broken push-rod...

[Guest]

Me and Jim found out that the cause to my engine trouble is a snapped pushrod... luckly we found the other half laying in the valley. SO FAR that's all we have found... i am hoping that will rule out the busted piston/rings.

 

[QUIKSUV]

Interesting, that is what happened to mine a few weeks ago. Broke the lifter end off #3 intake pushrod. It was an aftermarket 3 piece and the end broke off where it was pressed in. The ball did not break off, the whole end did! Guys would look at it and say "Never seen that before". Installed Crane 1 piece pushrods and all is well. Can not figure out why it broke, no over-revs and has about 4500 miles. I guess it was just a bad part. Won't happen again now.

 

[Guest]

What did ur engine do with the broken pushrod? Mine had a bad miss, and would slowly blow some blue smoke... We just got the head off, and the #1 cylinder is filled with gas. We are thinking the #1 injector might have also been stuck on. This is a weird case we have goin here... will get back to ya.

Hydrolock is somthing we also considered...but i didnt hear any 'bent rod' noises and the piston raises flush with the top of the head. Might be time to go to vortecs.

 

[QUIKSUV]

When it broke it sounded like a dead cylinder, which it was. No smoke, just sounded bad. No real noises either.

The lifter end of the pushrod just fell into the valley. I just picked it up when the intake came off. The rest of the pushrod just rested on top of the lifter but was not long enough to reach the rocker arm and the rocker was not touching the pushrod. Since it was the #3 intake, the valve would no longer open so the fuel injector just filled the port with fuel. At some point it probably filled it all the way up and spilled into other cylinders through the lower manifold making it sound even worse. The lifter nor rocker were damaged so I reused them. Replaced all the pushrods with 1 piece units.

Did you break an intake or exhaust? Exhaust is more common as that side gets most of the heat. Any other damage seen when you got the intake and rocker covers off?

When did it break? Did you over-rev the engine? Were you at WOT?

I was pretty lucky. Truck runs fine now. I also had dreams of new heads but not this time.

 

[hamrhead]

I bent my #2 pushrod (Ex. I think?) last year at the track. Just sounded as if one cylinder was missing. Still managed an 11.49 @ 113 on 5 cylinders though. :-?

 

[ZMann]

Just picked up the head from the engine shop, they check'd it over and all is fine. Im pretty sure I bent the pushrod when I over-boosted to 25.5 psi a while back. That is when the slight tick developed, which was the rocker-arm ticking on the valve cover, so we tightened the rocker arm down a quarter turn, and pushed the dent out some where it was rubbing. Seemed to fix it. At the time I noticed the #1 plug had gas on it, but still mangaged a high 12 sec pass. A month or so later, on the way back from Jim's with the wide-band 02 recently installed, the pushrod obviously broke when i was on the highway, cuz thats when it had the bad miss/dead cylinder type feel. Found no compression in #1, some gas in my oil, and still a wet spark plug. Anywayz, with the head pulled off, there was around a cup of fuel sitting in the #1 cylinder which makes us think the injector is stickin open/leaking. I sent it in to get it check'd.

Anyone got a 50lb injector laying around? Pretty confusing events, as it happened a while back, i'll keep ya'll posted.

No other damage that i can see... and it was the INTAKE valve on #1.

 

[QUIKSUV]

Probably nothing wrong with your injector. Did you read the above?

The pushrod breaks, intake valve does not open, fuel injector keeps on working, fuel does not go into the combustion chamber because valve is always closed. Fuel injector fills up port and soon overflows into the intake manifold. Some fuel will leak past the valve into the dead cylinder. That will make the plug wet. Other cylinders may get washed down with fuel if you turn a corner, accelerate or decelerate due to fuel sloshing in the intake. Hence fuel in the oil.

 

[ZMann]

Dang-it, i guess i overlooked the post... if that's what it is, im gonna be pissed that i spent 17 bucks to over-night the injector to CA. :evil:
Thanks for your input QUIKSUV

 

[jwaller]

FWIW

I have seen several motors break stock pushrods. I dont know your build but most of them had non-stock cams. I have also seen more then a few stock lifters explode.

IF you change cams pleaase spend the extra $50 and get a good 1 piece pushrod.

and spend the $200 extra and get s good lifter....

 

[sytyguy]

John is right......my setup broke a pushrod due to an exploded lifter back a few years ago. His setup also broke one 2-3 years ago. Stock lifters and ball/tube type pushrods (and some aftermarket ones) just aren't up to the task sometimes.

FWIW, I sell quality replacements for both:

- Comp 875-12 - $159.99
* these are the better designed lifter that do not use the wire retaining clip that is prone to break.

- Manley 25733-16 - $99.99
* these are 1 pc, hardened, stock length pushrods....very good quality pieces.....in fact, if you buy a Comp 1pc set, they are just rebadged Manley pushrods.

HTHs

Hood

 

[leroy]

My truck's engine doesnt have much of anything stock anymore. It was a hardened pushrod that bent, then later snapped. The engine shop that check'd the head is getting me another pushrod. Im goin the cheapest route here. I'd love to take Jim's Vortecs off his hands but I don't see the need right now.

P.S. Forgot to sign Jim out...

Zach Mann

 

[Stangbeater]

Re: broken push-rod...

Me and Jim found out that the cause to my engine trouble is a snapped pushrod... luckly we found the other half laying in the valley. SO FAR that's all we have found... i am hoping that will rule out the busted piston/rings.

That sucks. Are you going it done for the Nats?

 

[Guest]

My truck should be at the Nats...
The Injector was fine...had it tested at RC Engineering in California. Waiting for it to get back and some gaskets and we'll have my truck bolted back up. Lets hope that malfuctioning intake valve was the cause to the excessive gas in oil, in the cylinder, and on the plug(s). :fist:

 

[DanenGraham]

Zach are you/your truck back near KC or are you still out in Nor?

 

[leroy]

Zach's truck is at my house. I don't know where Zach is. :lol:

Is your truck running Danen?

Jim

 

[DanenGraham]

the new turbo is on, and its almost back together. I am cutting the finderwell and bat tray today and my cobra bend sould come so i will be able to put a filter on it. Think i might start it tonight. Open Dp here i come. WOO WOO.

 

[Guest]

Danen, give me an update on ur truck since we last met... last i remember ur coil was smoking.
I've been on Jim's roof all day.... we're waiting on some gaskets, 1 pushrod, and my injector. Should all be here tommorow.

ttyl