Broken Rocker shaft and Bent Push rod ???

[thunderace31]

I finally made it to the track yesterday
Car did well for what it has and went 11.50 @ 115.65 on its best pass. Cant say I was not a tad disapointed but I was hopping for better lol.

Anyway on my 6th Pass I decided to leave the car in Drive since eveyone says that is the best way to run our cars.
Well I got just past the 1/8th and the car stumbled and then clank clank and I let off.

When I got the car home there is a lot of gas in the oil (Probly becuase the Valves were not moving lol) and the rocker shaft was broken off on the end all 3 bolts that hold the shaft to the Head are bent and one push rod is bent real bad (Agian see the photos below)

Anyone know what could have caused this to Happen??

Oil is clean but has gas in it. Should I yank the eng. and rebuild it or just put the new push rods in with a better rocker arm shaft???

Thanks for your help in advance also

 

[charliep]

Your valves hit the piston. Sorry to say rebuild time!!!!!

 

[Cme2fly]

over rev.. get a good set of shafts and push rods and be done with it.

 

[thunderace31]

Humm how the hell they hit we put 100lb LS1 Springs on it

 

[thunderace31]

over rev.. get a good set of shafts and push rods and be done with it.

Ok but do I need to pull this thing down and go threw it?? Really dont have the $$$ right now to do it Sales are sucking big time

Was thinking Roller rockers and new Push rods and see what happens?? Or am I just waisting my time there. I am so confused and heart broken its not good

 

[alittlev6]

Ok but do I need to pull this thing down and go threw it?? Really dont have the $$$ right now to do it Sales are sucking big time

Was thinking Roller rockers and new Push rods and see what happens?? Or am I just waisting my time there. I am so confused and heart broken its not good

it happen to me 3 times on my old setup, replace the rocker shaft with a set of SOLID rocker shaft,and retighten with thr proper torque specs,and adjustment,and your done with it..

 

[alittlev6]

Your valves hit the piston. Sorry to say rebuild time!!!!!

not always the case, it can be do to a crack bent shaft forcing the rocker arm to misalign with the pushrod causing it to bent...like i said it happened to me twice on the street and on the track...

 

[XXQUICK6XX]

I'd replace the rockershaft with the sealed power HD shafts and get the plastic retainers and get some new pushrods and put it together and do a compression test and if its good I'd say run it.

Steve

 

[XXQUICK6XX]

Plus the shaft usually breaks at the end on stock shafts because spring pressure+cylinder pressure under boost =usually more than the shaft can take to open the valve. BTW for the exhaust valve and there is no support for the end to keep it from flexing up.

Steve

 

[charliep]

Lets check things first. Must leak down all of the cylinders to make sure valves are still on their seats. Then I would lay a straight edge accross the valve tips to make sure they are level. If you are still ok then look at the spark plug for anything weird. If you have or can borrow a scope you can look down the spark plug hole and see what the top of the piston looks like.

 

[thunderace31]

Leak down shows 14-20% dif from Cyl. to cyl. I think this is bad??? But not sure.
Next issue all 3 of the bolts are all bent to **** and I cant find any at any stores or dealers Anyone know where to get them??? I am going to need them no matter what so those have to be had.

Next I ordered a set of HD Shaft from Full Throttle yesterday and Talk to Mike Litch he said that everything is most likly ok and the Push rod bent because it came of the rocker arm and then bound up on the next rotation. He also said this is commen and he thought to just put the rocker shafts in with some new Push rods from the local autoparts store. (I got those already)

I need the damn bolts though. Any ideas on where to get them ???

Dealer told me they cant get them anymore there out of production and non of the wearhouses stock them. the guy called like 9 place today for me and no luck

Thanks again for all the help guys

 

[thunderace31]

Only thing wrong with the plug is that its black because the valves were not opening and my guess is fuel was still getting in there some do the inj still spraying. No damage to it at all. and also the rest of the plugs are clean no metal on them from detanation (Sorry I cant spell For Sh*t lol)
dont have a scope to look in there but My Geuss is the eng. dose need a rebuild but I dont have the cash and dont have a trailer and it needs to get to storage for winter (It seems its here alreadys also lol) So its going to have to drive there an back in spring. Or it sets out in the snow all winter and I really dont want that either since I have a nice warm building waiting for it to arrive about 30 min. from me.
Anyway Thanks for your imput
D

Lets check things first. Must leak down all of the cylinders to make sure valves are still on their seats. Then I would lay a straight edge accross the valve tips to make sure they are level. If you are still ok then look at the spark plug for anything weird. If you have or can borrow a scope you can look down the spark plug hole and see what the top of the piston looks like.

 

[BlackBandit]

I need the damn bolts though. Any ideas on where to get them ???

You might try the boneyard.

 

[thunderace31]

Ya there all such a pain to deal with lol

anyone got some layin around ???

 

[bison]

Ya there all such a pain to deal with lol

anyone got some layin around ???

Its hard to believe the dealer cant get a fastener. You might want to contact the sources on this board. If all else fails just get some grade 8 fasteners that are the correct length and use them. The billet shaft rockers like T&D's come with those anyway. Dont see why they couldnt be used on stock shafts. Do not risk using a stock bolt thats been overtorqued. A friend of mine had an engine failure when the fasteners failed and a lifter came out of the bore. He drove it home with no oil pressure

 

[BlackBandit]

I like the idea of just using grade 8's. If you really want the factory ones I could send you some.

 

[jamericaniSS]

wow this very same thing happened to me not too long ago. I didnt bend any push rods luckily. Bought some solid shafts from Nick M. bolted it back together and drove.

 

[thunderace31]

I just want to get it runnign again if you have the bolts Ill take them!
I may try calling T&D if I can find the # by the way the factory bolts are grade 8 bolts from what I was told at my dealer today

I like the idea of just using grade 8's. If you really want the factory ones I could send you some.

 

[BlackBandit]

Pm me your address and I'll send you some. I'll try to get them out tonight but it will probably be tomorrow morning. Keep in mind I'm in San Diego so it'll take them a couple days to get there.

 

[thunderace31]

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