Bent pushrod on valve spring swap?!
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 13
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Bent pushrod on valve spring swap?! Swapping out my stock valve springs for the GM performance springs and last cylinder I pull the push rod to show my son what it looks like.
IT WAS FREAKIN BENT!
Not what I expected to show him. I have checked others and they look fine but very concerned how this could have happened.
This is a used LQ9 motor I bought with 60k on it. Motor hasn't been fired by me, just dropped into my project. Motor turns over by hand just fine and the whole swap has gone exceedingly smooth so far.
I was using Tim's tool I purchased on here and notice that towards the end the tool was bending. I am thinking that this caused the tool to touch the pushrod and bend it during tightening / compressing of the spring.
I will be pulling some other rods to check, but concerned about what damage I may possibly have done to the cam by bending a rod off it.
Thanks
IT WAS FREAKIN BENT!
Not what I expected to show him. I have checked others and they look fine but very concerned how this could have happened.
This is a used LQ9 motor I bought with 60k on it. Motor hasn't been fired by me, just dropped into my project. Motor turns over by hand just fine and the whole swap has gone exceedingly smooth so far.
I was using Tim's tool I purchased on here and notice that towards the end the tool was bending. I am thinking that this caused the tool to touch the pushrod and bend it during tightening / compressing of the spring.
I will be pulling some other rods to check, but concerned about what damage I may possibly have done to the cam by bending a rod off it.
Thanks
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 13
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I don't know. I just discovered it during the valve spring swap.
I measure it as 7.4 inches by 8mm. Does that sound like stock?
Could it have damaged anything if it was run this way or even if it just happened during the swap?
I measure it as 7.4 inches by 8mm. Does that sound like stock?
Could it have damaged anything if it was run this way or even if it just happened during the swap?
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 13
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Found another bent push rod. I have to believe that this happened from my fat fingers during the valve install.
Question is now, couldn't have damaged a lifter? I will be replacing the push rods but don't want to strip the motor down to replace lifters that don't need replacing.
Any opinions or ideas?
Question is now, couldn't have damaged a lifter? I will be replacing the push rods but don't want to strip the motor down to replace lifters that don't need replacing.
Any opinions or ideas?
On The Tree
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 118
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From: Colorado Springs, CO
7.4 inches sounds right for stock, but that's only if the heads are stock and the lifters are stock. if those changed, then the pushrod length needs to change with them. Also, bending a pushrod during install would be extremely difficult. How do you think you managed this? Did tightening the rocker arms seem really hard? My best guess is 7.4 inches being too long for the application and the engine being run on this. I doubt the cam is damaged, but it could have toasted the lifters for sure.
TECH Addict
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 2,305
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From: Monroe,NY
Did you install the springs with the pushrods still in the heads? You always take them out when changing springs.I don't see any other way to bend pushrods(and probably why you bent the tim tool) with the tim tool. I am sure you will be fine if you replace them. You could shine a light down the pushrod hole and look at the top of the lifter for any damage.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 13
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Yes I left them in the head. I am an idiot and should have been more careful. Thanks for the help guys. Time to get new pushrods. Live and learn I suppose. This is why I jumped into this build though was to learn. Guess you do it the hard way sometimes.
Doh.
Doh.
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Easy for someone to have floated the valves and and bent a rod. Depending on how bent it could have just run rough. Roll the rods on a sheet of glass to check for straightness
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Just to be safe I would get a length checker and check to see that the stock length is correct. Previous owner could have put a small cam in it which could require a shorter pushrod. BUT, since you left them in during the swap, you might have bent them yourself.
Thread Starter
Teching In
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 13
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I am 99% sure that this was my fault. I pulled all the others and checked them and they are fine. Rockers look good too. My concern was that I might have damaged the lifter but from everything I have read that it is highly unlikely that I have.
I will be replacing the push rods with stock ones tomorrow.
I will be replacing the push rods with stock ones tomorrow.
