Broken rocker arm on 2014 SS/RS

[Tonyk88]

Anyone have a broken rocker arm in just two weeks of ownership or 480 miles? I'm a first time Camaro owner but 2 weeks is just too soon to have issues like this, is this just the beginning?

[RollaMo]

How high did you rev the engine?

Of course breaking a rocker arm this soon isn't normal.
Hell, I've never broken one. But I don't push it to the red line very often either.

[Tonyk88]

It actually happened at a red light, just pulled out of a parking lot for lunch got up to the red light and at a dead stop it just started shaking pretty bad.. When I drove off it was puttin as if it was missing..

[RollaMo]

Originally Posted by Tonyk88

It actually happened at a red light, just pulled out of a parking lot for lunch got up to the red light and at a dead stop it just started shaking pretty bad.. When I drove off it was puttin as if it was missing..

So, you don't really know for sure that you even have a broken rocker arm.
You haven't pulled the valve cover off to verify this?

Highly unlikely you would break a rocker arm just sitting at a red light.

If you "think" you have a broken rocker arm, I sure wouldn't be driving it any farther.
Get it towed to a dealer. It is under warranty.

[caverman]

That's what warranties are for though. Just because it's new doesn't mean it won't break.

OP....My car is coming on 4 yrs old. I've had a slightly leaking valve cover gasket and a small rip in a rear CV boot. Really nothing to speak of warranty wise.

[Tonyk88]

Haha guess I should of clarified some details, yes I pulled over immediately and had it towed to the dealer. It took them two days but verified a broken rocker arm, as for the circumstances prior to it happening? Yes at a red light just after start up and it sitting at work for the previous 5 hours.. That's why I'm asking I just feel that shouldn't happen especially on a brand new car. Driving habits over the two weeks were pretty conservative exceeding 100 mph only once for a very short distance and red lining maybe once accidentally and just briefly..

Caverman I agree on just cause it's new doesn't mean it won't break, I just wanted to see if there were any similar occurrences out there.. Good to hear it sounds like a rare happening, thank you all for your replys..

[not]

It does happen and indeed, the warranty is like homeowner's insurance, good to have but don't want to use.

I have been in manufacturing all my life. It doesn't even bother me anymore that stuff brand new and costing more than 3 new Camaros come in junk, garbage, don't pass go. Actually if something new runs good initially and a bit afterwards, it is good to go for its useful life, given you maintain it as required.

You will get past this, bet the engineers at Chevy will be poring over this when they go through initial quality metrics next month, ha. As Ricky Ricardo used to say "Got a lot of splaining to do Lucy"...........

Best regards.

[cadyshac]

Toyotas break too......
Especially if you accidentally briefly redline them "only once" or drive them 100 mph "for a short distance"

[caverman]

People have different train of thought on babying it the first 500 miles or so and others don't. Me, I just drove it from normal from day one. Never worried about what RPM or MPH or whatever. I did wait a couple months before taking it to the drag strip but that was only because of the weather. I picked up my car in early February and waited until April or so before it saw it's first run down the track.

I will also say that I didn't follow the dealers guidelines of changing the first oil at normal intervals. I changed my oil the first time at about 500 miles. Changed the Trans fluid over to synthetic at less than 1K miles.

[2014v6]

Dont the dealer change the oil before it goes to the lot? Like a pdi thing?

[The Stig]

Originally Posted by 2014v6

Dont the dealer change the oil before it goes to the lot? Like a pdi thing?

No.

[ChrisBlair]

Originally Posted by Tonyk88

Anyone have a broken rocker arm in just two weeks of ownership or 480 miles? I'm a first time Camaro owner but 2 weeks is just too soon to have issues like this, is this just the beginning?

So you're worried that the steel parts in your camaro's engine are going to start breaking?

You had a freak, premature failure of a small part. This is not the time to start panicking that your engine is going to fall apart.

Quick story: in 1998 I had a ball joint failure on the highway. Lower ball joint. I had personally replaced all my ball joints two years earlier. In closer inspection of the part, the ball joint itself never failed. The nut stripped out, leaving threads of the nut still on the stud, and the remains of the cotter pin in the cross hole. The nut must have had a bad heat treatment.

That was an Original Equipment Manufacturer (Moog) part for my '70 Buick. It had sat in its original box for decades waiting for me to buy it, and then fail way too early. Flipping lucky I didn't have a bad crash. I also have had valve keeprs on very expensive brand new heads fail within 500 miles- lucky I yanked the covers when I did, I was about to drop three valves!

These failures are very rare, just like your rocker arm failure.

[lugnut65]

I had 307 miles on mine,and was really easy on it Just started it up after sitting for a week,and its started shaking,more than normal Check engine lights came on Took in for service about 6 miles to dealer And........
Broken valve spring on #6 cylinder Wasn't very happy since I haven't really hammered on it Might be the reason I don't want to get a tune or void the warentte Got 2200 miles on it and no problems since,but always in the back of mind

[not]

Originally Posted by The Stig

No.

Way to go Stig, you smashed the chance for this thread to go 19 pages over changing oil at break-in and what type to use.

How dare you............ha