any problems with bent pushrods in ls1's or trucks
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From: Ardmore, Oklahoma
any problems with bent pushrods in ls1's or trucks i was in the dealership service department working with my assigned mechanic ( i'm doin apprenticeship type training).when a 2002 z71 came in that wouldn't start. well we switched the fuel pump, 4 fuel injectors, and spark plugs because water or something had gotten into the fuel and ruined those. it ran after that but we heard a sound and relized it was a bent pushrod pulled out the pushrod and it was in a "s" shape. i'm wondering if anyone else has had that happen. it happened with a completely stock valvetrain.
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Joined: Nov 2002
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From: Orlando
Re: any problems with bent pushrods in ls1's or trucks Yes, not uncommon at all. A friend had a pushrod shaped like an "S" when we swapped his cam, most likely caused by a mechanical overrev. The rev limiter wont help you there.
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Joined: Apr 2003
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From: El Paso
Re: any problems with bent pushrods in ls1's or trucks Yeah that is avery comoon problem with all the LS1's so even when u get on it the 1st time and rev up 2 5500 rpm guess what u hv just bent a pushrod even the 1st time u do it now it might not bust ur engine but they r slightly bent now.
Re: any problems with bent pushrods in ls1's or trucks
Yeah that is avery comoon problem with all the LS1's so even when u get on it the 1st time and rev up 2 5500 rpm guess what u hv just bent a pushrod even the 1st time u do it now it might not bust ur engine but they r slightly bent now.
You dont bend pushrods at that low of an rpm. It only happens when you mechanically over-rev the engine, usually by missing a shift and spinning the motor to 7000 rpm. Stock pushrods are not junk...they are not at fault...its driver error plain and simple. They bend because the valve smacks a piston and then trys to slam shut and transferring that energy through the rocker arm to the PR. I raced the hell out of my motor when it was stock and pushrods came out straight as an arrow. On a rare occasion, you may end up with a weak valvespring, which floats a valve, but thats pretty rare. 
