Broke a damn rocker arm during valve adjustment.

SV_Hadder · January 15th, 2011, 02:17 PM

So I was doing the valve adjustment on my 02 Ninja 250 today, and I was torquing the right exhaust valve lock-nut, and I heard a snap. I looked and noticed that the rocker arm had slid off of the top of the valve, upon closer inspection I realized that I snapped off a tiny piece of the aluminum valve rocker, allowing the rocker to dislocate itself from its normal position of being locked on top of the valve.

I can replace the rocker arm, but I'm worried about the broken piece of aluminum that no doubt fell down the timing side of my engine. I am in the process of removing the valve rocker and taking a picture of it, that way I can post the picture here to show the size of the broken piece, and whether or not it would cause much harm.

Being that the rocker is aluminum, I can't just use a magnet to find it, and I am not SURE that it fell down the timing case, but it is my assumption, as its the only place it could have gone. If I don't find the broken piece in the top end, what will need to be torn down to find it?

Any input?

Alex · January 15th, 2011, 03:24 PM

I would imagine a suggestion to turn the bike upside down and shake it wouldn't be appreciated about now.

(P.S. Good luck!

)

SV_Hadder · January 15th, 2011, 05:38 PM

Alex, that was one of my Dad's suggestions as well

A bit of humor couldn't hurt, as I'm pretty aggravated about this whole situation.. SOO close to buttoning up the engine, and then this had to happen..

Also, I found out that the rocker arm is steel, rather than aluminum as I had thought, soo guess who is going to be fishing in their engine with a magnet?

Jinx250 · January 17th, 2011, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SV_Hadder

Also, I found out that the rocker arm is steel, rather than aluminum as I had thought, soo guess who is going to be fishing in their engine with a magnet?

Yep, that's the only way to get it out.

SV_Hadder · January 17th, 2011, 10:35 AM

Tried to find it... no dice. Took off the clutch cover, drained the oil, drained the filter cavity, checked the filter, checked the secondary mesh filter cavity... nothing. Gonna order the new rocker arm, (to the tune of $50, WTF?), and install it, recheck the valves, button it up, pray to the engine gods, and hit the starter button.

mrlmd · January 20th, 2011, 02:11 PM

You'll find it eventually if you do that, as well as a lot of other broken parts you will not want to find. You better get it out of there before you start up the engine and go out for a ride. You wouldn't like it to much if something locked up all of a sudden.
How large a piece of metal is it? Have any pics of the broken part? And you thoroughly swept up the entire area around where you were working, or used a floor magnet to try and find it?

SV_Hadder · January 20th, 2011, 11:11 PM

Here are some pics of the broken rocker arm.

I did check around the workshop with a magnet, and found nothing.

My dad suggested pouring kerosene in the crankcase in thinking that it would flush it out... I, on the other hand, don't think it would really do much at all.

swede core · April 3rd, 2013, 03:00 PM

Hey did you ever get the rocker arm reinstalled?

I did the SAME THING!

January 15th, 2011, 02:17 PM	#1
SV_Hadder ninjette.org member Name: Zach Location: Raleigh, NC Join Date: Sep 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2001 Ninja 250 Posts: 94	Broke a damn rocker arm during valve adjustment. So I was doing the valve adjustment on my 02 Ninja 250 today, and I was torquing the right exhaust valve lock-nut, and I heard a snap. I looked and noticed that the rocker arm had slid off of the top of the valve, upon closer inspection I realized that I snapped off a tiny piece of the aluminum valve rocker, allowing the rocker to dislocate itself from its normal position of being locked on top of the valve. I can replace the rocker arm, but I'm worried about the broken piece of aluminum that no doubt fell down the timing side of my engine. I am in the process of removing the valve rocker and taking a picture of it, that way I can post the picture here to show the size of the broken piece, and whether or not it would cause much harm. Being that the rocker is aluminum, I can't just use a magnet to find it, and I am not SURE that it fell down the timing case, but it is my assumption, as its the only place it could have gone. If I don't find the broken piece in the top end, what will need to be torn down to find it? Any input? __________________________________________________ "Nicole" - Pirelli Diablo's front and rear, Two Brother's Exhaust, Apex Custom SS lines , 15 T, UNI Air filter, Fiamm El Grande horns, EX500 fork springs, EX250J rear shock, Fender eliminator.

January 15th, 2011, 03:24 PM	#2
Alex ninjette.org dude Name: 1 guess :-) Location: SF Bay Area Join Date: Jun 2008 Motorcycle(s): '13 Ninja 300 (white, the fastest color!), '13 R1200RT, '14 CRF250L, '12 TT-R125LE Posts: Too much. Blog Entries: 7	I would imagine a suggestion to turn the bike upside down and shake it wouldn't be appreciated about now. (P.S. Good luck! ) __________________________________________________ Montgomery Street Motorcycle Club / cal24.com / crf250l.org / ninjette.org ninjette.org Terms of Service Shopping for motorcycle parts or equipment? Come here first. The friendliest Ninja 250R/300/400 forum on the internet! (especially Unregistered)

January 15th, 2011, 05:38 PM	#3
SV_Hadder ninjette.org member Name: Zach Location: Raleigh, NC Join Date: Sep 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2001 Ninja 250 Posts: 94	Alex, that was one of my Dad's suggestions as well A bit of humor couldn't hurt, as I'm pretty aggravated about this whole situation.. SOO close to buttoning up the engine, and then this had to happen.. Also, I found out that the rocker arm is steel, rather than aluminum as I had thought, soo guess who is going to be fishing in their engine with a magnet? __________________________________________________ "Nicole" - Pirelli Diablo's front and rear, Two Brother's Exhaust, Apex Custom SS lines , 15 T, UNI Air filter, Fiamm El Grande horns, EX500 fork springs, EX250J rear shock, Fender eliminator.

January 17th, 2011, 10:35 AM	#5
SV_Hadder ninjette.org member Name: Zach Location: Raleigh, NC Join Date: Sep 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2001 Ninja 250 Posts: 94	Tried to find it... no dice. Took off the clutch cover, drained the oil, drained the filter cavity, checked the filter, checked the secondary mesh filter cavity... nothing. Gonna order the new rocker arm, (to the tune of $50, WTF?), and install it, recheck the valves, button it up, pray to the engine gods, and hit the starter button. __________________________________________________ "Nicole" - Pirelli Diablo's front and rear, Two Brother's Exhaust, Apex Custom SS lines , 15 T, UNI Air filter, Fiamm El Grande horns, EX500 fork springs, EX250J rear shock, Fender eliminator.

January 20th, 2011, 11:11 PM	#7
SV_Hadder ninjette.org member Name: Zach Location: Raleigh, NC Join Date: Sep 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2001 Ninja 250 Posts: 94	Here are some pics of the broken rocker arm. I did check around the workshop with a magnet, and found nothing. My dad suggested pouring kerosene in the crankcase in thinking that it would flush it out... I, on the other hand, don't think it would really do much at all. __________________________________________________ "Nicole" - Pirelli Diablo's front and rear, Two Brother's Exhaust, Apex Custom SS lines , 15 T, UNI Air filter, Fiamm El Grande horns, EX500 fork springs, EX250J rear shock, Fender eliminator.

January 20th, 2011, 02:11 PM	#6
mrlmd ninjette.org sage Name: Marc Location: Crawfordville, Florida Join Date: Jan 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2005 Suzuki S50, 2006 Kawasaki Ninja EX250F, 1990 Honda PC800, 2000 Yamaha TW200 Posts: 848	You'll find it eventually if you do that, as well as a lot of other broken parts you will not want to find. You better get it out of there before you start up the engine and go out for a ride. You wouldn't like it to much if something locked up all of a sudden. How large a piece of metal is it? Have any pics of the broken part? And you thoroughly swept up the entire area around where you were working, or used a floor magnet to try and find it?

April 3rd, 2013, 03:00 PM	#8
swede core ninjette.org member Name: Kyle Location: Bay Area Join Date: Mar 2013 Motorcycle(s): Ninja 250 Posts: 11	Hey did you ever get the rocker arm reinstalled? I did the SAME THING!

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