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Broken Rocker Arms Bolt WTF??

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Old 07-07-2008, 01:03 AM
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Default Broken Rocker Arms Bolt WTF??

Ok so coming home from a great 4th at the lake, on about the final 10 min of the journey cruising at about 1500RPM or so in 5th gear. All of a sudden my car starts popping really loud and looses power. So i pull over open the hood to hear that it is popping out of the Throttle body, so i decide to play it safe and have the car towed home. Got the car home and pulled the valve covers to find that a rocker arm was just sitting in its spot (passenger side 3rd bank from the front, exhaust valve) So i pulled the rockers and the bolt is broken off flush with the head so now i need to take the head off and take it to a machine shop to have it removed. So anyone have any idea how that happened?? Should i replace all the bolts while i am in there?
Old 07-07-2008, 01:52 AM
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this belongs in the internal section... but if you have the money go ahead upgrade as much as you can while you have the car down... a lot of my rockers were loose the first time i took a look at them... some were amazingly loose... just gotta tighten those puppies up HARD to specs
Old 07-07-2008, 07:57 AM
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From the manual


6. Rotate the crankshaft until the number one piston is at top dead center (TDC) of the compression stroke. In this position, cylinder number one rocker arms will be off lobe lift, and the crankshaft sprocket key will be at the 1:30 position. The engine firing order is 1,8,7,2,6,5,4,3. Cylinders 1,3,5, and 7 are left bank. Cylinders 2,4,6, and 8 are right bank.

7. With the engine in the number one firing position, tighten the following valve rocker arm bolts: Tighten

.....(1) Tighten the exhaust valve rocker arm bolts 1,2,7, and 8 to 30 N·m (22 lb ft).
.....(2) Tighten the intake valve rocker arm bolts 1,3,4, and 5 to 30 N·m (22 lb ft).

8. Rotate the crankshaft 360 degrees.
9. Tighten the following valve rocker arm bolts: Tighten

.....(1) Tighten the exhaust valve rocker arm bolts 3,4,5, and 6 to 30 N·m (22 lb ft).
.....(2) Tighten the intake valve rocker arm bolts 2,6,7, and 8 to 30 N·m (22 lb ft).
Old 07-07-2008, 10:44 AM
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ya i figured i would try, i would like to just do heads but i dont know if i can afford that just yet. Thanks for the specs on how to tighten the rockers.
BUMP anyone else
Old 07-07-2008, 06:42 PM
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you can drill out those broken bolts without removing the heads.
Old 07-08-2008, 12:05 AM
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Originally Posted by VIPERBLUELX
you can drill out those broken bolts without removing the heads.
Ya i could but i would rather not risk it and have a machine shop do it so i dont **** up the head more. Plus i would also like to look to make sure the piston isnt messed up.
Old 07-08-2008, 01:40 AM
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your piston most likely wont be mess up because the valve springs held the valve closed. which is why the poppin sound happened.
Old 07-08-2008, 02:16 AM
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ya i figured that but the only concern i had was that valve being closed and all the exhaust pressure having no were to go.
Old 07-08-2008, 11:42 AM
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if you wanna spend a lot of money on pull the head off have at it, I'd drill it out, put the rocker arm on and do a compression test.
Old 07-14-2008, 02:39 PM
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yee i joined the club on saturday. broken bolt nice and flush in the head.

any tips on how to drill it out without ******* up the head?
Old 07-14-2008, 04:12 PM
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Does ARP make Rocker bolts cause that would be a good investment???
Old 07-14-2008, 06:08 PM
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dont know if ARP makes rocker arm bolts but it would be a good investment because the stock rocker arm bolts really aren't that tuff, when i put my motor together i used the cheap VSC and you needed to hold the tool in place with a rocker arm bolt while you used leverage to change springs. moral of story, i bent the bolt with arm strength.
Old 07-14-2008, 06:44 PM
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arp bolts better overall than comps?
Old 07-14-2008, 10:32 PM
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You're very most likely fine once you drill that bolt out. No need to pull heads imo.
Old 07-25-2008, 12:29 PM
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trent u fail and get no ***.
Old 07-29-2008, 12:35 AM
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i guess you guys will be upgrading to some better heads. minus well if your taking the heads off
Old 07-29-2008, 01:37 AM
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Originally Posted by ChevyBeast05'
Does ARP make Rocker bolts cause that would be a good investment???
no they dont i called ARP and talked to a few people and they even tried to cross reference a bolt but nothing they had would work. They said they could custom make me a bolt but F that to much money.
Old 02-06-2010, 03:35 PM
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these on stock rocker arm bolts and rockers?
Old 02-06-2010, 07:06 PM
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Drilling out the old bolt:

It would be great if you could somehow grind a flat spot in the center of the bolt with a Dremal or something. On this spot, in the center, make a nice dot with a center punch. Centering this punch spot is important.

Start with a small drill bit. Low speed. Steady pressure. Stay centered. Stay straight. Stay centered. Stay straight. Use some WD40 to flush out the chips and keep it cool. Pull back often to clear the chips. Stay centered. Stay straight. If you hit the threads, the bit will wander more and more off center as it seeks the softer material to cut through.

Progressively increase the drill bit size. Be careful to not let the bit bind. It’ll break.

Before reaching for the bolt remover, flush everything with WD40. This will cool everything and get into the threads.

Use a tapered reverse fluted bolt remover. Prior to using it, decide how you’re gonna turn it. Before inserting it in the bolt, blow some air in the bolt hole to remove the excess lube. You have to make sure it doesn’t bottom out in the hole you’ve drilled in the bolt.

Lightly tap the remover in to get the flutes cut into the bolt. Now, take a torch and lightly heat up the head around the bolt to let it expand just a little bit.

Turn your bolt out. Have yourself a beer.
Old 02-06-2010, 07:20 PM
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Wow digging up a thread from the past...


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