drive the thing like this? its been running fine...

how bad is a rocker arm replacement? the farthest i've ever gone inside is pulling the valve covers on my 3.8 to replace the gaskets.

nofearracing28

iTrader: (7)

i wouldnt drive it very far. Get a set of used ones or send them off to a vendor(can't remember the name) and they will fix the problem.

Turbo LS1 SS

iTrader: (7)

unbolt the rockers, put the new ones on, tq to 22 ft/lbs. no big deal

o2camaross

iTrader: (2)

the hardest part about changing the rocker arms is taking the back bolts off the coilpacks, other then that Turbo LS1 SS said torque to 22 ft/lbs and you'll be fine.

Old SStroker

That's just the size of a needle in an LS rocker fulcrum. They are trapped in the rocker,fulcrum bearings and a real bear to take apart, so for one to be missing, the bearing retainer would be broken. In that case you might find one loose rocker. If that were the case I'd replace it with a new stock one. They are not expensive. I'd buy a rocker from GM before I took off the rocker arm covers. You could always return it.

Someone could have been inside the engine before you got it and left the needle in there. It seems strange to only find one.

Loochy88

iTrader: (2)

thanks for the help so far guys. i would have never identified that.

ok, so i took off the drivers side valve cover first to look, and got lucky. there it is staring me in the face.

now my problem is that so far i have only recovered one other needle bearing from under the cover. I read in other posts that i might need to pull the pushrods to feel for more bearings. also, could they be in the exhaust... is that even possible?

i assume that a few have flowed out in past oil changes. i suspect that it has been this way for a while.

now, when i replace the rocker, can i simply unbolt the old one and bolt the new one on, or are there any special processes i need to follow. The haynes manual is saying you have to rotate the engine to particular positions and tighten the arms in a particular order... im just doing one arm, so that wont apply here will it?

Turbo LS1 SS

iTrader: (7)

just unbolt it (BY HAND), and put the new on in. make sure its centered on the valve tip as you are tighening (BY HAND).... you need an accurate tq wrench. tq it to 22ft/lbs. inspect everything. valve cover back on.....GO

Loochy88

iTrader: (2)

i have a couple harbor freight cheapo clicker type torque wrenches, and a craftsman beam one like this .... which would be more accurate?

i suppose theres nowhere i could get a stock rocker arm on sunday.

Tri5Nerd

iTrader: (3)

Set both to 22 FT #, try the crafsman first, then try the HB, they should both click at 22FT LBs.

Travis99LS1

iTrader: (2)

dont use the beam type...there garbage..

98Camarod

iTrader: (43)

lol at the Dare ruler that was what, 5th grade if memory serves me right

Old SStroker

You need to make sure that valve is fully closed before you work on the rocker arm. If you remove that spark plug and slowly turn the engine over by hand with your finger covering the spark plug hole, you will feel air coming out of the spark plug hole under pressure. When it stops you are near top dead center on the compression stroke and both valves are closed. Stop there and replace the rocker arm. If it sucks your finger in, keep rotating until it "blows".

About the only place the needles can go is into the oil pan. They should settle to the bottom and/or stick to a magnetic drain plug. There is no way they should be able to get into the cylinders, nor should they get sucked into the oil pump. I'd just make sure I had a magnetic drain plug and look for more rollers at every oil change. I don't recall the total number, but if you dismantle the old rocker you should be able to determine how many are missing.

Unless you have a GM dealer service department open on Sunday in your area, you are SOL for a day or so.

FWIW, the stock LS rocker is a good piece. It is light, strong and stiff. True, the fulcrum and bearings are it's weakest point, but I wouldn't go to aftermarket rockers on a stock engine until I needed more ratio and was using a higher-lift cam with a lot more valvespring load.

Jon

Loochy88

iTrader: (2)

well, i jumped the gun, and allready took the rocker off because i wanted to see if the pushrod was bent and if i should get a new one when i got the rocker. how can i be sure its ok to put a new rocker on now? if i turn the crank a bit while feeling that pushrod and i dont feel it come up or down, i can assume it was closed, correct?