Broken Rocker Arm Stud
#1
Broken Rocker Arm Stud
Broke the rocker arm stud on the number 4 intake right where it bolts into the head (about half a thread showing on the stud, will require an e-z-out to remove remainder of the stud. Lucky its an easy one to get at.) Engine ran fine until...
The engine is stock with 117k on it with the exception of a fairly recently installed (appx 1000 miles) high volume oil pump. While well-maintained, it has been driven hard its whole life. At first I thought age/fatigue may have caused this but now I have this nagging in my head of maybe excessive oil pressure at the lifter? Getting about 65 - 70 psi at idle now, used to be about 30 psi. Is it possible that the additional 40 psi has affected the lifters enough to break the stud?
The engine is stock with 117k on it with the exception of a fairly recently installed (appx 1000 miles) high volume oil pump. While well-maintained, it has been driven hard its whole life. At first I thought age/fatigue may have caused this but now I have this nagging in my head of maybe excessive oil pressure at the lifter? Getting about 65 - 70 psi at idle now, used to be about 30 psi. Is it possible that the additional 40 psi has affected the lifters enough to break the stud?
#2
Re: Broken Rocker Arm Stud
Broke the rocker arm stud on the number 4 intake right where it bolts into the head (about half a thread showing on the stud, will require an e-z-out to remove remainder of the stud. Lucky its an easy one to get at.) Engine ran fine until...
The engine is stock with 117k on it with the exception of a fairly recently installed (appx 1000 miles) high volume oil pump. While well-maintained, it has been driven hard its whole life. At first I thought age/fatigue may have caused this but now I have this nagging in my head of maybe excessive oil pressure at the lifter? Getting about 65 - 70 psi at idle now, used to be about 30 psi. Is it possible that the additional 40 psi has affected the lifters enough to break the stud?
The engine is stock with 117k on it with the exception of a fairly recently installed (appx 1000 miles) high volume oil pump. While well-maintained, it has been driven hard its whole life. At first I thought age/fatigue may have caused this but now I have this nagging in my head of maybe excessive oil pressure at the lifter? Getting about 65 - 70 psi at idle now, used to be about 30 psi. Is it possible that the additional 40 psi has affected the lifters enough to break the stud?
#5
Re: Broken Rocker Arm Stud
David94TA -- How do you think it happened? impact loading? I am thinking the lifter would not be pumped up and would slam into the push rod and into the rocker and snap.
#6
Re: Broken Rocker Arm Stud
That's what I thought. I was just getting on it a bit and all of a sudden heard a clacking noise. When I pulled the valvecover off, there was the broken rocker arm stud. When I replaced the stud and was attempting to put everything back together, I saw that the pushrod wouldn't even come up to the rocker arm and I knew then that I had a bad lifter.
#9
Re: Broken Rocker Arm Stud
Did not know about the oil starvation issue on stock pan. Since my oil pressure was so weak, I had previously plumbed an accusump into the oil cooler lines. Presumably this would re-solve the oil starvation issues if I re-installed it?
#10
Re: Broken Rocker Arm Stud
If you need a HV oil pump to get acceptable oil pressure, there is a problem that you are masking but not fixing by using the HV pump. It's like running heavier oil in a worn motor, you see more pressure on the gauge but it's still worn out. Makes you feel better but nothing else. An Accusump will help momentarily if there is a sudden drop in oil pressure and potentially give you time to shut 'er down.
Rich
Rich
#11
Re: Broken Rocker Arm Stud
Yes, 117,000 miles. Have been doing everything else on the car first (chassis, suspension, brakes -- next and last step before new engine is rebuild or replace 10 bolt rear). I had to replace the timing chain so put in the HV pump at that time as I had the pan off.
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