problem with crane rockers!

**stephen02ws6** · 04-13-2009, 09:49 AM

I bought a set of Crane gold race rockers from lmperformance in december along with a cam. I installed the rockers and cam in the car and they were fine. I started the car multiple times and let it run a little bit to heat cycle the springs. when i took the car off the trailer at FLP to have it dyno tuned, a rocker started to rattle. they took the valve covers off and one of the studs backed out holding the rocker in. i had them readjust the rockers incase i did them wrong. he asked how i adjusted them and he said i did it right. after he started working on the car he noticed that the studs would not sit right in the guideplate and that the end of one of the pushrods was knicked up from the rocker coming loose. he said not to use them since the stress would be on the threads of the stud and not spread out. i asked about drilling the hole out to make the studs fit down right, but he said unless it is perfect the guideplate might hit the pushrods. he told me to try and get my money back and if they needed a professional opinion to have lmperformance contact them. i contacted lmperformance and they said since it was after 30 days there was nothing they could do about it. i said so im stuck with 600 dollar rockers and they said ya. they told me to contact crane. Since Crane is no more, what do you think i should do? should i try and find someone to machine the guideplates and try and find one pushrod?

**bills98ta** · 04-13-2009, 05:21 PM

How far off are the holes ? Drilling them out would be just chasing the original holes...
Then again, guide plates are around 25.00
Not sure what size you need, but here's a few...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/COMP-...Q5fAccessories

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/COMP-...Q5fAccessories

**stephen02ws6** · 04-13-2009, 08:41 PM

the holes arent off much. there is a taper at the "top" of the stud and the holes arent big enough for the taper to fit in. they called me back and said they are going to look for the contact info for crane. if i cant get the money back for them i will get a set of guideplates. what should i do about the one pushrod? FLP cleaned it up but they said that it should be replaced. can i get just one pushrod?

**bills98ta** · 04-14-2009, 02:52 AM

Summit sells them one at a time.

**Hi-Po** · 04-14-2009, 08:08 AM

Why did the rocker arm back out? Did you use loctite when installing? Im sure places sell single push rods.

**stephen02ws6** · 04-14-2009, 08:18 AM

Originally Posted by Hi-Po

Why did the rocker arm back out? Did you use loctite when installing? Im sure places sell single push rods.

ya i used locktite on them. we dont know why it backed out.

**corvet786c** · 04-14-2009, 06:41 PM

Originally Posted by stephen02ws6

I bought a set of Crane gold race rockers from lmperformance in december along with a cam. I installed the rockers and cam in the car and they were fine. I started the car multiple times and let it run a little bit to heat cycle the springs. when i took the car off the trailer at FLP to have it dyno tuned, a rocker started to rattle. they took the valve covers off and one of the studs backed out holding the rocker in. i had them readjust the rockers incase i did them wrong. he asked how i adjusted them and he said i did it right. after he started working on the car he noticed that the studs would not sit right in the guideplate and that the end of one of the pushrods was knicked up from the rocker coming loose. he said not to use them since the stress would be on the threads of the stud and not spread out. i asked about drilling the hole out to make the studs fit down right, but he said unless it is perfect the guideplate might hit the pushrods. he told me to try and get my money back and if they needed a professional opinion to have lmperformance contact them. i contacted lmperformance and they said since it was after 30 days there was nothing they could do about it. i said so im stuck with 600 dollar rockers and they said ya. they told me to contact crane. Since Crane is no more, what do you think i should do? should i try and find someone to machine the guideplates and try and find one pushrod?

Dude The Crane Gold Race roller rockers are a great product. I have them on my LS1, but you probably installed them wrong. Go to Vincihiperformance.com for a complete way on how to install these rockers. when at there site go to the tuning page.
I will explain briefly about it. When the rockers are on and pushrods are in, YOU HAVE TO HAND TIGHTEN THE ROCKER BOLT SNUG. Spin the crank 2 complete rotation so that the lifters bleed down and wait 15 minutes then tighten rocker only a quarter turn. He has these instruction on his site. Also they done an install on there media page. When installed correctly they will give you about an added .030 of lift. Hope all this helps. They are really good rockers. Just follow the instructions exactly what he gives.

**Firebirdjones** · 04-14-2009, 07:36 PM

Originally Posted by corvet786c

Dude The Crane Gold Race roller rockers are a great product. I have them on my LS1, but you probably installed them wrong. Go to Vincihiperformance.com for a complete way on how to install these rockers. when at there site go to the tuning page.
I will explain briefly about it. When the rockers are on and pushrods are in, YOU HAVE TO HAND TIGHTEN THE ROCKER BOLT SNUG. Spin the crank 2 complete rotation so that the lifters bleed down and wait 15 minutes then tighten rocker only a quarter turn. He has these instruction on his site. Also they done an install on there media page. When installed correctly they will give you about an added .030 of lift. Hope all this helps. They are really good rockers. Just follow the instructions exactly what he gives.

I have this rocker setup on my wifes car as well. Nice product that has worked fine. I had some of my rockers off recently checking things, and I also read his adjustment instructions. I found a much easier and faster way that accomplishes the same thing.
Since I found that LS motors like up to .080 to .120 preload on the lifters I just setup a dial indicator, once at zero lash on the base circle of the cam I turned the nut until I reached proper preload on the lifter. Counted the turns it took, then adjusted the others the same amount. Worked perfect and ran through all the valves in 15 minutes flat.

**Firebirdjones** · 04-14-2009, 07:42 PM

Originally Posted by stephen02ws6

ya i used locktite on them. we dont know why it backed out.

I'm not sure if you are saying a "stud" backed out or a "rocker arm" came loose???

I don't see a stud coming loose if it was torqued properly. The rocker arm on the other hand uses poly-locks. If used properly they are the best retention method, much better than a smash nut on a stud. I've never had one back out or loosen up.
It's entirely possible that you didn't get the little locking allen nut tight after setting the lash, and it worked itself loose. It's easy to miss when setting 16 valves and trying to remember where you were.

**stephen02ws6** · 04-14-2009, 09:00 PM

Originally Posted by corvet786c

Dude The Crane Gold Race roller rockers are a great product. I have them on my LS1, but you probably installed them wrong. Go to Vincihiperformance.com for a complete way on how to install these rockers. when at there site go to the tuning page.
I will explain briefly about it. When the rockers are on and pushrods are in, YOU HAVE TO HAND TIGHTEN THE ROCKER BOLT SNUG. Spin the crank 2 complete rotation so that the lifters bleed down and wait 15 minutes then tighten rocker only a quarter turn. He has these instruction on his site. Also they done an install on there media page. When installed correctly they will give you about an added .030 of lift. Hope all this helps. They are really good rockers. Just follow the instructions exactly what he gives.

i installed them following those instuctions. the guy at the speed shop told me they were installed right too. the studs just dont fit right in the guideplate. they dont sit down all the way. the speed shop said the guideplates were machined wrong.

**stephen02ws6** · 04-14-2009, 09:01 PM

Originally Posted by Firebirdjones

I'm not sure if you are saying a "stud" backed out or a "rocker arm" came loose???

I don't see a stud coming loose if it was torqued properly. The rocker arm on the other hand uses poly-locks. If used properly they are the best retention method, much better than a smash nut on a stud. I've never had one back out or loosen up.
It's entirely possible that you didn't get the little locking allen nut tight after setting the lash, and it worked itself loose. It's easy to miss when setting 16 valves and trying to remember where you were.

a stud backed out. i locktited them in and torqued them down.

**Firebirdjones** · 04-15-2009, 08:10 AM

Originally Posted by stephen02ws6

a stud backed out. i locktited them in and torqued them down.

Okay,,,I see where you said they didn't seat properly in the guide either.

I assume you mean all of them??? If thats the case guides are cheap enough,,,you could purchase another set,,,or carefully drill the existing hole in the guides to fit properly. I personally lean towards picking up another set,,,if nothing else just for comparison sake. If they are the same,,,at least you would have another one to start with if you screw up drilling the current set.

**mrr23** · 04-17-2009, 05:48 PM

the guideplates go in a certain direction. did you maybe put them upside down? here's a pic of mine when i had them in the wife's car. you'll notice a raised edge facing upwards.

**stephen02ws6** · 04-17-2009, 11:32 PM

Originally Posted by mrr23

the guideplates go in a certain direction. did you maybe put them upside down? here's a pic of mine when i had them in the wife's car. you'll notice a raised edge facing upwards.

ya i noticed the lip and i believe it had "up" on one that side. i made sure they were on right. with everything off it doesnt sit right the other way either.

**stephen02ws6** · 04-24-2009, 10:45 PM

i tried to call crane and got a message saying it was after hours, but i called at about 11:15 am. i think i am just going to get new guideplates and a pushrod.

**Firebirdjones** · 04-25-2009, 07:23 AM

Originally Posted by stephen02ws6

i tried to call crane and got a message saying it was after hours, but i called at about 11:15 am. i think i am just going to get new guideplates and a pushrod.

Ya that doesn't surprise me since they have filed for bankruptcy. Not sure what chapter they filed or if they completely shut down yet. Could be temporary. It's a shame what this economy is doing.

Check Vinci's site. They are currently having a sale on all Crane valvetrain parts while they last.

**stephen02ws6** · 04-25-2009, 08:47 AM

Originally Posted by Firebirdjones

Ya that doesn't surprise me since they have filed for bankruptcy. Not sure what chapter they filed or if they completely shut down yet. Could be temporary. It's a shame what this economy is doing.

Check Vinci's site. They are currently having a sale on all Crane valvetrain parts while they last.

i just checked their site. there isnt anything like what i need. do the guideplates come with a taper at the top for the studs? or would it be better to find some with the opening the size of the taper?

**Firebirdjones** · 04-28-2009, 11:34 AM

Originally Posted by stephen02ws6

i just checked their site. there isnt anything like what i need. do the guideplates come with a taper at the top for the studs? or would it be better to find some with the opening the size of the taper?

I'm not sure. I didn't install ours,,,Vinci did. I have only had the rockers off checking things, but never removed the studs and guide plates. Mrr23 deals with them alot and has helped me out quite a bit. He would be the guy to ask.

**stephen02ws6** · 04-28-2009, 09:07 PM

Originally Posted by Firebirdjones

I'm not sure. I didn't install ours,,,Vinci did. I have only had the rockers off checking things, but never removed the studs and guide plates. Mrr23 deals with them alot and has helped me out quite a bit. He would be the guy to ask.

i talked to both mrr23 and vinci. vinci said to drill out the holes in the guide plates. i talked to a motor machine shop in the area and he gave a couple ideas to drill them out but they werent cheap since its heat treated. i got a pushrod from them. i dont know if i will try and grind a bevel in the hole or get different guideplates. he said he didnt think it would be a good idea to get different studs because of the size of the studs and how they fit in the rockers.

**Firebirdjones** · 04-29-2009, 08:18 AM

Originally Posted by stephen02ws6

i talked to both mrr23 and vinci. vinci said to drill out the holes in the guide plates. i talked to a motor machine shop in the area and he gave a couple ideas to drill them out but they werent cheap since its heat treated. i got a pushrod from them. i dont know if i will try and grind a bevel in the hole or get different guideplates. he said he didnt think it would be a good idea to get different studs because of the size of the studs and how they fit in the rockers.

Ya that makes sense. You would have better luck working with the guide plates you already have. You might go through a couple of bits but a simple drill press would do the job.