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![\"Broken](\"http:\/\/www.rhoadescamaro.com\/build\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/rocker_broke.jpg\")
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That’s the intake rocker on cylinder 6.\u00a0 Totally kafluie, bummer.\u00a0\u00a0Could tell as soon as I pulled the valve cover, it was sitting in there sideways.\u00a0 Am thankful it was an intake and not an exhaust rocker, as I hear bad things can happen to the carburetor when the exhaust valves don’t open.<\/p>\n
Upon further inspection the neighboring areas looked ok; the pushrod was ok, as was the top of the valve.\u00a0 In the rocker’s destruction it didn’t send big shrapnel everywhere, and on a gram scale, its weight is in line with a brand new rocker.<\/p>\n
Of course, I couldn’t determine this until getting some new rockers.\u00a0 New rocker arms, for an engine built in 1967, that are legal for ST.\u00a0 In a\u00a0week.<\/p>\n
eBay to the rescue!\u00a0 If you checked Monday, you’d find they were sold out of ST legal rockers for a ’67 Z28 clone. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n The above picture is one batch – a set of 11 NOS rockers with a part number that supercedes (http:\/\/www.gmpartswiki.com\/getpage?pageid=85941<\/a>)\u00a0what was originally put on the cars.<\/p>\n The look, feel, and smell of the boxes brought me back to a time…technically before I was born, I suppose!\u00a0 A real treat.<\/p>\n The other batch was for a complete set of 16 used factory “o” rocker arms – a long story.\u00a0 Wasn’t comfortable in the health of any of the rockers on the car, so all got changed – all exhausts are new, and 5 intakes got used “o” rockers.\u00a0 The #6 exhaust rocker was showing signs it was on its way to suffering a similar failure, glad I changed them all out.<\/p>\n To keep this from happening again, will be lowering the rev limiter on the car to 6900 or 7000.\u00a0 This will take away a few mph on the top end, which is already being further reduced by the shorter rear tire I’ve moved to. Because of this I will likely switch to 4.56 gears next year from the current 4.88.\u00a0 As it is with the \/35 out back, the car should be good for about\u00a065mph in second, which is good enough for most Nationals courses.<\/p>\n If it runs that is, will find out tomorrow.\u00a0 Did a totally boneheaded move while diagnosing\/examining things – threaded in the compression\u00a0tester too far while testing the first cylinder (#2).<\/p>\n Far enough, the piston hit the tester when I turned the key…was able to get\u00a0the tester\u00a0back out, but it\u00a0boogered up the spark plug threads a little in the process.<\/p>\n So in addition to the rocker arms, ordered a tap kit for spark plug threads, and an digital endoscope for examining the cylinders.\u00a0 Figured I could use it to look inside cylinder #6 also, where the rocker failed, to ensure it wasn’t caused by any sort of piston-valve contact.<\/p>\n It was a fun tool, for only like $37 on Amazon – a lot cheaper than the standalone units I’d seen for sale.\u00a0 Being USB attached, made it easy to share pictures of my ineptitude like this:<\/p>\n Going to try running it like this, though I know sharp edges can cause all kinds of problems.\u00a0 If it’s no good, I won’t be making the haul to Nebraska.<\/p>\n …<\/p>\n If this is where you are 4 days before you plan to leave for Nationals, you might have a problem:<\/p>\n What else…<\/p>\n Full oil\/filter change, along with a 6 quart “clean oil flush” to try to get out anything bad that might have been in the pan, without pulling the pan.<\/p>\n Have some minor exterior\/appearance changes that I think really work, people can see them in Nebraska assuming I make it.<\/p>\n Put in a cold air intake – I’d noticed at Farmington, the car was unhappy for Saturday morning runs when it was hottest out.\u00a0 While more power isn’t really what the car needs, this should at least make it more consistent.\u00a0 I also plan to have it help with splashing-fuel management which I’ll explain later.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n