Engine Guru's help!

[chip gremillion]

A while back I asked for some help diagnosing an engine noise problem. As
it turns out the clicking I was hearing came from a single worn out rocker
arm pivot. Now my question. What would cause a single rocker arm pivot to
wear much worse than others? After I pulled the valve cover off, I was able
to wiggle the rocker arms on the # 7 cylinder. Pulled the bolts out and the
convex portion of the pivot was worn about the thickness of the rocker arm
(3/32"). I replaced the 2 rocker arms and the pivot. Cured the noise. Now
I am worried that there must be a cause for the excessive wear. The only
thought I had was the pivot was not getting oil. Only I don't know where
the oil would come from. Anyone have any ideas?

Chip Gremillion
75 Glenbrook

 

[john wright]

Chip,
The oil comes down the lifter gallery oil passages thru the lifter then
up the push rods to the rocker arms. Did you check to make sure that
the push rod was clear and not plugged. Rare happening, but it can
happen. The lifter could restrict the oil flow also.

J.R. Wright
GMC GreatLakers
77 Eleganza II
Michigan

>
> A while back I asked for some help diagnosing an engine noise problem. As
> it turns out the clicking I was hearing came from a single worn out rocker
> arm pivot. Now my question. What would cause a single rocker arm pivot to
> wear much worse than others? After I pulled the valve cover off, I was able
> to wiggle the rocker arms on the # 7 cylinder. Pulled the bolts out and the
> convex portion of the pivot was worn about the thickness of the rocker arm
> (3/32"). I replaced the 2 rocker arms and the pivot. Cured the noise. Now
> I am worried that there must be a cause for the excessive wear. The only
> thought I had was the pivot was not getting oil. Only I don't know where
> the oil would come from. Anyone have any ideas?
>
> Chip Gremillion
> 75 Glenbrook

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