08VRZ06

Man that Sucks....

Keep us posted......

Mark

Random84

EDIT - nevermind, I realized Wolf was responding to another poster in the thread and not OP.


This might be more of a lesson in "what can go wrong buying modded cars" moreso than "another dropped valve" given the miles, the aftermarket cam, dual valve springs, the rounded off and over-torqued rocker bolts (!), presumably a tune and God-knows-what-else from the previous owner that you were not aware of until you pulled the valve covers. A lot of what-if's here, but it sucks none the less. Hell, if anything maybe we should be amazed and singing praises that it went 56,000 miles?




Glad to see you're retaining your sense of humor!

FRChilln

Holy $hit I almost baught that car before you did but decided the miles were a little to high. Sorry to hear this...

Jackal

Normally, and/or if this were a C5, I would completely agree with you on this point. However, since the valve issues have been so prevalent in many Z06's, modded or otherwise, I think it is still a vaiable example of the problem that GM is trying to ignore. I agree, that I took all the risk, on buying a modded car, with no warranty, and I am gonig to take full responsibility to fix my car. This does not negate the fact that GM has a major problem that they are trying to wash their hands of.

Thank you for the kind wishes!

crAzy

I would lean more towards it being an installers(shops) fault as to why the engine popped. Could the valves have a part in this? Possibly, but I wouldn't put all my money on the valves.

Jackal

I hear you, and believe me, I am not happy with the shop's work on this motor. However, it looks like the valves, and even the heads were left on the motor. It seems to me that they just did a cam swap, installed dual valve springs, and buttoned it up. Any way you slice it, I am still fully responsible in this case. I assumed all of the risk.

ClarksZ06

Oh boy... You have a lot of reading (catching up) to do!
Read about LS7 valve guide premature wear. It may take a few days.

HZ06

crAzy

I agree. Sorry to hear though, but the shop should have replaced the valves when they were already that deep into the motor. Keep up posted on update.

Yes I have read everything about it and its a low % of Z06s that have the problem. Not everyone is going to have a valve guide issue. Yes I bought my warranty in case this happens so I won't be $18K out of pocket after the $40K i dropped on the car. My car is bone stock. So for now I am worry free even if it does blow. If it blows I will be taking it to any shop of my desire (a lot of good shops here in Houston) to replace the motor with fixed heads. All covered under warranty except the aftermarket valves. But who knows maybe my insurance would pay for those?

ATC399

way too many unknowns with this Z...Good luck with the fix action OP

'06 Quicksilver Z06

Unfortunate set of circumstances.

Please let us know what you find during the tear down and good luck with the repair.

jedblanks

Seems like last time I almost rounded the rocker bolts when checking the rocker arm wear pattern. I was thinking they were
8mm = .314961 in. When they were really
5/16 = .312500 in.

I guess that 25 thousandths makes a difference?

'06 Quicksilver Z06

It's 8mm. They are not 5/16

But you have to be sure that you are using a good quality 8mm socket. Preferably a new one.

My rocker bolts had red loctite on them and I removed them with a good 8mm socket.

z0sicktanner

then you would think there would be other issues..like a spun main bearing, cam bearings,ect. but always the same dropped valves..it is very rare to drop a valve. but not with the ls7 it's the norm.....Op sorry to hear but if your block is ok it would be one of the few

jedblanks

I was almost positive it was 8mm too. But the 8mm 6 point socket i had wiggled and didn't fit snugly. And these rocker arms had obviously never been off the engine.

The 5/16 six point was nice and snug. Bolts were not rounded.
Never had that type of issue with my sockets, but maybe they are crap...

timmyZ06

i could easily imagine that

Jackal

The bolts are 8mm. I tried both my 8mm and my 5/16, and because of how rounded off the bolts were, they actually broke both of my craftsman sockets. On my C5, I have had the rockers on and off about 6 times (or more), and never had this type of problem, even with red locktite on them.

'06 Quicksilver Z06

I know my 8mm was not the best quality socket.

I think we had this discussion before, and it was why I tried my 5/16 six point, and had no luck with it.

So I went out and bought two brand new individual 8mm sockets, 3/8 drive, from Advance Auto parts a couple of days ago when I installed my CHE rockers.

I had no trouble getting them off. And like I say, we used red loctite when the original work was done.

Before anyone gets up in arms about the loctite, I have to say that the significant heat in those cylinder heads, makes loctite not nearly as effective as you would expect it to be.

In fact, heat is what you use to loosen loctite.

I had to work a little to get them off, they were snug, but nothing crazy or even near to it. I was never in danger of breaking anything.

I was a little nervous when I learned that red loctite had been used on them. I had heard of a few people in here using blue loctite on the rocker arm bolts, but never red.

But they came right off, and I used a little red loctite when I reinstalled the new rockers too, to minimize the chance of them loosening.

But a good quality 8mm socket is the way to go with these head bolts. I'm convinced of it.

AzDave47

22lb-ft is the same whether its 8mm or 5/16", if my math is correct.

Jawnathin

Bummer to hear, especially to another local.

Do you know who the shop was? A PM would work if you didn't want to disclose them publicly.