Potential problem alert!!!!

[C.Costine]

Yesterday I pulled the rocker arm assembly out of the box that it was stored in, to clean and prep it for installation. I noticed that the plug/locater screw was missing. A little disassembly showed that the shaft was fairly badly damaged, with galling. I thought,"no problem, I will use my spare." Pulling the spare out and taking it apart I found that it was even worse, with galling and distortion of the chrome. The assembly that was missing the plug came from my parts car, which had been in storage since 1975, While the other was from the car that I have been rebuilding, which had sat for an extended period, perhaps four years before being started, before I bought it. It appears to me that perhaps these should be pre-lubed before starting after years of sitting by removing the distributor and spinning the pump.

[Linda]

Some will pour some oil over the rockers before startup also.
Isn't there a way to recondition the rocker too?
Linda

[greydog]

I pour oil over them when I install. I wiggle the rockers to make sure they're not dry. Also spin the engine until I get oil pressure on a fresh rebuild.
Dean sells a refurb shaft (hard chrome and ground) as well as bushed rockers.
Dan

[C.Costine]

Some will pour some oil over the rockers before startup also.
Isn't there a way to recondition the rocker too?
Linda

I have a rebuilt one on order. I have read comments to the effect that it takes a while for oil to come out of the rockers when pre-lubing, so I can see damage happening if one sits for a couple years and is started without pre-lubing.

[bobd]

Install a brass nipple in the oil pressure sender hole & use a pump up sprayer to send oil through the entire engine.

[C.Costine]

Install a brass nipple in the oil pressure sender hole & use a pump up sprayer to send oil through the entire engine.

Bob, I have looked into that method, but you need a sprayer that is dedicated to this job, and a method to connect it. Not all that difficult, but I already have a pump installed and connected into the entire engine. I have done it and it works very quickly and easily.

[bobd]

Install a brass nipple in the oil pressure sender hole & use a pump up sprayer to send oil through the entire engine.

Bob, I have looked into that method, but you need a sprayer that is dedicated to this job, and a method to connect it. Not all that difficult, but I already have a pump installed and connected into the entire engine. I have done it and it works very quickly and easily.

Then you're all set. I used a pump sprayer before I started my SR20 a few years ago. Put the sprayer back to original and am still using it to spray Simple Green.