TIII rocker arms

[iTurbo]

Has anybody ever looked into getting aftermarket TIII rocker arms made?

This is the biggest thing that scares me about the TIII. I have had no less than 3 rocker arm failures over the years that wiped out the cam and got metal all over the engine.

Believe it or not, I've never had a timing belt, I-shaft bearing, or cracked head failure on my TIIIs. I seem to be a magnet for rocker arm failures though. Basically what happens is the pin holding the roller 'walks' out and eventually seizes the roller bearing, promptly wiping out the cam and breaking the rocker.

I have extras, but it's always in the back of my mind that someday it will happen again on an engine I built for somebody. In two of the three failure cases I've personally experienced, I had NO idea that it happened until I popped the valve covers off. They seemed to run just fine on 15 valves but there was metal flakes all over the place and I had to rebuild them and replace the camshaft.

IF somebody could design/build a superior TIII rocker arm that fixed this problem I would buy multiple sets. The stock rocker arms are no longer available from Mopar (or anywhere else) and eventually all of the original rockers will be so worn out it will be russian roulette with your motor to run them at all.

[iTurbo]

Sure hope I'm not the only one. Eventually this will become a Group Buy but it's hard to say when.

My advice: Take the valve covers off and inspect at least twice a year. Look at the pin holding the roller bearing and if it's dislodged to one side or the other you might have to think about it.

I fully admit this isn't going to be cheap.

[Ondonti]

Sure hope I'm not the only one. Eventually this will become a Group Buy but it's hard to say when.

My advice: Take the valve covers off and inspect at least twice a year. Look at the pin holding the roller bearing and if it's dislodged to one side or the other you might have to think about it.

I fully admit this isn't going to be cheap.

Is there a punch mark to help hold in that pin?

[Wastelands Warrior]

I read through a bunch of old posts once and if I remember correctly a guy was getting a custom set of rockers made up. Would probably have to contact a company like Jessel or T&D. And like ya said, Jeremy, open the wallet wide.

[DaveSkrab]

If there were to be new production, the rocker ratio could be adjusted. Even the width and diameter of the roller.

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

[86Shelby]

There's been a few people that have put out feelers over the years. Only one has come to fruition as a prototype. To get a run of 10 sets, it was...well...a wee bit spendy.

I would love to be able to run new rockers. I think it would be great to increase the ratio a bit. Wouldn't even care if they were solid or hydraulic.


http://www.turbo-mopar.com/forums/showthread.php?61975-TIII-billet-aluminum-mechanical-rockers-being-tested&highlight=rocker+arm

http://www.turbo-mopar.com/forums/showthread.php?45247-Billet-Adjustable-TIII-rockers-anyone&highlight=

http://www.turbo-mopar.com/forums/showthread.php?66903-TIII-rocker-arms&highlight=solid+lifter

[Wastelands Warrior]

There's been a few people that have put out feelers over the years. Only one has come to fruition as a prototype. To get a run of 10 sets, it was...well...a wee bit spendy.

I would love to be able to run new rockers. I think it would be great to increase the ratio a bit. Wouldn't even care if they were solid or hydraulic.


http://www.turbo-mopar.com/forums/showthread.php?61975-TIII-billet-aluminum-mechanical-rockers-being-tested&highlight=rocker+arm

http://www.turbo-mopar.com/forums/showthread.php?45247-Billet-Adjustable-TIII-rockers-anyone&highlight=

http://www.turbo-mopar.com/forums/showthread.php?66903-TIII-rocker-arms&highlight=solid+lifter

Looks like the past attempts never turned into anything. And I don't think Bender and Wallace are even in the hobby anymore.

[johnl]

How about some insurance in the form of a teeny tiny quick spot weld? A good welder could do it, especially if they use some heat sink.

[DaveSkrab]

Bender and I were just talking about it last week. He has been busy over the past couple years working for himself in General Contracting. Look to see some progress from him on a new project in the not too distant future.

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

[DaveSkrab]

Also, if the arms were all new, we could retain the pin with a circlip of some kind. Incorporate a groove for it, and adjust the pin length. There are many options if going with some form of new production.

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

[Wastelands Warrior]

Bender and I were just talking about it last week. He has been busy over the past couple years working for himself in General Contracting. Look to see some progress from him on a new project in the not too distant future.

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

Cool. As a relative new comer to the Turbo Mopar TIII world it's always nice to see progress made on new products or projects.

[Force Fed Mopar]

Also, if the arms were all new, we could retain the pin with a circlip of some kind. Incorporate a groove for it, and adjust the pin length. There are many options if going with some form of new production.

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

What about rebuilding good used ones in this manner? If the roller is the only real weak link in it, maybe it could be updated/upgraded...

[karlak]

What about rebuilding good used ones in this manner? If the roller is the only real weak link in it, maybe it could be updated/upgraded...

That would be a more cost effective solution.

[2.216VTurbo]

Rocker arms pffftt. Real 16V motors actuate the valves directly from the cam lobes but you already know that...

[johnl]

Rocker arms pffftt. Real 16V motors actuate the valves directly from the cam lobes but you already know that...

But the cam's lift, with finger followers, is not limited by the diameter of the bucket and the bucket and shim weigh more. Not that lift or float are problems with those "real" 16V engines.

PS - IMO, electric cars have "motors" and gas cars have "engines."

[86Shelby]

Also, if the arms were all new, we could retain the pin with a circlip of some kind. Incorporate a groove for it, and adjust the pin length. There are many options if going with some form of new production.

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

Been there, done that. I don't trust the circlip idea. Sure, it's fine when it's an internal clip for a piston pin, but using it externally I foresee a lot of clips falling off the shafts. A little circlip isn't going to stay on when traveling .25" back & forth upwards of 60 times per second.

I did this idea and had little shafts made for them. Had the shop harden them to Rockwell(?) 60 and then polished them by hand. The clips we used needed to be spot welded to the shaft since there was no way they would stay on. IMHO the best way to secure the shafts would be to mushroom the ends like the factory did originally.

Here is a thread covering what I did several years ago. If the pics don't work, let me know and I'll see if I can get links fixed. http://www.turbo-mopar.com/forums/showthread.php?16664-Rocker-arm-roller-replacement!!!!!-with-pics!&highlight=rocker

[Wastelands Warrior]

Been there, done that. I don't trust the circlip idea. Sure, it's fine when it's an internal clip for a piston pin, but using it externally I foresee a lot of clips falling off the shafts. A little circlip isn't going to stay on when traveling .25" back & forth upwards of 60 times per second.

I did this idea and had little shafts made for them. Had the shop harden them to Rockwell(?) 60 and then polished them by hand. The clips we used needed to be spot welded to the shaft since there was no way they would stay on. IMHO the best way to secure the shafts would be to mushroom the ends like the factory did originally.

Here is a thread covering what I did several years ago. If the pics don't work, let me know and I'll see if I can get links fixed. http://www.turbo-mopar.com/forums/showthread.php?16664-Rocker-arm-roller-replacement!!!!!-with-pics!&highlight=rocker

Great idea. Links not working

[iTurbo]

I remember one of my local friends put a set of Harland Sharp rocker arms in his Pontiac GTP (3800 SC) a long time ago. The rockers had a modified lift ratio of 1.9 vs something like 1.7 stock. That alone was a big increase in power (similar to a cam) and also he had no more knock retard afterwards with the same pump gas. He probably could have gotten away with increasing the boost via a smaller pulley no problem.

As far as the TIII, from what I have seen/experienced, the roller pins are peened into place, but this eventually fails. And we all have 30+ year old rocker arms at this point so it's going to become more and more of an issue. I would be all for a modified rocker ratio, but mostly I'm scared of having this happen to me again with the pins walking out. I don't mean to scare anybody, but I've personally had needle roller bearings falling out and ending up in the pan, wiped out cams, and broken rocker arms. Pulverized death metal all over the engine.

What kind of investment are we talking here? I have four TIII's running around here and the rocker arms failing scares me. Two of the TIII engines are mine and I would be all for buying a new set. I can't speak for my two local customers though.

[turbovanman²]

Glad we are still talking about these, I plan on bringing the Van out next year, kids miss it. :eyebrows:

[Chris W]

What would a fair price point be for a set of 16 NOS I/E TIII rockers with lifters that we may or may not have? ;)

[spirit1991]

What would a fair price point be for a set of 16 NOS I/E TIII rockers with lifters that we may or may not have? ;)

OOOOOooooh! Are they for sale?

[Chris W]

OOOOOooooh! Are they for sale?

We are considering it and just want to be fair on the price.

[Chris W]

Photos for attention.....
62024
62025
62026
62027

[Wastelands Warrior]

Pretty

[Chris W]

TIII Rocker arm sets start at $610. To order 16-Valve Roller Rocker Arms go here: http://turbosunleashed.com/shop/2225-roller-rocker-arms-p-406.html. Frequent Buyers Club Discounts apply. Be aware that we have very Limited quantities of Rocker Arms.


TIII Lifter Sets start at $160. To order lifters go here: http://turbosunleashed.com/shop/2225-hydraulic-lifters-p-405.html. Frequent Buyers Club Discounts apply.

Single Rocker arms and lifters will be added in the next couple of days.

Chris-TU