I rebuilt my engine with 541 castings because they were the cheapest I could find. They came with beehive springs. Everything else, including the lifters, rocker arms, pushrods, and all, was left at stock for now. I had to replace the passenger side head because the #8 spark plug blew out of the cylinder head. Anyway, with it all buttoned up, I went to start it, and it turned over very quickly, like it had no compression. I looked under the valve covers to check things out, and the pushrods are bent to hell. I turned the engine over when I torqued everything down, and followed my chilton to a t. I gotta get new push rods, but I don't want to put them in until I solve the problem. What could I have done wrong in my rebuild? and should I worry about more than just the push rods being destroyed? like the lifters?

 

If you bent those while tring to start it I would be worried about bent valves. Timing may be off.

 

Did you tighten the rockers too much?


... like to the point where the rockers weren't moving?