Crane Iron rocker arms.

[TK]

Some of you may have heard I recently put a 318 together for my one ton. I used forged pistons, and cast iron rockers, mostly for reliability.
Well, today, and 14 miles short of 1000, a #7 exhaust rocker arm split, directly in half where the nut is, and on the other side of the rocker shaft hole, so, it came off in two pieces. Then, of course, the pushrods pops out, hits the valve cover, the intake rocker slides over, comes off of the valve, and that pushrod bends, and kills the lifter.

Inspecting the broken rocker, I find that when I try to piece it back together, one side fits perfect where it is broken, and the other side doesn't even match.
Closer look, and there is some red color iron looking steel in the middle of the cast. Clearly a defective casting.
Well, I bent the pushrods straight enough with a hammer and a block of wood, so they spun when I cranked the engine over, put a OEM 273 rocker back on it, and am back in buisness.
There is a huge difference in the casting quality of the OEM and the crane, (in the OEM's favor) The crane is full of bubbles, (all of them) and thinner (way thinner, really thin where it broke compared to the OEM one).

What did Crane have to say? Well, they don't just want me to send the one back, they want the whole set back. (I wanted the one replaced, thats all) AND, they doubt it will be warranty anyway, because their parts are inspected by a cheeto eating eight dollar an hour moron. So they are 99% sure, it was my doing. (coil bind, over revving, blah blah blah)

Moral of the story? Maybe think twice before buying the crane rocker arms, or at least give them a REAL good look before installing them. There is a big differnce between them, and the OEM ones, thickness wise.
I have used lots of Crane stuff, and never had an issue, I think these rockers were just made in China, or something.

And, I needed to rant!

Oh, did I mention it was pouring rain? :jackbox:

[dust]

Broke at the nut? The adjusting nut at the end of a LA rocker or a nut at the center of a Magnum rocker? I assume Magnum since you said "directly in half".

Originally Posted by TK

I have used lots of Crane stuff, and never had an issue, I think these rockers were just made in China, or something.

Can anyone confirm this? If this is true, it'll change my view of Crane parts.

btw: It could be worse, you could have had SpeedOMotive build you motor....

[cudabob496]

Always had good performance from Crane

[TK]

Well, so have I, until now. Like I said, I got crane because I have had a great opinion of them, and still do.
I think I just got a Friday the 13th rocker arm.

Oh, and then, to top it off, I just went outside a while ago, and my exhaust was almost touching the ground. Not one, but TWO hangers, (I double them up) had come loose...........
I shoud've stayed in bed.

I can say this, I had a 2000-3000RPM clatter since I built the motor, that I just couldn't figure out. Changing that one rocker arm has fixed it completely.
I think I just got a bum rocker arm.

And Crane was probably the way they were because there are a lot of idiots out there, that do stupid things.........

And, no, I like to do my own stuff, I cant seem to hire the building of my engine out, because I don't trust no one, LOL.

[TK]

Broke at the nut? The adjusting nut at the end of a LA rocker or a nut at the center of a Magnum rocker? I assume Magnum since you said "directly in half".

A picture is worth a thousand words, I know, but I don't have the rocker, I UPS'd it to Crane.
Draw a line, from right under the nut, directly across the rocker shaft (through the center of the circle). Thats where it broke. The opposite side of the nut, was the part that had the bad casting. And no, I don't like magnum heads, because I don't like valvetrain failures. isn't that ironic? First time for everything.