Just got off a 600 mile journey, 15 mpg wasn't so bad. Driving into the back yard the engine started clacking, sounded like a power steering pump.
So I changed the power steering pump, but clacking remained. Removed the belts from front of engine and still had clacking. Pulled valve cover and "what happened to the pushrod?"
It was raining so I just looked down and saw the lifter was still in the bore but didn't look long enough to see the runaway pushrod.
I checked the rocker, bolt and pivot and no breakage or wear is visible.

So I'm asking the collective brain trust what would be the most common reasons why the pushrod would play hookey?

Who wants to bet how far I have to disassemble the engine?

Thanks,
R.

 

Check the valve heights on that side, one may have stuck slightly before closing, causing the push rod to jump out of the rocker arm. Also push rods can wear off the ends, then fall out of place, or a lifter may have stuck down, causing the same problem.

 

Could be lots of things. Is the lifter ok ? If it is then I'd check the lifter preload when you put it back together. Take the spring off to make sure your valve guides are ok.

 

Wiped a cam lobe

 

Thankfully, not. The bottom of the lifter and the top of the cam lobe are smooth.

The problem lies with the original hydraulic lifter, which collapsed. The little piston is stuck way down at the bottom inside the lifter body. The lifter came out by hand with the aid of a little brake cleaner.

R.

 

Just to make sure, there should be more wear on one side of the cam lobe than the other. The lifter isn't centered on the lobe. But if it came out that easy, it should be OK.

 

Be sure to use lots of zinc additive and use a break in procedure or you may wipe the lobe..

 

Weird stuff. In the lifter valley I found the hardened lifter seat and the check valve thin metal plate with four holes in it. Yet the retaining ring is still in the lifter body. And the check valve is supposed to be under the plunger which is stuck in the bottom of the lifter. How did it get out?

R.