Archived Bent Pushrods

[TurboSandman]

Torquing down rocker towers with pushrods not seated = BENT PUSHRODS!



I got the pushrods out, but what to do next?



1) Just drop a couple of new ones in and go on like nothing happened?



2) Is more serious work needed? New PDR cam, probably warped the head and block and need a fire ring setup with ported head, bigger turbo, etc?



3) Just roll the whole mess to the end of the drive for the trash guys and start looking for a good used chebby LUV truck?



I am hoping for option #1, but what do you guys think, I mean I am sure no one else has done such a thing (not that there is anything wrong with that), but just a ferinstance?

 

[DavidC]

Put in the replacement pushrods and go. I have accidently done the same on a prior hot rod gasser. No harm done except the bent rod.



Dave

 

[Jim Fulmer]

Cummins had them for about a buck a piece! No big deal, everything else will be fine. It's actually common to do it at some time.



Jim

 

[TurboSandman]

Thanks, guys!



You can imagine the sick feeling I had when I realized what I had done. I should be able to pick up a couple of new ones Monday.

 

[Jim Fulmer]

No sweat, if your in a real big jam you can actually straighten them in a vise, but I wouldn't stay with those very long.



Jim

 

[zstroken]

Just straighten them back up. J/k

 

[dtygart]

Yeh, me too. Two times before I learned!! Head gasket replacement, and got a few push rods in crooked, barred the engine over with some rockers too tight. Replaced push rods with no damage to anything else.



david

 

[TurboSandman]

I found a parts counter open on Sunday and bought some replacements and a couple of spares; I guess this counts as an oxen in a ditch sort of thing in the Old Testament sense.



Anyway, I got the pushrods in and valves adjusted, but ran out of time before I got the 4K gsk installed. Truck started right up, so I am OK for work tomorrow.



Thanks again for all the encouragement; I actually considered putting them in the vice, but though better of it. It is nice to hear from those who have been there and done that.

 

[Forrest Nearing]

I bound up a few when I was installing my new head a couple weekends ago... I've got some ticking from a couple holes... valves were adjusted properly... when I realized I had bound up a pushrod, I pulled it and checked it on a straight edge and it seemed fine...



maybe I've got one or two that are bent?



glad to hear they're so cheap... might have to buy a few and do some digging during my next re-torque

 

[Jim Fulmer]

Bill Fletcher told me along time ago! Jim, the push rods are the weak link, they will bend before anything breaks. That's good cause I back fired the crap out of my truck the other day and it bent two push rods #3 and #4 want to gess when it happened (stroke) it was friday night, I had it off and Cummins was open so I bought a full set. All fixed and ready to roll at 10:30 pm.



Jim

 

[JoeBioDiesel]

You can tell if they're bent by rolling them on a flat surface, like a table top. If they're not prefectly straight, you'll see it easily.

Joe

 

[Jim Fulmer]

Before you even get that far you can check them when your running the valves. Once you get a gap for setting just spin the push rod and see if it's round... . My two were Square.



Jim

 

[Forrest Nearing]

yeah, I rolled one of the suspects on a flat surface, and it looked fine... but there were a couple others that were bound up... I'm probably gonna just buy 4 or 5 spares to have on hand just in case.



so Jim, you're saying spinning them in their holes, the bent ones were doing a little dance?