Rocker arm assembly removal

[Rich_NYS]

I'm doing some preemptive research; I suspect I'm going to need to pull the passenger side rocker arm assembly & clear a clogged oil passage. I currently have the starter, alternator & exhaust manifold removed, so I might go ahead with the job "just in case" as long as it's not that big of a deal (versus putting everything back together & finding out later it definitely needs to be done.)

I'm looking through the workshop manual to become familiar, but I know a few guys here have recently pulled their heads....any advice on just removing the rocker arm assembly?

Thanks.

[David T]

I'm doing some preemptive research; I suspect I'm going to need to pull the passenger side rocker arm assembly & clear a clogged oil passage. I currently have the starter, alternator & exhaust manifold removed, so I might go ahead with the job "just in case" as long as it's not that big of a deal (versus putting everything back together & finding out later it definitely needs to be done.)

I'm looking through the workshop manual to become familiar, but I know a few guys here have recently pulled their heads....any advice on just removing the rocker arm assembly?

Thanks.

What makes you think you have a clogged oil passage? What do you expect to do after removing the rockers? Removing the rockers is no big deal as long as you are not touching the camshaft. You will have to check and adjust all of the valves on that head after reinstalling the rockers. if you have a clogged oil passage you should probably be tearing the whole motor apart. Refer to 1-1-5 in the parts manual and C:05:XX in the Workshop Manual.

[Rich_NYS]

Not much of this sounds like helpful advice on removing the just rocker arm assembly, but ok....

What makes you think you have a clogged oil passage?

There's an isolated tapping noise in one specific location on the passenger side. Valves are adjusted and a likely suspect appears to be a clogged oil passage.

What do you expect to do after removing the rockers?

Clear any clogged passage I find.....

Removing the rockers is no big deal as long as you are not touching the camshaft.

That sounds like good news!

if you have a clogged oil passage you should probably be tearing the whole motor apart.

That sounds a bit extreme....I won't be doing that! (Dude...did you really mean to write: "tear the whole motor apart?" -lol)

Refer to 1-1-5 in the parts manual and C:05:XX in the Workshop Manual.

Cool...that's where I've been reading, thanks.

[David T]

There's an isolated tapping noise in one specific location on the passenger side. Valves are adjusted and a likely suspect appears to be a clogged oil passage.




If you have a noise it is probably one or more valves out of adjustment. The car doesn't have hydraulic lifters so lack of oil doesn't cause a noise, at least not right away. One could have loosened up and lost proper clearance if it wasn't locked tight enough. Pull the cover and recheck your clearances.

[Rich_NYS]

If you have a noise it is probably one or more valves out of adjustment. The car doesn't have hydraulic lifters so lack of oil doesn't cause a noise, at least not right away. One could have loosened up and lost proper clearance if it wasn't locked tight enough. Pull the cover and recheck your clearances.

I agree, that was the first thing I checked.

The noise came on somewhat suddenly, shortly after being flooded. I suspect some crud broke loose.

I'm pretty sure lack of oil to one of the contact points w/the cam would cause a noise.

Any advice on removing the rocker arm assembly? Seems like it won't be too bad, but I'm reading about the camshaft sprocket and will need to make or borrow a sprocket support tool.

[David T]

I agree, that was the first thing I checked.

The noise came on somewhat suddenly, shortly after being flooded. I suspect some crud broke loose.

I'm pretty sure lack of oil to one of the contact points w/the cam would cause a noise.

Any advice on removing the rocker arm assembly? Seems like it won't be too bad, but I'm reading about the camshaft sprocket and will need to make or borrow a sprocket support tool.

If you are not removing the camshaft you don't have to do anything about the sprocket. As for the noise, lack of oil won't immediately cause a noise. To remove the rockers you just undo the bolts holding it to the head and lift it off. Again I say check the adjusters for proper valve clearances BEFORE taking the rockers off.

[DMCMW Dave]

Get an inspection mirror, back the adjuster off all the way, and look at the surface of the rocker arm. Compare it to another one. A bad one will typically look concave in the middle, a good one is convex all the way across. Then check the cam for scoring. If it's been bad a while you may need the cam and the arms.

Unfortunately it's not a good idea to remove all the head bolts to service the rocker arms, and then bolting it all back together, without replacing the head gasket at the same time. It will probably leak. But if it needs a cam you're pulling the head anyway.

If you have adjusted the valves, and one is still noisy, 100% guarantee the rocker arm is bad.

[Rich_NYS]

Get an inspection mirror, back the adjuster off all the way, and look at the surface of the rocker arm. Compare it to another one. A bad one will typically look concave in the middle, a good one is convex all the way across. Then check the cam for scoring. If it's been bad a while you may need the cam and the arms.

Unfortunately it's not a good idea to remove all the head bolts to service the rocker arms, and then bolting it all back together, without replacing the head gasket at the same time. It will probably leak. But if it needs a cam you're pulling the head anyway.

If you have adjusted the valves, and one is still noisy, 100% guarantee the rocker arm is bad.

Thanks Dave, if I find a bad rocker arm I'll then need to remove the rocker arm assembly (to replace the rocker arm) and need to plan on a head gasket too?

[dustybarn]

Get an inspection mirror, back the adjuster off all the way, and look at the surface of the rocker arm. Compare it to another one. A bad one will typically look concave in the middle, a good one is convex all the way across. Then check the cam for scoring. If it's been bad a while you may need the cam and the arms.

Unfortunately it's not a good idea to remove all the head bolts to service the rocker arms, and then bolting it all back together, without replacing the head gasket at the same time. It will probably leak. But if it needs a cam you're pulling the head anyway.

If you have adjusted the valves, and one is still noisy, 100% guarantee the rocker arm is bad.

Seconded. I had EXACTLY this happen, and had to look VERY closely at the rocker arm contact surfaces with a mirror, and at several rotational positions, to figure out what was happening. It turned out that a tiny piece of rubber (a molding gate vestige) had gotten stuck right in the oil squirter that lubricates the cam and follower.

Be sure of it, though, because pulling the head is a big job. If you end up going that way, I recommend following the Volvo B28 service manual because it has better illustrations than the DeLorean or Renault manuals.

You will need a new head gasket, you can't just unbolt the rocker shaft like you can in (say) a Triumph engine because in the PRV the rocker shaft girdles are held down by the head bolts. Not it's best design feature IMHO. There are quite a few pitfalls to pulling the head that I'm sure earlier threads have covered.

[Rich_NYS]

Seconded. I had EXACTLY this happen, and had to look VERY closely at the rocker arm contact surfaces with a mirror, and at several rotational positions, to figure out what was happening. It turned out that a tiny piece of rubber (a molding gate vestige) had gotten stuck right in the oil squirter that lubricates the cam and follower.

Be sure of it, though, because pulling the head is a big job. If you end up going that way, I recommend following the Volvo B28 service manual because it has better illustrations than the DeLorean or Renault manuals.

You will need a new head gasket, you can't just unbolt the rocker shaft like you can in (say) a Triumph engine because in the PRV the rocker shaft girdles are held down by the head bolts. Not it's best design feature IMHO. There are quite a few pitfalls to pulling the head that I'm sure earlier threads have covered.

Great info, thanks. So, you had a clogged squirter and developed a nasty "rapping" sound that you were able to resolve by removing the blockage, or did you need to replace the rocker arm? I think my issue came on pretty suddenly, and it's in one specific location (even after adjusting the valves twice.)

Do you happen to have any pics?