enlarged pushrod hole in head... please look... pics inside
03-23-2006, 08:54 PM
#1
enlarged pushrod hole in head... please look... pics inside Well, I noticed a noise in the motor last time I went to drive the car. Brought it home and pulled the valve covers off hoping it was in the topend and not a knock in the bottom end. Here's what I found... its only on the #1 intake valves pushrod hole. Its a little elongated now. I'm not sure what happened but the noise I was hearing definately sounded like valvetrain issues and not the bottom end so that's good but I'm not sure what caused this. The pushrod is NOT bent, valve spring is NOT broken, and the rocker arm was tight and not messed up. The only thing I can think of is that maybe the lifter collapsed and allowed the pushrod to move around which then elongated the hole??? Thoughts/comments?!?!?!
*I'm running a TR230, stock lifters, hardened 7.4" TR pushrods, stock rocker arms, titanium retainers, comp 918's, and ported '98 heads.
**If this was caused by a lifter, could it just be because they have over 80k miles on them and I didn't replace them and I'm now revving this thing to almost 7k rpms or could something else be causing this?? Too much lifter preload possible?? How would I check that? I just want to get it all straightened out and fixed!
*I'm running a TR230, stock lifters, hardened 7.4" TR pushrods, stock rocker arms, titanium retainers, comp 918's, and ported '98 heads.
**If this was caused by a lifter, could it just be because they have over 80k miles on them and I didn't replace them and I'm now revving this thing to almost 7k rpms or could something else be causing this?? Too much lifter preload possible?? How would I check that? I just want to get it all straightened out and fixed!
03-23-2006, 09:09 PM
#2
Maybe it's just the photo, but it looks like some unusual wear on the tip of the pushrod.
If you're sure the roller bearings in the rocker are good and it isn't wobbling, it almost has to be an issue with the lifter, but if the issue is preload, it seems odd the problem would only occur on one pushrod.
I hate to say it, but I think you'd be wise to pull that head and check that lifter and cam lobe.
If you're sure the roller bearings in the rocker are good and it isn't wobbling, it almost has to be an issue with the lifter, but if the issue is preload, it seems odd the problem would only occur on one pushrod.
I hate to say it, but I think you'd be wise to pull that head and check that lifter and cam lobe.
03-23-2006, 09:15 PM
#3
Originally Posted by kenp
Maybe it's just the photo, but it looks like some unusual wear on the tip of the pushrod.
If you're sure the roller bearings in the rocker are good and it isn't wobbling, it almost has to be an issue with the lifter, but if the issue is preload, it seems odd the problem would only occur on one pushrod.
I hate to say it, but I think you'd be wise to pull that head and check that lifter and cam lobe.
If you're sure the roller bearings in the rocker are good and it isn't wobbling, it almost has to be an issue with the lifter, but if the issue is preload, it seems odd the problem would only occur on one pushrod.
I hate to say it, but I think you'd be wise to pull that head and check that lifter and cam lobe.
As for the rocker arms... I'm kinda wondering about them. I've read some horror stories about stock rocker arms lately. These do have alot of miles on them. In noticed both rocker arms off of the #1 cylinder had some play in them. Basically the center section (where it pivots and where the bolt goes through) could be moved up and down inside the rocker arm "housing"... I'm not sure that is normal. Maybe I can post a pic with arrows on it describing what I'm talking about...
03-24-2006, 01:24 AM
#5
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Originally Posted by GTA91
The 2 pushrods I've pulled looked fine... both had nice wear spots on the ends of them... lifter end had a small round wear spot and the rocker arm end had a bigger roung wear spot... both were very consistent circular wear patterns.
As for the rocker arms... I'm kinda wondering about them. I've read some horror stories about stock rocker arms lately. These do have alot of miles on them. In noticed both rocker arms off of the #1 cylinder had some play in them. Basically the center section (where it pivots and where the bolt goes through) could be moved up and down inside the rocker arm "housing"... I'm not sure that is normal. Maybe I can post a pic with arrows on it describing what I'm talking about...
As for the rocker arms... I'm kinda wondering about them. I've read some horror stories about stock rocker arms lately. These do have alot of miles on them. In noticed both rocker arms off of the #1 cylinder had some play in them. Basically the center section (where it pivots and where the bolt goes through) could be moved up and down inside the rocker arm "housing"... I'm not sure that is normal. Maybe I can post a pic with arrows on it describing what I'm talking about...
03-24-2006, 04:56 AM
#6
That is not normal at all. The fact that you could be putting 2 pushrods into that hole is troubling.
I would consider a new head, because repair would only lead to disaster. Might as well drop the coin on the good stuff and hope all is well in the bottom end. You know that worn metal had to go somewhere and I am willing to bet that it is just hanging out in your windage tray or else where in the bottom end. When is the last time you changed/looked at your oil or oil plug? And yeah, 7k spins could have something to do with your problems as well. 
I would consider a new head, because repair would only lead to disaster. Might as well drop the coin on the good stuff and hope all is well in the bottom end. You know that worn metal had to go somewhere and I am willing to bet that it is just hanging out in your windage tray or else where in the bottom end. When is the last time you changed/looked at your oil or oil plug? And yeah, 7k spins could have something to do with your problems as well.
03-24-2006, 06:12 AM
#7
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Well thats intresting to see, as a few months ago I purchased a new set of stage 2 heads from a well known forum sponsor and I have simular holes in every pushrod hole out of the box new, is that a manufacturing fault as I am getting some metal to metal contact on the pushrods and side of the hole, also getting other problems with the heads but thats a seperate problem.
Moderators Can I mention where I got the heads from.
Moderators Can I mention where I got the heads from.
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03-24-2006, 06:36 AM
#8
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o_O GenIII I would dare to say that is not normal.... sounds like a manufacturing flaw to me.
There's no reason why you can't say where you got them, everybody else does it,
maybe they'll chime in on it anyway.
There's no reason why you can't say where you got them, everybody else does it,
maybe they'll chime in on it anyway.
03-24-2006, 07:26 AM
#9
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Originally Posted by FunkyTownFBody
o_O GenIII I would dare to say that is not normal.... sounds like a manufacturing flaw to me.
There's no reason why you can't say where you got them, everybody else does it,
maybe they'll chime in on it anyway.
There's no reason why you can't say where you got them, everybody else does it,
maybe they'll chime in on it anyway.
03-24-2006, 07:26 AM
#10
Originally Posted by orangeapeel
That is not normal at all. The fact that you could be putting 2 pushrods into that hole is troubling. I would consider a new head, because repair would only lead to disaster.
I would consider a new head, because repair would only lead to disaster.
03-24-2006, 08:22 AM
#13
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GTA91, calm down brotha.
GenIII, start a new thread if you'd like.
I think you should pull the head and see what's on the table. Depending on the way it wore the head, you might actually need to replace it.
GenIII, start a new thread if you'd like.
I think you should pull the head and see what's on the table. Depending on the way it wore the head, you might actually need to replace it.
03-24-2006, 08:30 AM
#14
Originally Posted by FunkyTownFBody
GTA91, calm down brotha.
GenIII, start a new thread if you'd like.
I think you should pull the head and see what's on the table. Depending on the way it wore the head, you might actually need to replace it.
GenIII, start a new thread if you'd like.
I think you should pull the head and see what's on the table. Depending on the way it wore the head, you might actually need to replace it.
*At this point I'm not sure what to do. I have a feeling I'll end up pulling the heads and doing new lifters and rockers along with a bigger cam if I've got it taken down that far. We'll see... I still want to know what caused this. Can I buy one new rocker from the GM dealer to compare?? I'm curious how much "play" they have in them when new...
03-24-2006, 01:29 PM
#17
I have a whole set of rockers I pulled out of my Cad.
Less then 10k miles.
If you want to work out something, you can pm me.
As for the head, you didn't stress anything except a pushrod and the side of a hole.
Here is a good test.
Remove the pushrod and remount the rocker.
It should only move up and down on the ends.
It shouldn't move in any other direction from any other point, and that includes the pivot (which shouldn't have any play).
Less then 10k miles.
If you want to work out something, you can pm me.
As for the head, you didn't stress anything except a pushrod and the side of a hole.
Here is a good test.
Remove the pushrod and remount the rocker.
It should only move up and down on the ends.
It shouldn't move in any other direction from any other point, and that includes the pivot (which shouldn't have any play).
03-24-2006, 02:52 PM
#18
Originally Posted by heavymetals
I have a whole set of rockers I pulled out of my Cad.
Less then 10k miles.
If you want to work out something, you can pm me.
As for the head, you didn't stress anything except a pushrod and the side of a hole.
Here is a good test.
Remove the pushrod and remount the rocker.
It should only move up and down on the ends.
It shouldn't move in any other direction from any other point, and that includes the pivot (which shouldn't have any play).
Less then 10k miles.
If you want to work out something, you can pm me.
As for the head, you didn't stress anything except a pushrod and the side of a hole.
Here is a good test.
Remove the pushrod and remount the rocker.
It should only move up and down on the ends.
It shouldn't move in any other direction from any other point, and that includes the pivot (which shouldn't have any play).
*PM me a price for your stockers if you don't mind.
03-24-2006, 03:08 PM
#19
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As far as the hole being elongated I dont see it causing any problems. I bent a pushrod on my car and the hole looked very similiar to that and it has caused no problems for over 30,000 miles since I replaced the pushrod.
03-24-2006, 04:36 PM
#20
Originally Posted by Drew's TA
As far as the hole being elongated I dont see it causing any problems. I bent a pushrod on my car and the hole looked very similiar to that and it has caused no problems for over 30,000 miles since I replaced the pushrod.