I am hoping to toss my Crane 1.6 ratio rocker arms on the motor this weekend but am missing the tiniest little part...LOL...

Where can I find the rocker arm shaft end-plugs?

I decided to set up a separate rocker arm & shaft assembly for the Crane rockers so this is basically a "quick" swap. That way I won't mix up the rocker arm spacing vs valve stem and so forth between the 2 different rocker sets.

The shafts are from the MP W2 P4876343 set. They are on-center and use a press-in plugs. I pulled the plugs as the shafts had some surface rust and I cleaned them up. Now I'm trying to find a new set of plugs and my God...NO ONE has them!!!

The plugs I pulled out are .530 diameter. The shaft ends are tapered and go from about .535 to .500 where the taper ends. I'm thinking the closest I will get to this is something like a 17/32 plug, but all the local stores I checked do not have this.

I see MP has P5249633 - Mopar Performance Hemi Rocker Arms & Components, but no idea what size these are. The closest other alternative is a Doorman expansion plug, their catalog claims to be a 0.536" open end diameter.

Anything else I could try???

Do those shafts have enough meat to tap and install pipe plugs?

Yeah, I think so...the fully machined section of the shaft, so the actual open center I.D. is 0.500", whereas the tapered ends flare out to about 0.535"...there appears plenty of metal left, so I think that might work.

That idea crossed my mind but I have no idea how difficult it would be to do this? Do I just grab the closest tap and attempt to make some threads in there? (assuming I can find the matching plug of course)

the dorman plug no.555-007 is a 17/32 plug which is made to fit a .531 in. hole. it is commonly available on ebay.

You will have to cut through the surface hardening with something carbide. A pipe tap won't cut it. You can make your own plugs if you have access to a lathe and some mild steel rod. I've had to do that on some of the thick wall shafts.

7e5dartsport: Thank you...that is precisely what I needed.

B3RE: Hmm...I only wish I had access to such machinery (lathe)...no seriously, I would love to learn and try this...but for this guy, it's very much a "poor man's garage" approach...

diplomat360- youre welcome. i even found the real plugs. look at e bay again. ad number is eBay item number:

171766137292. also eBay item number:

361214960504, or do a search on ebay under ``318 rocker shaft``.

Rockauto .28 a piece

I wasn't aware of your machining capabilities, but I figured it was worth suggesting. When I had to make them, it was out of sheer necessity, because this company, which will remain anonymous, couldn't seem to hold a tolerance on the plug bores, and nothing in the expansion plug catalog would fit. Didn't know if you might be in the same predicament.

Oh, no problem, I completely took it as that, a great suggestion which given the means availability would probably be the best way to resolve this issue.

For now I'm going to cross my fingers and give the Dorman plugs a try. Co-incidentally I found a Mopar specific "Rocker Arm Shaft Plug" in their catalog, but that is a #555-067, which is listed as 39/64" diameter...and that is simply too big for my MP shafts.

I've attached the PDF catalogs, both the Make specific stuff and the MISC section.

Bought mine over the counter at NAPA. I walked into the store, told the parts guy what I needed, rocker shaft plugs for a 318, he looked them up, went in the back and came out with four.




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Expansion Plug, .625"; 15.875 mm

Part Number: SEP 3813052

Product Line: Sealed Power Engine Parts

IMPORTANT INFO: Rocker Arm Shaft End,5/8",Steel

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