rocker bearing failure gound up needles in bearing have disappeared

[cloudchaser]

The seemingly small problem of valve clearance appears to have created many more for me. The roller bearing has about 20 needles in it. I found three plus half of one. I thought the others must have worked out and fallen into the oil pan. I have flushed the pan twice, collecting and examining the fluid. No parts there. A very small bit of magnetic grit is all I got with a magnet. Could the bearings have been ground up, got into the oil, through the oil pump to be trapped in the filter? What would that do to the oil pump? Should I pull the pan to get a better look? Am I the only one to have problems with the rockers - and only with the exhaust valves? My local Delica parts source, Mustang Connection, close to Armstrong, is working on getting replacement rockers - sound like from Japan.

[Growlerbearnz]

Gee, thanks. Now I'm going to have nightmares.

I'd be pulling the pan off- there's usually some thick gunk in there that flushing doesn't shift, and I really *really* hope your needle rollers are embedded in that.

Rocker arms aren't cheap; genuine inlets (MD352127) and exhausts (MD352128) are $30/ea, and the rocker shaft (MD142361) is about $80. Once you add shipping, I reckon you'd be looking at $400 if you bought from www.amayama.com. You might get the set cheaper if you buy non-genuine.

(Note: those part numbers are for my engine. If you decide to buy parts yourself, look up the correct part numbers here: http://www.partsbase.org/mitsubishi/del ... 1986-1999/ )