My friend had new rear gears installed in his Camaro. After about a week passed by he did a few hard runs 2 find his new shifting point.
The next day he heard a knocking type sound coming from the engine bay. At 1st he thought it was the water pump bearing. But after he took the belt off and started the car the sound was still there. Next, he took off the drivers side valve cover and found out that oil is pumping from only 1 rocker arm. I know this is bad, but just how bad is it and what could be the most likely cause?

 

Oil pump starting to go bad maybe?

 

The oil coming out of rockers doesn't necessarily mean anything. Usually it indicates which one(s) happen to have their spurt holes more perfectly aligned with the push rod(s) than the others.

How much oil pressure did the motor have before all this, and how much does it have now? If it has gone down, compared to what it was before, at any time - hot, cold, idling, cruising, whatever - then he has most likely torched a main or rod bearing. Oil pumps practically never go bad.

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"So many Mustangs, so little time..."
ICON Motorsports

 

Thanks 4 the replies. I'll ask him about the oil pressure. A friend of ours thinks it could be a bent valve or pushrod, maybe even the lifters. We'll see.

 

my oil pump WENT bad i was driving then all the sudden the pressure goes to like nothing a gear broke one too many teeth and was barelly spinning my motor started knocking like crazy and i had the car towed...
im prety sure its not the oil pump in your case since the whole engine would be starving not just the rocker arms you'd hear a pretty bad noise if it were going bad...

 

Nope, oil pressure is fine. The knock sound is more audible from the center of the motor 2 the drivers side of the motor and u can feel it when u put ur hand on the drivers side valve cover. I told my friend 2 recheck the valve lash in case, but the owner of our local speed shop thinks it's a spun bearing . I was thinking that myself, but I didn't want 2 think the worst. Oh well, we shall soon see...

 

Check for a bent pushrod, broken valve spring, wiped out rocker ball, pulled stud.

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"So many Mustangs, so little time..."
ICON Motorsports