Why all of the bent pushrods??
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 218
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From: Houston
Why all of the bent pushrods?? Im curious, especially since Ive just beome the victim of this phenomenon. I know it's because the piston will smack a valve before it closes fully, by why is this happening in the 1st place?? Can the LS1 valvetrain just not keep up with the bottom end at high RPMs?? IS this problem inherent in any pushrod engine, due to the excessive amount of valvetrain components that slow down the engine internally? Whats the deal??
-Gordon
-Gordon
TECH Addict
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 2,031
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From: Bailey, Co
Re: Why all of the bent pushrods??
Personally, I haven't heard of anyone bending a pushrod who didn't miss a gear or overspin the motor by downshifting into the wrong gear.
Its not a flaw in the design. Its more often than not, driver error.
For the record... I've never bent a pushrod.
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,869
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Re: Why all of the bent pushrods?? It's happening because of weak stock valve springs.
Install aftermarket stronger valve springs and it's likely to stop valve float and/or bent push rods, etc. That's why you can raise the shift points, and the rev limits when you upgrade the springs and valve train components.
Install aftermarket stronger valve springs and it's likely to stop valve float and/or bent push rods, etc. That's why you can raise the shift points, and the rev limits when you upgrade the springs and valve train components.
TECH Resident
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 834
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From: Marysville, OH
Re: Why all of the bent pushrods??
It's happening because of weak stock valve springs.
Install aftermarket stronger valve springs and it's likely to stop valve float and/or bent push rods, etc. That's why you can raise the shift points, and the rev limits when you upgrade the springs and valve train components.
Install aftermarket stronger valve springs and it's likely to stop valve float and/or bent push rods, etc. That's why you can raise the shift points, and the rev limits when you upgrade the springs and valve train components.
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Staging Lane
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 68
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From: Middle East
Re: Why all of the bent pushrods?? Of course aftermarket springs are only good to a certain limit, but that limit is better than stock, that is the whole point. Especially with the titanium retainers, less weight = quicker reaction. If you wind the hell out of the motor, past the stock rev-limiter, you are gonna float a valve. Plain and simple.
Re: Why all of the bent pushrods?? Maybe going back to basics would help here . . . in most engines, the valves are mechanically forced open, but when it comes time to close them, they rely on springs to pull them closed. These springs can only close the valves so fast no mater what the rpm is. The speed they get closed is based on spring stiffness and valve train mass. So at some high rpm, the springs are no longer able to get the valves closed in time, and in extreme cases the piston hits the valve. Some exotic engines use "Desmodonic" valves. In this type of valve train, the valves are both opened and closed mechanically, so you don't have this problem.
