Technical Rocker breakage

[123Bee]

Got a Brava 1.4, done about 65,000 miles.
Last week, car started fine, but after about 5 minutes engine cut out and wouldn't restart. Garage says 'a couple of the rockers have broken - on the inlet side'. As more than one has broken, garage thinks there is an underlying problem but doesn't know what.
Does anyone know what might cause more than one rocker to break at the same time?

Bee

 

[polecat]

Hi Bee,
Welcome to the forum

Very unusual for one rocker to break, never mind two.

First thoughts would be timing, either cam belt snap or slip or a tooth/key gone on the camshaft idler gear. The garage should have picked up on that though?

Only other thing that I can think of would be a loose screw or similar getting caught up in the mech'.??

Someone else may have come across this before but anyway good luck and let us know how you get on

 

[snow]

hi all new to forum

sounds like your oil spray bar is partially blocked
the spray bar lubricates the cam/rockers
gets blocked the rockers over heat on the cam and snaps

the rockers themselves are cheap enough the cams about 200 quid i think
the real problem is making sure the the spray bar is clear id recomend replacing it and from now on give the engine more frequent oil changes and also using a flush b4 dropping the oil

 

[123Bee]

Thought I would let you know what the problem was!

On starting to strip down the engine, we found that the timing belt had lost several teeth where it passed round the lower cog. Everything looked fine until the belt was removed.
When the engine went out of sequence, some of the valves hit the pistons, causing valves to bend and rockers to break!

Moral of the story - if in doubt - change timing belt when you service (or save up plenty of money). Ouch!!


Bee

 

[polecat]

snow, hi and welcome to the forum, sorry I missed your post, never thought of that, good point though.

Bee, thanks for letting us know the outcome, it can be a bit like talking to yourself at times on here Sorry about the belt but glad it's sorted now.