Rocker Failure - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

Schlok · 06-24-2016, 03:54 PM

Well was driving the car today and heard a horrendous noise coming from under the hood. I pulled off immediately and stopped in a plaza. I called AAA and had the car towed to Vengeance immediately. About 45 min later they had it fixed. A GM rocker failed, luckily I had the heads upgraded and that prevented a worse problem. They also replaced the pushrod too. Just be in the lookout, 1200 miles on my car.

68camaroz28 · 06-24-2016, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Schlok

Well was driving the car today and heard a horrendous noise coming from under the hood. I pulled off immediately and stopped in a plaza. I called AAA and had the car towed to Vengeance immediately. About 45 min later they had it fixed. A GM rocker failed, luckily I had the heads upgraded and that prevented a worse problem. They also replaced the pushrod too. Just be in the lookout, 1200 miles on my car.

What do you mean "luckily I had the heads upgraded" and how did that prevent worse?

Schlok · 06-24-2016, 04:19 PM

First, unrelated though, the valve guides were redone, thus there was little chance it was the dreaded dropped valve problem. Related to this, the trunion upgrade helped alleviate the rocker from scattering needle bearings around the valve train and into the cylinders.

CFD · 06-24-2016, 04:59 PM

So if I'm reading this correctly it's a trunion upgrade failure not a GM rocker failure. I'm quite familiar with it.

Schlok · 06-24-2016, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CFD

So if I'm reading this correctly it's a trunion upgrade failure not a GM rocker failure. I'm quite familiar with it.

I did some more reading about this upgrade after and have seen this "happens." When they first told me what was wrong they said "the rocker is broken" which to me meant physical failure. It does sound like that is what actually happened, a trunion failure.

JusticePete · 06-24-2016, 06:25 PM

Stephen12ZL1 · 06-24-2016, 09:35 PM

it is noted by many tuners that rockers with the trunion upgrade fail where the stockers seem to live no matter what. I hope there isn't any collateral damage.

Olddudesrule · 06-24-2016, 10:02 PM

Yup, I had a trunnion failure on my 07 Z06, and never had any issues with the rockers prior to the "upgrade". Found the needle bearings in my oil before I noted any issues with the valve train (strange, but guess I just happened to change the oil within a few miles of the failure). Not the end of the world, since the needle bearings are unlikely to find their way anywhere but in the oil pan, but not something any of us want to have happen. I'll be looking into the bronze bushings when it comes time for an upgrade.

chip4 · 06-25-2016, 02:04 AM

So what exactly failed in the “Trunion Upgrade”? Was it not secured correctly? Installation error? Was there a crack or physical defect? Who is the manufacturer of this Trunion? Any pictures?

68camaroz28 · 06-25-2016, 04:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chip4

So what exactly failed in the “Trunion Upgrade”? Was it not secured correctly? Installation error? Was there a crack or physical defect? Who is the manufacturer of this Trunion? Any pictures?

X2 and still trying to understand why without the change/upgrade it could have been worse. Seems the issue is the upgrade?
Glad all is OK but wow!

Rich J · 06-25-2016, 07:30 AM

I did a trunion upgrade with the Comp Cams kit on my 09 CTS-V. You have to be careful with the snap rings. Improvising without the right snap ring pliers can overstress the ring and cause a failure.

Schlok · 06-25-2016, 12:59 PM

No pictures, Vengeance had it back together in a jiffy. I have a comp cams upgrade kit. One of those things I piled on to my build, figured it was a smart move at the time, perhaps not....I had WCCH do their stage 2 on my factory heads...

CFD · 06-25-2016, 01:09 PM

I had two rocker failures then went to the Comp trunion upgrade and had many failures. Scrapped it all and went LLSR with T&D rockers, so far so good.

Olddudesrule · 06-25-2016, 08:28 PM

Sorry, no pics. In my case, happened about four years ago. When I pulled the rocker, it had cracked just behind the slip ring on one side, allowing the needle bearings to work their way out. I knew it hadn't happened more than a few miles before, because the rocker would have most likely completely broke very soon after. If you search for trunnion rocker upgrade failures, I've seen several pics of just the same failure I had. I'm not saying the "upgrade" isn't just that, only pointing out that I had a failure.....

06-24-2016, 03:54 PM	#1
Schlok Drives: 2015 Z/28 #397 2022 ZL1 #1799 Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: DC Posts: 521	Rocker Failure Well was driving the car today and heard a horrendous noise coming from under the hood. I pulled off immediately and stopped in a plaza. I called AAA and had the car towed to Vengeance immediately. About 45 min later they had it fixed. A GM rocker failed, luckily I had the heads upgraded and that prevented a worse problem. They also replaced the pushrod too. Just be in the lookout, 1200 miles on my car.

06-24-2016, 09:35 PM	#7
Stephen12ZL1 Drives: '21 ZLE A10 Join Date: May 2012 Location: Mechanicsville, VA Posts: 6,824	it is noted by many tuners that rockers with the trunion upgrade fail where the stockers seem to live no matter what. I hope there isn't any collateral damage. __________________ '21 ZLE A10 Wild Cherry PDR 2:00.78 VIR Full 10.68@131.69 1.68 60' '17 ZL1 A10 Mosaic Black PDR/Nav 2:03.08 VIR Full 11.003@129.2 1.75 (sold) '15 Z/28 #325 Black a/c & stereo. 2:10.1 VIR Full (sold) '12 ZL1 A6 Black 10.52@131 1.55 60' 2:13 VIR Full (sold)

06-24-2016, 10:02 PM	#8
Olddudesrule Resident nomad Drives: 2014 Summit White 1SS/1LE Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Gilbert, AZ Posts: 1,765	Yup, I had a trunnion failure on my 07 Z06, and never had any issues with the rockers prior to the "upgrade". Found the needle bearings in my oil before I noted any issues with the valve train (strange, but guess I just happened to change the oil within a few miles of the failure). Not the end of the world, since the needle bearings are unlikely to find their way anywhere but in the oil pan, but not something any of us want to have happen. I'll be looking into the bronze bushings when it comes time for an upgrade. __________________ Sold: 2007 Z06 2002 Viper GTS/ACR 2003 Z06 1965 FFR Cobra 2012 Nissan 370Z ADM LSA Stage II, Roto-Fab CAI, Kooks LTH/HFC's, Phastek CC, ported TB, Mishimoto radiator and oil cooler, BC Racing ER Series CO's, JPSS 32mm Black Magic rear bar, JPSS front inserts, R1 Concepts Premier slotted rotors/Goodrich SS lines, Schroth ASM harness, MGW flatstick, Brey-Krause HB, Tuned by NicD, at Cordes Performance Racing.

06-25-2016, 08:28 PM	#14
Olddudesrule Resident nomad Drives: 2014 Summit White 1SS/1LE Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Gilbert, AZ Posts: 1,765	Sorry, no pics. In my case, happened about four years ago. When I pulled the rocker, it had cracked just behind the slip ring on one side, allowing the needle bearings to work their way out. I knew it hadn't happened more than a few miles before, because the rocker would have most likely completely broke very soon after. If you search for trunnion rocker upgrade failures, I've seen several pics of just the same failure I had. I'm not saying the "upgrade" isn't just that, only pointing out that I had a failure..... __________________ Sold: 2007 Z06 2002 Viper GTS/ACR 2003 Z06 1965 FFR Cobra 2012 Nissan 370Z ADM LSA Stage II, Roto-Fab CAI, Kooks LTH/HFC's, Phastek CC, ported TB, Mishimoto radiator and oil cooler, BC Racing ER Series CO's, JPSS 32mm Black Magic rear bar, JPSS front inserts, R1 Concepts Premier slotted rotors/Goodrich SS lines, Schroth ASM harness, MGW flatstick, Brey-Krause HB, Tuned by NicD, at Cordes Performance Racing.

06-24-2016, 04:19 PM	#3
Schlok Drives: 2015 Z/28 #397 2022 ZL1 #1799 Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: DC Posts: 521	First, unrelated though, the valve guides were redone, thus there was little chance it was the dreaded dropped valve problem. Related to this, the trunion upgrade helped alleviate the rocker from scattering needle bearings around the valve train and into the cylinders.

06-24-2016, 04:59 PM	#4
CFD Drives: 2SS/RS L99 BLACK Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Franklin , MA Posts: 6,696	So if I'm reading this correctly it's a trunion upgrade failure not a GM rocker failure. I'm quite familiar with it.

06-24-2016, 06:25 PM	#6
JusticePete Drives: Camaro Justice Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Virginia Posts: 20,171

06-25-2016, 02:04 AM	#9
chip4 Drives: 2015 Z/28 Silver #713 Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Gilbert AZ Posts: 153	So what exactly failed in the “Trunion Upgrade”? Was it not secured correctly? Installation error? Was there a crack or physical defect? Who is the manufacturer of this Trunion? Any pictures?

06-25-2016, 07:30 AM	#11
Rich J Drives: 2018 ZL1 Manual Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: NoVA Posts: 111	I did a trunion upgrade with the Comp Cams kit on my 09 CTS-V. You have to be careful with the snap rings. Improvising without the right snap ring pliers can overstress the ring and cause a failure.

06-25-2016, 12:59 PM	#12
Schlok Drives: 2015 Z/28 #397 2022 ZL1 #1799 Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: DC Posts: 521	No pictures, Vengeance had it back together in a jiffy. I have a comp cams upgrade kit. One of those things I piled on to my build, figured it was a smart move at the time, perhaps not....I had WCCH do their stage 2 on my factory heads...

06-25-2016, 01:09 PM	#13
CFD Drives: 2SS/RS L99 BLACK Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Franklin , MA Posts: 6,696	I had two rocker failures then went to the Comp trunion upgrade and had many failures. Scrapped it all and went LLSR with T&D rockers, so far so good.