Has anyone heard of any issues with the LS7 rocker arms? Has anyone had any problems? I just had one go bad and I am hearing rumblings that this is a weak link and is becoming an issue
It's definitely an issue. There's been several reports of needle bearings being found in the oil. It seems to be most prevalent with the '07's. I found 4 needle bearings in the oil on my '07 at 5,200 miles and I know of several others on this forum who have as well. On other forums there are also reports of the same.
The cause is the rocker arm design. The end cap is coming off or breaking which allows the needle bearings to come out. It's been an issue for a long time, including with the C5. Harland Sharp can modify the stock rocker arms by modifying them to accept a c-clip, thus preventing the issue from ever occurring. However, GM has not yet seen fit to do something similar, if not identical, themselves.
If you find needle bearings in the oil, don't worry. The repair is simple: a new rocker arm will be installed under warranty. Some dealers may replace all 16 and others will claim GM says only replace the broken one. Some dealers may remove the oil pan and oil reservoir and clean them, others will do nothing but change the rocker/s as above.
There are 33 needle bearings in each rocker arm. Again, I only found 4. When some people have told their dealers this and asked what they should do if they find more needle bearings, the response was a shrug.
I would replace them with the Harland Sharpe rocker arms and you're done. There are a lot of people who have had needle bearings stuck to their magnetic drain plugs. Although it doesn't seem to hamper the Z06 it should be dealt with right away. My problem is fixing only the broken rocker is silly since they are already in there they should replace the all of the ones on the damaged side. Then they should give you the option of paying for the replacement of the other side or just to wait until a rocker on the other side has failed. I like options. You can't really complain if you have options.
What's "silly" is continuing to use rocker arms they know are prone to failure, and have been since the C5. This is not a problem new to the C6. Replacing all the rockers will not fix the issue. Since the new rockers are the same, they too are subject to failure.
Apparently, it's the intake rocker arm that fails most often and rarely the exhaust valve. This is possibly exacerbated by the LS7's offset rocker arm design on the intake side.
Even if they did replace them all, there are often 20-30 needle bearings still in the engine. Therefore, when you find even one during a routine oil change call GM and tell them you want a flatbed to take your car to a dealer. After all, they can't prove a recently discovered needle bearing or bearings are from the previously failed rocker until they inspect all the rocker arms.
I don't know about you but I don't want to flatbed my car every time I find a needle bearing, I had a rocker arm failure and I went round and round with the dealers service advisor regarding the possible needle bearings that be floating around in my pan etc. I was told that if needle bearings were left in the pan they wouldn't present a problem per GM advisors. I suggest getting a magnetic oil drain plug and filter ring.
The C6 Z comes with magnetic drain plugs. As far as filter rings, the bearings will never make it that far and even if they did the filter will trap them.
The needle bearings I have found thus far, and those others have found, are almost always stuck to the magnetic drain plug/s, usually the sump plug on the left side.
Not all Z06s have magnetic plugs there are some 2006/s that don't, that has been discussed before, the oil filter ring is something that I recently heard about and from what I have be told from the seller of course It my be worth looking into. either way the real problem solver seems to be Harland Shape rockers.
You're right, some '06 cars did not have the magnetic drain plugs. However, I have an '07 and most if not all '07 cars have them as well. Furthermore, most of the rocker arm failures have been with '07 cars.
So, I should have said my car has magnetic drain plugs. Furthermore, most of those who have discovered the rocker arm needle bearings did so by finding them on their magnetic drain plugs.
The fact remains, however, this has been a problem since the C5 and GM has yet to address the issue. It is especially disconcerting knowing there is an aftermarket rocker arm design, in the form of modified OEM rocker arms, that prevent it from happening in the first place.
GM simply took the cheap way out and probably determined the failure rate was acceptable when compared to redesigning the rockers, let alone recalling all cars that have the failure prone parts for example.
Make no mistake, the 'bean counters' have more of a say in all facets of a mass produced vehicles design and construction than most people realize. Chevrolet is able to produce the Corvette at the cost they do for this very reason.
Lastly, the needle bearings in question should never get to the oil filter. If they do, then they would have had to go through the scavenge pump pickup filter as well as through the crankshaft driven two-stage oil pump. Thus, engine damage would likely result. However, this does not happen. That is not to say a magnetic filter ring is not useful in other ways.
I have replaced all of the rocker arms with after-market ones from MTI in GA. Probably not the cheapest solution, but the one that makes me most comfortable.
I have replaced all of the rocker arms with after-market ones from MTI in GA. Probably not the cheapest solution, but the one that makes me most comfortable.
That's a good thing , I personally think owners shy away from doing noticeable upgrades for fear of having there warranty voided, thats why the Harland Sharpe rocker arms are the best option IMOP obviously.
Not noticeable until they look. At which time GM has not said whether or not they will result in any warranty denial. Should something else require engine work and they see the rocker arms are a modified OEM rocker who knows what will happen.
I agree, however, they appear to be a better design than the stock rocker arms. That said, GM may have reason to claim otherwise. Thus, what we really need is a GM approved design change/fix.
I personally don't forsee this being an problem if I ever have a warranty issue. I have a pretty good relationship with a dealer and have already talked to them about it.
Now if one of these rocker arms go bad and need replaced - I am on my own. The only part a dealer can install under warranty is the original piece. That is were the aftermarket company will have to back up their product.
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