<VV> Re: sick of my Corvair - no longer

[mhicks130 at cox.net]

That sounds like good advice tony.  I did give a quick look at the other valves on the side with the broken rocker and they looked good.  The pushrod was fine, nice and straight and the end wasn't galled and the little hole was where it's supposed to be.  The engine was rebuilt by a guy who knows Corvairs so I think it's OK plus it's been running for me for around a 1000 miles and not making any noises it should'nt (until Tuesday night anyway).  The ball and its socket on the broken rocker look shiny but not galled or scratched, I think the rocker must have had a manufacturing defect of flaw of some kind. I've ordered 2 new sets (rocker, ball and nut) from Clarks (they get here faster - I'm in VA) so I'll have a spare if another one bites the dust.  I called the local NAPA and they said the Corvair rocker arms were listed as "obsolete" and they didn't have any and couldn't get any.

mike

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INSPECT all  of them.   REPLACE the broken rocker, its ball, and maybe also 
its nut if the nut is "loose" on the stud.   You'll know what I mean about 
loose.  It's a lock nut so it's not gonna turn easily if it's good.

No point in replacing everything under the valve cover if what's there is 
serviceable.

IF anything else doesn't pass muster, such as a galled rocker ball, worn or 
galled rocker arm tips, or a loose rocker stud nut, then replace the 
suspect parts while you're there but it's not necessary to arbitrarily 
replace everything.

Check those pushrods too for galled or eroded tips and for straightness and 
make sure the oil holes are clean.    Anybody tell you about the rocker 
ball lube holes in the pushrods?   A fraction of an inch away from the 
ROCKER end of the pushrod there's a rather small oil hole which sprays oil 
on the rocker arm pivots.   Make sure none of the pushrods are in 
upside-down which would mean that the rocker of the offending pushrod 
wouldn't get lubed and would eventually fail.    Carb cleaner will tell you 
if the oil holes are clogged... and of course it will unclog them.

tony..     
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