The 390 in my '67 bent a pushrod shortly after installing this used engine. I have to check the timing chain. Any chance if the timing chain went the engine could still be serviceable when fixed? If not anyone had good luck with crate engines? If so from where?

 

What is your budget? You typically get what you pay for.

 

I do not believe that a bad timing chain can bend a push rod on these motors.

 

Be advised that shills come into these sites posting innocent questions for references to their products. The reference comes back in. You can guess what it is.

If you buy a crate engine from any internet reference you assured of getting something with a top-quality Shanghai rattle-can paint job on something. You bust your **** to R and R the thing to learn the hard way. Like on teardown.

There is no cheap way to rebuild these old motors. Good labor gets paid a wage to keep them living happily in the local environment. If you want to get a good rebuild, ask around town. Find the best guy. Cheap prices get you cheap parts with a high school cluck running the boring bar. Take the engine in and insist on seeing the box for the rebuild parts and the gasket set. I have even been in shops where I watch the crank dropped into a properly installed rear seal. I have knowledge, but a rotten spine.

Mistrust.

 

Carolina Machine Engines Rebuilt Engines and Rebuilt Motors from CME

 

390? Used engine? How did you know it was a 390? Did you stroke test it to begin with? Is it a case of "390 on sale day, 352-360 any other day"?

 

Bent pushrods are generally caused by a tight, dry or gummed up valve guide.

 

Or a locked up hydraulic lifter.

 

2000-3000 I am really looking for a stock rebuild that can run on unleaded gas. I've had the truck for 18 years, and I am trying to finish, up the projects swapped out an old engine that had no compression with one from an rv with good then a pushrods went a couple of days after install and working through old gas.

 

From my local salvage yard. It came out of a bump side rv. It had good comprehension. The old 360 I had in it had none.

 

Hydraulic lifter preload is generally .020-.050, not enough to bend a pushrod. What usually happens is the valve gets hung up in the guide and the lifter tries to open a valve that won't move. The weakest link is the pushrod.

 

I guess I was wondering if a national auto parts chain with a warranty is an okay to do. I don't know much about engines, I'm just trying to get this truck as a daily driver in the summer. I have had it garaged 18 years

 

My friend who swapped it worried it was either the timing chain or cam shaft. Only one pushrod bent. Obviously if it is the cam I'm in trouble.

 

It is neither the cam nor the timing chain.

 

There was some lifter clatter earlier upon start up because of some dirt, but that cleared up after adding some additives.