Bent push rods
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New User
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Bent push rods
I lost my oil pressure and got my truck shut down and towed home. one push rod was bent bad enough to jump out of the rocker arm and another one was slightly bent. Are all new lifters and pushrods enough or is there another source for the bent rods. What I'm really saying is that I don't want to tear into the camshaft. Anyone got some experience with bent pushrods?
Fleet Owner
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 20,678
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From: NorCal
I lost my oil pressure and got my truck shut down and towed home. one push rod was bent bad enough to jump out of the rocker arm and another one was slightly bent. Are all new lifters and pushrods enough or is there another source for the bent rods. What I'm really saying is that I don't want to tear into the camshaft. Anyone got some experience with bent pushrods?
Have you inspected the lifter from which the bent push rods came from? What about the cam lobes of the respective lifter/push rod?
If not, why not?
Believe Nothing
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 7,512
Likes: 394
From: W. Central FL.
What engine are we asking about?
What speed was the engine running when it lost oil pressure?
Sudden loss of oil pressure or gradual loss?
How long did the engine run with no oil pressure?
If the engine ran very long without oil pressure, the bent pushrods may be the least of your concerns.
What speed was the engine running when it lost oil pressure?
Sudden loss of oil pressure or gradual loss?
How long did the engine run with no oil pressure?
If the engine ran very long without oil pressure, the bent pushrods may be the least of your concerns.
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New User
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I have the top off the engine and all the lifters and rods are out. several lifters felt soft and some wont retract with all my weight on them including both from the damaged rods. I'm unsure how a used lifter is supposed to feel. have not looked at the cam it is still in the engine which is still in the truck.
Thread Starter
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New User
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 21
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What engine are we asking about?
What speed was the engine running when it lost oil pressure?
Sudden loss of oil pressure or gradual loss?
How long did the engine run with no oil pressure?
If the engine ran very long without oil pressure, the bent pushrods may be the least of your concerns.
What speed was the engine running when it lost oil pressure?
Sudden loss of oil pressure or gradual loss?
How long did the engine run with no oil pressure?
If the engine ran very long without oil pressure, the bent pushrods may be the least of your concerns.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 20,678
Likes: 82
From: NorCal
I have the top off the engine and all the lifters and rods are out. several lifters felt soft and some wont retract with all my weight on them including both from the damaged rods. I'm unsure how a used lifter is supposed to feel. have not looked at the cam it is still in the engine which is still in the truck.
Look down the lifter bore. .... Whaddya see?? Surprise! The cam lobes!
Can the engine still be rotated by hand? Ya might have wupped the timing chain/timing set.
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New User
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moved it to TDC with a 1/2 ratchet fairly easily. I rarely drive the old truck its more of a hobby and I have a 2012 super duty that takes care of the towing and hauling.
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Cargo Master
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 2,212
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From: Central Florida
That's a good sign. Had you wiped out the bearings, it would be audibly apparent. Nonetheless, with the bent pushrods and all, a complete engine teardown is the prudent course of action.
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Postmaster
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 2,698
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From: Taxachusetts
Agree with raytasch on oil pressure loss.....
What happened first.....lost oil pressure then a shut down or a racket in the engine, lost oil pressure and then a shutdown?
Find the cause of oil pressure going south.....drain the oil and look at it good for any shiners. Cut open the oil filter and peek at its guts.
Put a straightedge across a coupla lifter's feets...whatcha see? Convex or concave?
Uhhh....see daylight through the middle of the lifter's foot or at the ends?
Which cylinders have the bent rods? Can you blow through all the rods....meaning are they all clear?
What happened first.....lost oil pressure then a shut down or a racket in the engine, lost oil pressure and then a shutdown?
Find the cause of oil pressure going south.....drain the oil and look at it good for any shiners. Cut open the oil filter and peek at its guts.
Put a straightedge across a coupla lifter's feets...whatcha see? Convex or concave?
Uhhh....see daylight through the middle of the lifter's foot or at the ends?
Which cylinders have the bent rods? Can you blow through all the rods....meaning are they all clear?
More Turbo
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 559
Likes: 4
From: Australian Outback
Use it as an excuse to buy a new cam and lifter set. Go for something 'mild', an 'RV / Towing' type grind and it'll have a bit more midrange but won't lose out on bottom end.
While you're doing that, replace your timing chain. I bet thats the cause of it - skipping or having too much slack, components get out of sync and then you bend things... nasty.
Good luck with the rebuild ahead, sounds like she is otherwise a good motor!
- boingk
While you're doing that, replace your timing chain. I bet thats the cause of it - skipping or having too much slack, components get out of sync and then you bend things... nasty.
Good luck with the rebuild ahead, sounds like she is otherwise a good motor!
- boingk
Cargo Master
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 2,099
Likes: 8
From: York, Pa
Another thing that is important to check is the valve that's bent moves freely in its guide. I've seen that happen already where it appeared a wiped cam was suspected and turned out being a tight valve bent it.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 920
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From: Malheur Co. OR
If the valves stuck, there is a possibility of the pistons making contact. That opens up a whole other can of worms.
Remove all your rockers and set them aside keeping them in order. All the valves should be fully seated and roughly the same height. Use a dead blow and strike the valve stem squarely when the piston is down in the cylinder. Each valve should open and close without hanging up.
Cargo Master
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 3,354
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From: Great American SouthWest
My 351m was bending pushrods because the intake valves were varnished with gasoline residue. Was going to rebuild the heads, but the magnaflux said they were cracked. Installed 400 heads with upgraded springs for the RV cam
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This is good information. I recently worked on a IHC that bent all 8 intake pushrods. The valves were sticking due to bad gas. If you replace pushrods and don't find the source you will end up bending them again. How recent was your fuel? How much wear is in the guides/valve stems? What are the condition of the valve stem seals?
If the valves stuck, there is a possibility of the pistons making contact. That opens up a whole other can of worms.
Remove all your rockers and set them aside keeping them in order. All the valves should be fully seated and roughly the same height. Use a dead blow and strike the valve stem squarely when the piston is down in the cylinder. Each valve should open and close without hanging up.
If the valves stuck, there is a possibility of the pistons making contact. That opens up a whole other can of worms.
Remove all your rockers and set them aside keeping them in order. All the valves should be fully seated and roughly the same height. Use a dead blow and strike the valve stem squarely when the piston is down in the cylinder. Each valve should open and close without hanging up.
I have the heads off and rockers labeled. I see no marks on the pistons that would indicate contact. I will definitely be taking a closer look at the valves and seats.
Cargo Master
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 2,099
Likes: 8
From: York, Pa
You don't have to worry about valves coming into contact on those motors they are like a mile away from the piston. I'd bet sticky valves were the culprit especially since you say you dealt with really bad gas.