Trumm

I was adjusting the valves today, and found nothing out of specs after 175,000 miles, and I noticed around the #6 cylinder there was some broken plastic pieces sittin in the galley. The #6 exhaust rocker was missing a plastic piece that sits right on top the crossover (the Y to the valves). I'm posting a pic that I found online so you can see what I'm talkin about.

No clue how long it has been broken and there hasn't been any loss of power that I've noticed. It was still within specs, .003 off, and this "socket" doesn't appear to really serve a purpose to me.

Any of you know if this might cause potential damage in the future or is this somethin I could let go?

00 CTD

That socket is cupped on the other end same as the adjuster fits down into the pushrod. It's a link between the rocker tip & valve bridge. Cummins does show it broken down into individual pieces, but we replace the rocker if the plactic retainer is broken. Not worth having something that small come off and cause problems.

Trumm

Sounds like a good enough reason to me. I'd hate for a tiny piece of plastic to cause alot more damage cause I didn't think it mattered. Thanks

jrs_dodge_diesel

That little piece put me on the side of the road a few years ago.

I had just completed my first valve adjustment. Somehow I didn't fully tighten the nut on my #5 exhaust rocker. As I was driving home, the nut slowly backed off, making the valve lash gap progressively larger. It eventually reached the point where the valve bridge fell over, and the #5 exhaust valves now being held shut by the springs. This resulted in loud popping/thumping out the intake, and a IAT (temp out of range, high) sensor code being tripped. And me pulling to the side into a parking lot.

The exhaust gases in #5 were getting re-compressed due to the valves no longer opening, then back flowing into the intake when those valves opened and making the thumping noise. Since the IAT sensor sits between 4 and 5 , the hot gasses made the ECU read too high of a temperature than normal, and tripping a code.

Once I got the valve cover off, I saw the bridge sitting next to the valves, and that little piece in two pieces too Luckily, neither piece went down into the oil pan. I ended up re-using mine, reassembled on the side of the road, and was able to get home.

20,000 miles later, it's still good. They sure build these engines good.