TomXTC

I recently found some needle bearings during an oil change. I posted a photo here and everyone thought they were from the rocker arm trunions. Seemed reasonable, there is a TSB out on those. But when I just went to install the upgrade kit all bearings were accounted for.

Though with the rockers off there are a couple of pushrods and lifters with some galling on them. Since I lost those bearings that came out with the oil change I can't match them up to lifter bearings if I had one, or to the rocker bearings I took out, so it is all from memory, but I am wanting to see a photo of one or see the size to know if it is easy to get the two bearings confused.

We are thinking now that those bearings may have come from one or both of those two lifters where I have the wear issue. I got the car used with 30K miles on it 2 years ago. No issues. It is remotely possible that the trunion bearings had come out before I bought the car with 30K miles and the shop did not find all the old bearings and they have been in there all this time only to be dislodged recently.
Otherwise they have to be a different bearing and it would be interesting to see a lifter bearing to at least guess if it was like the ones I found.

In the past 1000 miles or so I have only heard a tick for a couple of seconds when parked on a steep incline when first starting the motor then it goes away. That has only happened a few times for a few ticks each time. So no major issues that are obvious, just finding bearings means to me to do something about it. Not running perfectly but most people could not tell the difference as the issues are so tiny. During this time is also the only time I have pushed the car really hard in 6 consecutive stop light street races so pushed the motor harder than ever recently.

I need to take the heads off to check the lifters and cam for damage, but it is at a shop and if I can possibly figure this out before I dig deeper it would save me tons of money. This was not planned and time sensitive etc., myself and my mechanic are just looking for every possibility before going further.

I used super strong Neodymium magnets with 100lb pull force on the outside of the pan and on the inside fishing for more bearings and none could be found. So it appears that the total found was 5.

I have already done the Comp Cam trunion bearing upgrade to the rockers now and am just about out of ideas other than spending the big money to take the heads off to check out the lifters and condition of the cam. I just would not like to find there were no missing bearings from the lifters either.

If I do have to dig that deep I have a list of upgrades I will do.

Just trying to figure out the bearing size for the lifters and how common failure is to see if I can tell the difference between bearings without measuring them. I took a photo of one of the bearings next to a domino for a size reference before they fell out of a pocket so that is my only reference to the size. I would like to at least see what a lifter bearing looks like as if it is really close or not to the ones from the rockers. It is the best I think I can do right now.

Personally I think that the rockers were fine but the upgrade was good to do and that the issue lies with those two lifters were there is the damage to the pushrods on one end and the rocker arms which I replaced. The price difference in just finding out is huge which is why we are being cautious. I had not planned this so my car is apart at a shop and I am stuck having to pay to have things done so labor is really adding up. Not just at my house where it is my labor involved.

Thanks for any assistance.

1lejohn

iTrader: (9)

Pull the cam sensor and see if has metal flakes on it. if it does then you'll know that the cam has been damaged. The sensor has a magnet on the pickup.

When I had some lifters fail they started to squeal real loud. It sounded like a belt squealing, or a pulley bearing going bad.

I would pull the heads and check everything out.

TomXTC

Good idea. My engine has been sounding like there was an issue with the power steering belt but can't find one, fluid full etc. I really think it is the power steering but interesting to see what happens. It is not loud at all.

I just spoke to LS1 designer and he said I did not have to take heads off to get to lifters, just rockers, pushrods, plastic alignment parts and trays. I am not near my car nor my shop manuals when this happened a State away.

777

iTrader: (21)

That is incorrect, heads must come off on an LS1. LT1 they don't though.

1lejohn

iTrader: (9)

Just pull the lifter valley plate and you can see if the cam is damaged. Yes the heads do need to come off to get the lifter trays.

TomXTC

I am good. The whole reason for this was my finding 5 bearings in the last oil change. Assumed they were from rockers but when I went to do the upgrade kit none were missing. Found on at 16K miles a GM dealer changed them out and did a flush but not good enough because now at 40K they are loose. So am taking things apart to look for more bearings as well as install a new cam and lifters and oil pump upgrades with other parts as long as I am in there.

The reason for this thread was to figure out WHY I had all my rocker bearings but found some too. Now I know.