Mopar Muscle Association UK

Sorry chap, pressed steel rockers are like that, 'orrible things that they are, even new they are pretty much the same, you ain't found the cause yet....

Is the cup that the rocker fits into ok? These have been known to punch through. Before you go to the trouble of sourcing a new rocker. Take the rocker shaft off and swap a few around (they are handed so make sure you swap like with like). Unbolt and bolt down the shafts sequentially to save bending them and you can use a length of welding rod or a long cable tie to hold all the pushrod out so they go back into the cups easier. You can do the same with the lifters to make sure that ain't colllapsed but make sure you note where they've come from and replace them there. Sure you've still got a lobe on that part of the cam? HTH!

Kev I'm not with you when you say the 'cup' that the rocker sits in....excuse my ignorance

Think he means "the cup the rod sits in" Is that right Kev

On the rocker, what the pushrod sits up in, it's sorta bowl shaped with a small oil hole. This cup can crack and push through.
The round bit at the top in the pic;

Adam68 wrote:Think he means "the cup the rod sits in" Is that right Kev

Well spotted, Dude!

Yer don't often make mistakes Kev,just a light punishment for that.

"no going on the watershed for 2 hours"

Ahhh okay.

I'll be able to take a good look tomorrow during the day anyway.

Even if I could somehow make sure the rod stays put at least I could see if the lifter pumps up.....trouble is each time it's a new valley pan

Just for investigating purposes, do you reckon I'd get away with re-using the valley pan a few times, inlet manifold wise?? I'd fit the new one once I'm done taking it apart and naturally before I drive it. ? I'm using it without the 'extra' fiber/whatever they are gaskets

Steve,I'd be inclined to find out the cause,remedy it,then put it all back together only once.

Good luck Steve,keep posting

8 synchronised elves with squeezy bottles of petrol would do it (It's that time of the night! )

Yeah, yr right Adam....

Kev wrote:8 synchronised elves with squeezy bottles of petrol would do it (It's that time of the night! )

Make those little elves work for a living,bottle of petrol in one hand,water in the other. If a jobs worth...............................................

Okay another possible scenario......Dented rockers.

How about this: The Lifter collapsed and the rattling started. Then with a loose push rod bouncing around at all sorts of rpm's the underside of the rocker was dented just on the edge of the 'domed bit' - leaving effectively, a dent that would allow the rod to actually come out. So the cause - a collapsed lifter, leading to a dented underside of rocker which allowed the rod to come out of place! Ha, surely?!

More proof of this is that when I put the offending rod back in 'by hand', the only way I could do so was by bringing it in from the back so-to-speak, the rocker shaft side. On inspection, thats exactly where the dent is....so, if I were to swap the rocker with another one guess what would happen....? I wouldnt be able to get the rod in or out - problem solved!

Also one of the near by rockers was also badly dented but in such a way as to not affect the 'cup' but still proof of the theory none the less.

Observe.........

Okay guys hold the phone!!!

I have definately found the cause.

What nobody seemed to say (or I didnt read/understand) is that not only does a lifter have the little cradle bit inside that pumps up(like a tiny refresher sweet) but when you remove the cir-clip another inner piece should pop up. This piece has a spring underneath and also seems to hold tight against the cir-clip with air pressure too....guess what....mine was stuck down

So yes, you shouldn't be able to remove a push rod just with an 'empty' (so-to-speak) lifter but if the lifter has jammed down internally it wont take up any initial play and, therefor, the push rod could come out.

Probably down to the car standing for so long.

Hoorah! That rocker looks like the rod has come out of the cup and hammered away for awhile before being spat out.