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spencerfvee
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Joined: August 19, 2004
Posts: 3071
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 Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2021 1:43 pm Post subject: beware of EMPI stock rocker arm kits and lash caps |
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well the new EMPI rocker arm kits have bad rocker arms the rockers are not heat treated they wear out after 100 miles . and can damage a motor these are real junk . i know of 3 people that have had this happen to there motors . and had to rebuild there motors the part number is 17-2954-0 use at your own risk i had to replace the empi rockers with stock vw rockers spencerfvee
..............................................................................................................................................thanks to ohio tom saying that the empi lash caps were junk i looked at my motor and a friends motor and sure enought the lash caps were beat out and i only had 20 miles on my motor i am so up set with empi they just dont give a dam i hope some one takes them to court and wins empi could have cost me a motor spencerfvee
Last edited by spencerfvee on Mon Sep 27, 2021 4:06 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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c77owen
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Joined: July 07, 2017
Posts: 454
Location: Kansas City, MO
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| Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2021 2:48 pm Post subject: Re: beware of EMPI stock rocker arm kits |
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| I haven't had issue with the rockers themselves, but I have had problems with the swivel ball adjusters that come with them as well as the ones they sell by themselves (same ones). They are not the same as the ones that used to be available several years ago. Now I just use the shafts and spacers out of these kits with original rockers and stock style adjusters |
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spencerfvee
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Joined: August 19, 2004
Posts: 3071
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| Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2021 6:51 pm Post subject: Re: beware of EMPI stock rocker arm kits |
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| c77owen wrote: |
| I haven't had issue with the rockers themselves, but I have had problems with the swivel ball adjusters that come with them as well as the ones they sell by themselves (same ones). They are not the same as the ones that used to be available several years ago. Now I just use the shafts and spacers out of these kits with original rockers and stock style adjusters |
.......................................................................................................what is happing to the empi rocker is where the push rod fits into the rocker cup . the tip of the push rod eats away at the cup .so the valve lash opens up . and metal goes into the oil . not a great thing to happen to a brand new motor . spencerfvee |
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madmike
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Joined: July 11, 2005
Posts: 5292
Location: Atlanta,Michigan
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| Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2021 5:03 am Post subject: Re: beware of EMPI stock rocker arm kits |
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Or just Beware of Anything EMPI  
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spencerfvee
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Joined: August 19, 2004
Posts: 3071
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| Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2021 6:29 am Post subject: Re: beware of EMPI stock rocker arm kits |
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| madmike wrote: |
| Or just Beware of Anything EMPI |
....................................................................................i under stand where your coming from mike . some EMPI parts are great for a mild motor build . you just have to be care full what EMPI parts one buys . what up sets me is why EMPI did not test the rocker sets out be for they sold them . or may be they did and still sold them who knows for sure .we are sending these bad rockers back to empi. to show them how they wore out after under 100 miles spencerfvee |
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Lingwendil
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Joined: February 25, 2009
Posts: 3988
Location: Antioch, California, a block from the hood
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Splitdog
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Joined: February 16, 2004
Posts: 4125
Location: Planet VW
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| Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2021 7:24 am Post subject: Re: beware of EMPI stock rocker arm kits |
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Looks like Empi will always be trash. Henry, what say ye?
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Zundfolge1432 
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Joined: June 13, 2004
Posts: 12466
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| Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2021 8:16 am Post subject: Re: beware of EMPI stock rocker arm kits |
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| madmike wrote: |
| Or just Beware of Anything EMPI |
Despite the all the happy talk a few months ago about how they (empi)
We’re going to really step up to meet the needs of the VW community I suspect the driving force is to make more money as evidenced that they’ve bought out the competition. The original Empi was all about quality and innovation. They were the first to make replacement valve guides, prior to that heads were just shitcanned. They must be spinning in their graves to see what has become of this great old company.
Quality control would dictate they do random sampling checking for proper dimensions and heat treat but perhaps that is asking for too much. Sadly VW owners have always gravitated to cheap parts and cutting corners. There is a market for quality but it’s small. 😞 |
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bugguy1967
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Joined: January 16, 2008
Posts: 4340
Location: Los Angeles, CA 90016
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| Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2021 12:19 pm Post subject: Re: beware of EMPI stock rocker arm kits |
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I brought this up last year. I don't think Empi heat-treats anything. The pushrod cups are machined poorly as well. I milled a set for a guy, but I told him what I thought of them. They cut too easy to safely be used.
While on the subject, it's not worth it to buy anything EMPI/AA, if there is a similarly-priced alternative. These rockers retail higher than CB's Super Stock rockers, so I can't for the life of me understand why anyone would consider them.
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spencerfvee
Samba Member
Joined: August 19, 2004
Posts: 3071
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| Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2021 3:20 pm Post subject: Re: beware of EMPI stock rocker arm kits |
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| Zundfolge1432 wrote: |
| madmike wrote: |
| Or just Beware of Anything EMPI |
Despite the all the happy talk a few months ago about how they (empi)
We’re going to really step up to meet the needs of the VW community I suspect the driving force is to make more money as evidenced that they’ve bought out the competition. The original Empi was all about quality and innovation. They were the first to make replacement valve guides, prior to that heads were just shitcanned. They must be spinning in their graves to see what has become of this great old company.
Quality control would dictate they do random sampling checking for proper dimensions and heat treat but perhaps that is asking for too much. Sadly VW owners have always gravitated to cheap parts and cutting corners. There is a market for quality but it’s small. 😞 |
....................................................................................................................well said EMPI has no pride in what they sell . they only see how cheap they can get china to make parts . EMPI keeps buying up other co.like mr bug treuhaft race trim auto house and bug pack whos next on EMPI list. to take over the vw market place .maybe gene berg C.B spencerfvee |
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craigman
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Joined: March 28, 2004
Posts: 2397
Location: redding
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| Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2021 10:00 pm Post subject: Re: beware of EMPI stock rocker arm kits |
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| madmike wrote: |
| Or just Beware of Anything EMPI |
Hell I though everyone knew that...  |
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gringoloco2000
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Joined: August 15, 2013
Posts: 150
Location: Debary, FL
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| Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2021 3:08 pm Post subject: Re: beware of EMPI stock rocker arm kits |
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The problem I have with EMPI is that you have so many inconsistencies in quality across the products that they sell. I wish someone had a decoder ring on what was solid and what is crap. I pretty much default that it is all crap until proven otherwise. They really should as a business attempt to have a consistent level of quality across all products. That would help their brand. Why sell crap next to decent quality stuff when at the end of the any your brand is the butt of so many VW jokes. You can make a buck and produce/sell quality products. I find CB Performance to be consistent on quality. No company is perfect, but striving for quality only makes sense. My .02. YMMV
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spencerfvee
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Joined: August 19, 2004
Posts: 3071
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| Posted: Wed Sep 22, 2021 2:37 pm Post subject: Re: beware of EMPI stock rocker arm kits |
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| gringoloco2000 wrote: |
| The problem I have with EMPI is that you have so many inconsistencies in quality across the products that they sell. I wish someone had a decoder ring on what was solid and what is crap. I pretty much default that it is all crap until proven otherwise. They really should as a business attempt to have a consistent level of quality across all products. That would help their brand. Why sell crap next to decent quality stuff when at the end of the any your brand is the butt of so many VW jokes. You can make a buck and produce/sell quality products. I find CB Performance to be consistent on quality. No company is perfect, but striving for quality only makes sense. My .02. YMMV |
............................................................................................................the thing that gets me .is EMPI had to know that these rockers .were junk and they sold them any way . EMPI has never tried to make things right when things like these rockers are trash. just try to talk to EMPI about what they sell . thats junk . its like EMPI says .we got your money now F%ck you sucker .spencerfvee |
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evanfrucht
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Joined: July 24, 2016
Posts: 2180
Location: Laurel Canyon, CA
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| Posted: Wed Sep 22, 2021 4:59 pm Post subject: Re: beware of EMPI stock rocker arm kits |
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Empi cranks are good. So, that's at least something
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spencerfvee
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Joined: August 19, 2004
Posts: 3071
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| Posted: Wed Sep 22, 2021 5:17 pm Post subject: Re: beware of EMPI stock rocker arm kits |
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| evanfrucht wrote: |
| Empi cranks are good. So, that's at least something |
.................................................................................................................your right about the cranks i got one of EMPI bug pack cranks .after they bought bug pack spencerfvee |
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Ohio Tom
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Joined: February 09, 2006
Posts: 1660
Location: Marshallville Ohio
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| Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2021 6:33 am Post subject: Re: beware of EMPI stock rocker arm kits |
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Empi lash caps suck as well.
They can't even make lash caps worth a damn...
It's really sad....
Wore right thru in a matter of a few hundred miles.
Fell off and went into the sump.
Great fun.. |
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[email protected]
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Joined: August 15, 2002
Posts: 4394
Location: Brew City
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| Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2021 7:14 am Post subject: Re: beware of EMPI stock rocker arm kits |
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If you want to use 1.1 rocker arms, ALWAYS find a good used German set, make sure the oil passages are clean and you won't have any problems.
I only use German 1.1 rocker arms on all my engine builds. Between finding them, paying for the parts and shipping, and then unpacking, cleaning disassembling and rebuilding; it actually costs me more than buying new ones. You all now know why I would spend more on a used part compared to a new one.
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Lingwendil
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Joined: February 25, 2009
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Location: Antioch, California, a block from the hood
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OB Bus
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hsosa1
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Joined: January 17, 2005
Posts: 1897
Location: Fontana
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| Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2021 10:07 pm Post subject: Re: beware of EMPI stock rocker arm kits |
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| [email protected] wrote: |
If you want to use 1.1 rocker arms, ALWAYS find a good used German set, make sure the oil passages are clean and you won't have any problems.
I only use German 1.1 rocker arms on all my engine builds. Between finding them, paying for the parts and shipping, and then unpacking, cleaning disassembling and rebuilding; it actually costs me more than buying new ones. You all now know why I would spend more on a used part compared to a new one. |
. pin this!
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