powdered rocker ball broke

[Jerry G.]

]I was dynoing a new camshaft in my road race motor small block 64 FI and as i was checking the stamped rocker lash i noticed a ball was broken cleanly in half. This surprised me, Clem explained that the ball was powdered metal not a forging. Anyone ever seen this before? I think i would rather have forged rocker balls.
What do you experts think about powdered vs forged or cast/ who is a reputable supplier for a race application? jerry

[Clem Z.]

Re: powdered rocker ball broke

I was dynoing a new camshaft in my road race motor and as i was checking the stamped rocker lash i noticed a ball was broken in half. This surprised me, Clem explained that the ball was powdered metal not a forging. Anyone ever seen this before? I think i would rather have forged rocker balls.
What do you experts think about powdered vs forged or cast/ who is a reputable supplier for a race application? jerry

you could check the rockwell hardness of the balls and have some made out of heat treated steel. i would have some fine grooves machined into the ball to help hold the oil like the BBC ones have

[Jerry G.]

Re: powdered rocker ball broke

These are made by Elgin and have the oil groves. There was no burning on any of the ball even the one that broke. They looked perfect

[Duke W.]

Re: powdered rocker ball broke

Are you sure they are powered metal and not heat treated steel? I never knew that such existed.

You definitely want hardened steel, and I've seen SB rocker balls with BB type grooves.

Duke

[Jerry G.]

Re: powdered rocker ball broke

Duke just sent you photo

[Clem Z.]

Re: powdered rocker ball broke

Are you sure they are powered metal and not heat treated steel? I never knew that such existed.

You definitely want hardened steel, and I've seen SB rocker balls with BB type grooves.

Duke

the old original may have been hardened steel but i think the new ones PM.

[Philip C.]

Re: powdered rocker ball broke

I would have roller rockers period. Phil 8063

[Jerry G.]

Re: powdered rocker ball broke

at the monterrey historics race they pull your valve covers to check if your running stamped rockers. i agree roller tips are more reliable but rules are rules

[Philip C.]

Re: powdered rocker ball broke

at the monterrey historics race they pull your valve covers to check if your running stamped rockers. i agree roller tips are more reliable but rules are rules

Too bad, Thats just DUM, everyone would use them, everyone would be even. I guess they dont want everyone to finish. Phil 8063

[Domenic T.]

Re: powdered rocker ball broke

I checked my balls and they are not powdered

DOM

[Michael H.]

Re: powdered rocker ball broke

Too bad, Thats just DUM, everyone would use them, everyone would be even. I guess they dont want everyone to finish. Phil 8063

The 67-69 SCCA Trans Am Camaro's had to use stamped steel rocker arms and they survived at high RPM for hours.

[Jerry G.]

Re: powdered rocker ball broke

I'm open for suggestions. this problem, getting stamped rockers to survive, has cost me a motor and several thousand dollars. If anyone knows the combination that works i'm all ears.

[Clem Z.]

Re: powdered rocker ball broke

I checked my balls and they are not powdered

DOM

if you are in a hot high humidity area i would suggest you do that.

[Clem Z.]

Re: powdered rocker ball broke

Are you sure they are powered metal and not heat treated steel? I never knew that such existed.

You definitely want hardened steel, and I've seen SB rocker balls with BB type grooves.

Duke

looking closely at the picture jerry sent the grainy structure at the break looks to me like PM but i am no metallurgist and i don't play one on the internet. maybe if jerry is using 3/8" studs he could find some old used GM rocker ball that were heat treated steel. i would guess back in the day PM was not even used in car parts.

[Scott M.]

Re: powdered rocker ball broke

Out of curiousity I called Crane to see what their high dollar Nitro-Carb rocker arms use for pivot balls. The rocker arm pivot balls are grooved BUT they are heat treated powder metal as well.