Bent and Broken Pushrods... NEED HELP!!!
TECH Addict
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 2,907
Likes: 1
From: Bergen County, NJ
Simple - if you want to be certain - pull the heads and the oil pan. If you want to see if you can skate, pull the pan down a bit, fish out the pushrods, put in hardened rods and see what it sounds like.
Update Tried the pen magnet and got the rest of the pieces out....
Maybe I can get away with some hardened pushrods and some new rocker arm bolts.
Is there anyway to check the timing chain without pulling the cover?
Maybe I can get away with some hardened pushrods and some new rocker arm bolts.
Is there anyway to check the timing chain without pulling the cover?
Staging Lane
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 68
Likes: 0
From: Vevay,IN
I would get some hardened pushrods. You are going to need them no matter what you do. Then install the pushrods roll the motor over by hand with socket on crank and plugs out of motor. Watch for the valve events, change the oil, and if all looks good try to fire it up. This won't damage any thing that is not already damaged. If it runs ok leave it alone, if you notice something when you fire it up shut it down.
Originally Posted by vettenuts
Why would the valves hit his pistons? The stock pushrods are weak, every LS1 book out there states that. You effectively almost doubled you column loading on the pushrods and they buckled. No surprise there. See if you can find the rest of the pushrods that are broke. Do you have access to a boroscope? That would aid in finding the broken pieces and you can also inspect your pistons.
I am not familiar with the f-body setup, but the Vette has "camel mode" that the engine goes into if the engine temp goes too high. They alternate the pistons that are firing so you can limp home without damaging the motor. Not sure if the f-body has this feature. I wouldn't panic yet, sounds like you did the right thing in parking it. Although I would be willing to bet you "goosed" if a few times with the headers open.
I am not familiar with the f-body setup, but the Vette has "camel mode" that the engine goes into if the engine temp goes too high. They alternate the pistons that are firing so you can limp home without damaging the motor. Not sure if the f-body has this feature. I wouldn't panic yet, sounds like you did the right thing in parking it. Although I would be willing to bet you "goosed" if a few times with the headers open.
F-body's have that mode. I stumbled across it this summer idling in the Alabama heat with the AC on... Sounded almost like a stutter-box set to idle.
