engine and drivetrain Broke a rocker arm, need to find parts

[warmwaffles]

So I'm driving down the highway, and suddenly a lot of poping and no power coming from my car. I cut the engine and coasted to a stop. Got my car home and as I feared, it was something with my valve / rocker

http://imgur.com/a/2LX3W

Can you guys help me out? I need to get a set of gaskets and apparently a new rocker arm...probably a few of them just in case.

EDIT: this is my daily driver not to mention my only vehicle

[roadhog0]

Well that's handy... My diesel broke a rocker shaft a couple weeks ago

As far as rocker arms go, you'll have to pull the head pull em, or pull the motor. I'd just replace the rocker that broke. Chances are the other 7 are fine. Maybe you just got one bad one.

[warmwaffles]

Yes, look at the far left intake rocker. I broke two of them when I was tearing the head apart 5 years ago. Both of them broke in the same spot so I'm thinking I need to replace them. At least with the way it broke, the valve was shut and and nothing too catastrophic happened other than exhaust shooting through the air intake

[Pigpen]

I have a set of used rockers off a head I stripped down for a race engine, and a cam too if you need it. Bought head so don't know condition, but evrything else checked out. Let me know your address and I will mail them to you No Charge.

Mark

[warmwaffles]

Sent you an email

[Pigpen]

Perfect, I will drop them in the mail tomorrow!

Mark

[warmwaffles]

You are awesome, I can't thank you enough

[allbim]

I noticed that the valve cover gasket is severely squished around the studs.

You might want to ease up on the nut torque a bit.

Also, to minimize cam and rocker wear, you should re-install all the surviving rockers in their original location.

[TobyB]

uh, there's something else wrong, too, I suspect-

that's an exhaust rocker.

The intakes almost always break first- the valve's heaver, and what breaks

them is floating off the valve stem.

If you're lucky, it's something obvious like a broken or collapsed valve spring,

or sticking valve....

How fast was the engine turning when it broke?

t

[KFunk]

not hard to find new...

http://www.blunttech.com/ShopByVehicle.epc?q=1974-BMW-2002&yearid=1974%40%401974&makeid=31%40%40BMW&modelid=13613%40%402002&catid=240154@@Engine%20Mechanical&subcatid=240234@@Rocker%20Arm&mode=PA

http://www.autohausaz.com/search/product.aspx?sid=brqhnbjma5nbht45snhzinqo&makeid=800003@BMW&modelid=1010787@2002&year=1974&cid=20@Engine%20Parts,%20Seals%20%26%20Gaskets&gid=5656@Rocker%20Arm

http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/raframecatalog.php?carcode=1010787&parttype=5656

http://www.iemotorsport.com/bmw/2002-valvetrain/02rarm.html

or stronger:

http://www.iemotorsport.com/bmw/2002-valvetrain/02rarmHD.html

[Hans]

It does seem odd - I'd be looking for another cause other than metal fatigue. And yes, check torque specs for cover gasket

[Preyupy]

Those are the cheap aftermarket rockers, if you look carefully they don't break any of the corners and they are thinner than the factory rockers. They are stress riser festivals! If you have broken one, others are not far behind. Replace them all!

While you have it apart to replace the rockers have a good look at the valve springs, most likely they are 40 years old and if they are not controlling the valves and they float even a little bit they will KILL rockers.

[Preyupy]

Those are the cheap aftermarket rockers, if you look carefully they don't break any of the corners and they are thinner than the factory rockers. They are stress riser festivals! If you have broken one, others are not far behind. Replace them all!

While you have it apart to replace the rockers have a good look at the valve springs, most likely they are 40 years old and if they are not controlling the valves and they float even a little bit they will KILL rockers.

[Hans]

That explains the other two breaking. I've never heard of one breaking, much less three. Hard to imagine someone making after-market rocker arms for 50 year old BMWs. I wouldn't think there was a big market. It may be more cost affective to look for some low mileage used ones.

[AceAndrew]

That explains the other two breaking. I've never heard of one breaking, much less three. Hard to imagine someone making after-market rocker arms for 50 year old BMWs. I wouldn't think there was a big market. It may be more cost affective to look for some low mileage used ones.

mmm, pretty common, even on factory replacements these days. While regular valve adjustments are a good idea in preventative maintenance, its still not a "cure".

As for HD aftermarket pieces, there's a link above showing just that.