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What could of caused this?

Well I removed my valve cover earlier tonight to kind of get a head start on replacing my lifters on Saturday. Then I noticed this, four rocker arms were just laying in the head not where they are supposed to be and one lifter was also out of place. Any ideas what happened here?

imageupload68795973.jpg


imageupload78744905.jpg


Thanks Guys
 

jcgalntvr4-244

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Joined
Nov 9, 2003
Messages
3,135
Location
DesMoines Iowa
Yup last time I saw this it was a timing belt
 

The belt is a little loose, but the car runs great. I figured i would have noticed it.
 

mitsuturbo

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Jun 2, 2008
Messages
3,544
Location
Near Seattle, Washington
I have seen this happen from weak springs revved high, and the valve DID NOT bend.
However... i've seen it a WHOLE lot more, when valves get bent!

Edit: wait.. wtf? It looks like one of your lifters BLEW THE f*** UP! Is that the top half of the lifter sitting under the cam?!

Maybe that's why the other rocker went awol as well. Seems you (at the very least) need new lifters. Replace them all. You can get a good set on ebay. Search for "engnbldr".
 
Last edited:

Terry Posten

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Dec 16, 2003
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Davenport, Iowa USA
DO NOT start the car again.

If you are VERY lucky (about a .5% chance), all that happened is the t-belt tensioner is junk and your head is OK.

Pull the timing cover off and replace the tensioner and belt. Then do a leak down test.

Good luck.
 

galant344

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Sep 23, 2006
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357
Location
oakforest il.
you must be used to a crappy running car if your saying the car ran great w/ rockers popped off. I've definitely heard of this happening on high revving cars w/ out the correct build, springs, to handle the high revs. I could see how a massive slipped belt would throw the rockers after pistons kiss valves..
 

Terry Posten

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Dec 16, 2003
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Davenport, Iowa USA
Mitsuturbo is right, I just saw the lifter as well.

I bet you have some collapsed lifters and the rockers fell off.

Get new "3G" lifters and a timing belt "kit".

And hope for the best.
 
Last edited:

galant344

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Sep 23, 2006
Messages
357
Location
oakforest il.
sorry.. cant edit my post like i used to be able to for some reason?.. I see they are off on different cylinders but that still had to be causing some running problems.... is that the exhaust side or intake side?
 

^All intake side, I already have the 3g lifters and im getting a t belt done real soon.
 

Whoodoo

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Jul 11, 2009
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927
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Binghamton, NY
When my crank pulley skipped a few teeth and bent ALL of my valves, there were a lot of rockers strewn around the head. Like people have said before, check the timing belt, tensioner, idler and tensioner pulleys. Also make sure if you have balance shafts that the front balance shaft belt (called timing belt b by the FSM) is in good condition. Replace them even if you have the funds now because I guarantee you a few hundred for new belts is less than the grand you will spend to do the timing belt job done correctly.

Edit: plus wait a sec, aren't both those rockers missing in the second pic? That means you're only running on 3 cylinders?!
 
Last edited:

SouthCaliVR4

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Jul 31, 2010
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984
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North county San Diego
Two cyl's one missing rocker per.

Damn, that's pretty insane, definitely check belt timing. could just be a collapsed lifter issue but damn /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif. I'd think you would have noticed something before you pulled the valve cover /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif
 

Update, well I replaced all the lifters to 3G lifters. I inspected all the valves, they were all good. I also replaced all the belts and head gasket. Car runs like a champ now.
 

The_Big_Weave

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Joined
Feb 26, 2009
Messages
390
Location
Rapid City, SD
This happened to me once and all that I noticed was that the car would studder a bit over 4.5k. Ran and drove perfect.
 
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