HD Rocker Arm Shafts- WTF Happenned?

[BlackBandit]

you can also use diesel fuel to flush the engine. It's a good bit cheaper than oik and you'll get more volume moving through the engine with a priming tool.

 

[WSLN 6]

This would have been a great time for a pre-turbo filter advertisement.... did you have one by any chance? Hopefully your turbo bearings are ok as well.

 

[TurboTnZ06]

This would have been a great time for a pre-turbo filter advertisement.... did you have one by any chance? Hopefully your turbo bearings are ok as well.

Luckily I had one when my "HD" shaft decided to turn to dust. I think tearing the engine down is the only way to clean the metal out, there are just too many places for particles to hide.

 

[84BuickGNYorkPA]

Roller rockers would be very high on my "wish list".
Not sure if you run the car hard or not, most of us do, I've seen a few busted rocker shafts on our cars at the track, that convinced me to go roller on my build last yr.
I agree with you at this point not much to lose (except the turbo), if you can pick up a remote filter that has a direct line to the turbo that would be better then the stock set-up. I picked up a used one on here awhile back.
Sorry to hear of your misfortune, good luck with it. It is amazing the abuse that some engines will take and survive, while others go to crap quick, it's a roll of the dice, what the bearings look like at this point.

Chuck

 

[TurboBuRick]

Not much at this point Rick. I've been pumping gallons of clean oil thru the engine, Using the priming tool that I bought. I bought (4) oil filters and have been changing them out - Hoping to catch as much metal particles as I can. I also bought a magnetic drain plug for the oilpan (It has been picking up some metal particles).

I pulled out the old lifters and installed some new ones- So I could check out how much oil was flowing thru them. They seem to have a lot of oil flowing out as I spin the oil pump over. I'll double check again once I have the pushrods and rockers/shafts installed.

Once I button up the top end, I'll pull the oil pan to clean it out and I have a new oil pickup to install at that time.

It's a long shot that this will work, But I really have nothing to loose. Best case, I'll be able to drive the car some more this year and save up for a "proper" engine rebuild. Worse case- I'll need a new shortblock and have to park the car a little sooner this year .

John

You never know. You might get lucky. Get it all as clean as possible and cross your fingers and toes.

How did the hardness test pan out?

 

[Yankee John]

I havent sent the shafts out for testing yet Rick. A friend of mine stopped by my shop and took a look at the shafts- He is the head of the Department of cylinder head porting at S&S Motors (The Harley aftermarket engine company). His initial observation, after looking at my rocker shafts, is that they are very soft.- Lacking heat treating....