hurley711

iTrader: (5)

Getting a bigger cam next spring and I was wondering if I need new pushrods to go with it or are they not a needed? Car will be at around 65k miles, throwing a new oil pump, timing chain and LS6 manifold on there while I'm at it. Was confused about the rods though, should they also be replaced?

mnc2886

Yes they do.

glennhl

I bought new pushrods, but I really do not think it matters. There is an argument that the stock pushrods will bend easier than hardened pushrods. Some people say leave the stockers so that you bend a pushrod and not a valve.

hurley711

iTrader: (5)

So it's so far tied at 1-1....also what about roller rockers, should I swap them out while in there, are they worth any power gains?

orangeapeel

iTrader: (18)

Leave:
Rockers
Lifters

Replace:
Pushrods
Springs
Retainers

Schantin

iTrader: (6)

Change the pushrods to hardened ones. The stock pushrods are the weak link in the LS1 valvetrain. Hardened pushrods only cost around $100. Lot cheaper than fixing everything that can get jacked up if (I should say WHEN)you bend one. Springs are another must. What type depends on how much lift the cam will produce... but the stock ones will not hold up to the force of an aftermarket cam.

orangeapeel

iTrader: (18)

Seems like most people are getting double springs now days for any cam swap no matter what the lift is.

FstBlkz28

iTrader: (13)

I would get hardened pushrods. I was on the boat to keep my stock pushrods when i was first looking at doin my cam swap. Then i realized ... i've only misshifted my car twice in the 65,000mi i had on it before the cam swap. I through harder ones in b/c the stock ones can flex under load, which in term slows down your valve train ... and the whole point of your valve train it to accurately transmit your cam lobes to your valves. If there is slack in the valve train you can lose power, and other things can go wrong as well.

XtremeDime

iTrader: (16)

i was planning on dropping an ls1 in my 99 s10 and was gonna do a top end rebuild. i was gonna run a mild cam, with new pushrods, rockers and springs. do you have recommended part #s?? should i change the timing chain while im at it?

glennhl

I ended up buying new hardened pushrods also, but this is what confuses me. Everyone said the hardened ones won't flex as much. Just because a material is stronger doesn't mean it won't flex as much, it's just when it does it won't yield. As long as the flexing is in the elastic region of the material, then it only depends on the cross sectional inertia and the Young's modulus of the material, not the strength. So if the new harder pushrods have the same OD and ID as the stocker and since they are both steel and have a Young's modulus (E) of 30,000,000, then they'll both flex the same. Where there's a difference is if the stocker flexes too much, it will yield and stay bent whereas the hardened one can flex further without yielding (or staying bent). Hope that makes sense to everyone.

So some people (and I think rightly so), assume that if they use the weaker stock push rods they will act as a fuse. They want them to yield before hurting the rest of the valve train. Now the real question, are the new hardened push rods the same OD and ID. I think they are the same OD, but if they are actually a thicker wall material, then they will flex less than a stocker (but not by much since the OD is much more important). I bet they are the same ID because why would you want a heavier pushrod?

Sorry to bore everyone.

hurley711

iTrader: (5)

glennhl

Sorry, I knew this would put the people that didn't understand it to sleep!

bichin95redta

Do yourself a favor and replace them..........

black01_WS6

iTrader: (13)

change everything while your at it. might as well if your there right.

PREDATOR-Z

the stock ones will bend and by doing so rob you of power or hurt the rest of the valvetrain.
Replace them, my favorites are Comp hi energy replacements.

orangeapeel

iTrader: (18)

That is what I did.