I've had two failures now that have trashed two cams.

My car ran flawlessly, well over 150+ passes with my 224/230 cam, then a rocker came completely off letting the pushrod bend, and also found the spider has bent the arm of that cylinder and let the lifter spin in the bore and trash the cam.

Now, my new LE2 setup has a trashed cam and most likely motor due to a similar situation. Loose rocker (at least, it was loose enough to be an issue), and another bent spider. This time both lifters spun in the bore at high RPM and trashed the cam leaving metal shavings EVERYWHERE.

My question is, should this be looked at as a "weak" point in our engines at high RPM? Could this have failed in some way causing my rocker to come loose? I'm very confused about this and would love some light shed on the subject.

If so, are shaft connected rockers the way to go? Morels the only options? Enlighten me

 

IMO ya need to eliminate the rockers coming loose before starting to throw away the whole system.
There are guys shifting at 68-7000 with the stock stuff.
Granted it isn't the best stuff for that, but ya only have a few options.A solid roller with a rev kit(if a RR comes loose it will not damage a lifter),Morels that still may be damaged,if a lifter is pushed up it's hole and the cam comes around and slaps it,from a RR being loose or bent PR.(AFR rev kit puts metal in the engine-The 2 that I used did) or the stock set up.
Shaft mounted rockers will do the same thing if they come loose.
It's a choice you have to make.

 

I hear ya.. thought it was weird that my rocker would loosen up after 3 years, but I guess it can happen out of nowhere? I never checked 'em so I guess that's my fault.

This last one could be my fault, I went to the track kinda quick after the install so who knows.

Didn't tighten 'em the way you suggested in my other thread of course yet since I don't have anything to tighten right now But the next set I will.

 

Yea, no need in burning up the checkbook if what ya got will work.

 

I think I'm still gonna end up replacing all those lifters if they got contaminated with shavings... i guess I could clean the rest of them out. I ordered two replacements for these in advance thinking I wasn't going to have an issue, but found this.

I just don't want to hurt anything when I refresh the setup.

I'm pissed I have two ruined cams now though One with only 60 miles on it..

 

Sounds good.
Just make sure the poly locks are tight.

 

Javier,

After reading that you didn't check the rockers after 3 years surprised me .

I ran a bumpy HR for a 1.5 years and played with the lash once a month (car was a daily driver). IMO, you should be checking the lash, spring pressure, and everything else once you start pulling the valve covers. I don't know why people cringe at the thought of valvetrain maintainence like it means something is wrong with the car .

I'm betting that you'll be paranoid over the rockers and valvetrain now. I am!

Sorry to hear about your catastrophe. Hopefully you'll get off cheaper than you think...

Ryan

 

Yah, I guess I never thought of "valvetrain maintenance" as much of an issue with an HR cam... but I guess it is still. It doesn't bother me to check.. now that I know lol... wish that damn alternator wasn't where it is.. may look into relocating it.

On that note, yes, I'm paranoid as hell now... actually scared ****less of screwing up yet another setup.