What is a Rocker Arm and How Does It Work?

Rocker arms are a lesser-known but crucial part of some types of internal combustion engines. Their deterioration can cause weak engine performance or even failure, so it’s important to know when replacement is necessary and how much the rocker arm repair cost will set you back.

Rocker arms are typically located between the pushrod and intake and exhaust valves. They are pushed and pulled by pushrods to “rock” up and down, opening and closing the exhaust valve and intake valve of the combustion chamber on engines with a camshaft below the engine.

Pushrods move up and down as the camshaft below them rotates, driven by the crankshaft. In this way, power can flow from the combustion chamber of the engine through various parts to the wheels to put the vehicle in motion.

With broken or loose rocker arms, the exhaust valves and intake valves can’t function correctly and the cylinder associated with the faulty rocker arm will be disabled. This will ultimately limit the performance of your engine and your ability to drive the car smoothly and safely.