Loose rockers?

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Mar 8, 2010 | 08:19 PM

EricWS6

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Loose rockers?

When I was driving my car I could hear a ringing, ticking and tapping sounds all at the same time. When I popped the hood, I could hear all of the noise coming from the passenger side head. I took the valve cover off and I was able to shake 5 of the rockers side to side. I then took all of the rockers and pushrods out and inspected them. I rolled the pushrods on glass and they seemed fine.

My thought is the rockers had just became loose and they just needed to be re-torqued. My engine did see 6000 rpm about an hour before I noticed the noise. My question is why would 5 of 8 rockers become loose all of a sudden and why only on one side. I have yet to start up my engine after putting the rockers back in due to breaking a plug wire.

Mar 9, 2010 | 01:51 AM

orangeapeel

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From: Justin, TX

Are you already cammed? If so I would say they may not have been tq'd to spec.

Mar 9, 2010 | 04:44 AM

vettenuts

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From: Little Rhody

If the valves are closed the rockers will move slightly from side to side if you wiggle them by hand. The other don't move likely because the valve is partially depressed so the valve spring is loading the rocker tip. Don't think what you describe is an issue. While it is apart, check the rockers for lost needle bearings just in case. Here is the re-installation procedure.

Mar 9, 2010 | 05:38 AM

mklinger

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What's the age and overall condition of the motor? Are these all stock parts?

Mar 9, 2010 | 12:28 PM

EricWS6

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The motor is from my 99 Trans AM. It has 58,000 miles and everything in the motor is stock.

Mar 9, 2010 | 12:43 PM

EricWS6

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Could it be an oil pressure issue possibly blocking the oil gallery on one side and I have collapsed lifters? The fact that it only happen on one side made me wonder what could have happened.

Mar 9, 2010 | 06:07 PM

vettenuts

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From: Little Rhody

Lifters are one of the first areas to get oil flow. If there was an issue you would have bigger problems. Did you check the needle bearings? How much do they move?

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Mar 9, 2010 | 07:10 PM

1SLwLS1

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Mine do that on that on any valve with the correlating lifter sitting on the base circle. I thought I did not have enough preload. I have checked, re-checked, and checked again. I am good. I have not lost any needle bearings yet, but hope to be able to afford the upgraded stockers before they spit them out.

And yes, the pump pushes oil along side the pan, through the oil filter, then up to the lifter galley, into the top of the heads via pushrods, and back down to cam bearings and back to the bottom of the rotating assembly.