Missing Ball Keeper!! poping, thumping out the intake

[Moremph]

Had a stumper come in tonight, Thumping out the intake when a ceartin cylnder hits. Ran some test and was seeing #2 lower on relative compression. Pulled Drivers valve cover all the pushrods are straight the #8 exhaust rocker are ball keeper was off. The ball was still in the rocker but the retainer was just kinda laying thier. All the valves appear to be ok, But i have not seen anything that would cause the loud thump yet. Has anybody else seen these keepers come off or seen anything similar?

Thanks Travis

 

[BFT]

i was about to say bent pushrod before i read this.

is it stock?

 

[Moremph]

Bone stock 110k Sittting at a stop light loud pop, and started thumping.

The batteries are dead in my borescope going to try and check that tom.

Now one thing i was just pondering this i wander if the computer is seeing the problem in the companion cylinder, I wander if my problem is on the other side?

Thanks Travis

 

[BFT]

you got the hard side off, might as well check the other side.

 

[BFT]

so whats the haps with this? curious to see what the outcome was/is

 

[Dieselcraft]

Iv seen a lot of high millage trucks have the rockers come apart. Most of the time there's a reason like bent push rod=lifter issue=cam most of these vehicles were fleet trucks.
We did have a lot rock once that the valves rusted shut that Brant some push rods and broke some rockers. That paid real good lol had to pull the heads and give her a valve jop I liked

 

[swamp_ratt]

The popping is caused by compression leaving the cylinder through the intake valve due to the exhaust valve not opening. This can be caused by bent or broken pushrod, broken rocker, or a rocker that has come out of proper alignment. had this issue with a few 6.0s and 7.3s for all of the above reasons. Examine the pushrod, rocker and rocker mount very closely for bends or cracks

 

[swamp_ratt]

If it has been running like this (popping out intake) for a while, it can build excessive compression and wear out the rings, valve seats, bend a valve, and possibly crack a piston as well as blow a headgasket on that cylinder. All of which can cause your lower compression

 

[Moremph]

No bent push tubes valves look ok, replaced the rocker arm set on #8 just for fun. Looks as if the #8 Exhaust rocker may not be traveling as much as the others. Gonna get my dial indicator and verify that tom, If so im thinking lifter or camshaft

Thanks Travis

 

[swamp_ratt]

If its been running for a while with the rocker off, the oil in the lifter is low which is not providing enough pressure. They are hydraulic lifters so they fill with oil to provide proper pressure. Once the lifter is full it fills the pushrod. The rocker provides a seal on the top of the pushrod when the valve is closed to maintain pressure. When the valve opens the angle offsets and relieves a minimal amount of oil pressure from the lifter and pushrod. So if it has been running for more than a few miles popping due to the rocker being off there is no, or low oil pressure in the lifter causing it to not open the valve all the way. Rotate the motor by hand to make sure nothing in the valve train is making irregular contact. If not start the engine and let it IDLE for ten minutes at least. then take it for a very gentle drive to allow everything to seat properly and in a sense re-break in. Nothing over 1500 rpm and very gentle rpm climbs

 

[swamp_ratt]

If that works, return it to the owner and tell them to be gentle for at least 100 miles using the same instructions i just gave you. Regards

 

[swamp_ratt]

A dial indicator will mean nothing on a hydraulic lifter that has been deprived of oil. It may show it opening less, but you need to re-prime that lifter by running the engine and building oil pressure back up in the lifter before you can dial it.

 

[SootRoller]

Lifter turned in the bore, wiped out the cam. All day, everyday. Cam, 16 lifters, new valvetrain and roll it. Think about it. How long do you think the mains/cam bearings/valvetrain assembly like being lubricated with a 70/30 mixture of oil and diesel? Not very long. You wouldnt believe the amount of valve train/thrust bearing failures we see on these engines, especially the ones that idle all day.

 

[ZF6FoDually]

Had the same issue, replaced rods and all bridges and all rocker arms, had low compression in #8 which is where I found a missing ball keeper as well. Put everything back together and it still made the noise after break in. Guy didn't want to do anything but what I did. I was thinking cam/lifter problem as well..