rocker arm problem
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5th Wheeling
Joined: Apr 2020
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rocker arm problem
hello to all ... I come to ask you for advice about my rocker arms on my ford f 150 with a 400 engine
indeed I realized that my engine was not running smoothly and was smoking on the left side (I have two separate exhausts) after opening the rocker covers I noticed that a push rod was missing and I found it twisted in the intake plate with its tappet out of its housing .. after inspection it did not damage me .. the cause of this breakdown is due to the wear of the rocker arms and their nuts .. I ordered a kit of rockers + nuts plus new bolts .. by inspecting the other tappets I realized that the engine is off so without oil pressure they are hard and do not sink in?? do you think this is normal?? I re-soaked the one that had come out in engine oil in order to fill it up and even filled it is flexible compared to those that are in place ... should I take them all out and empty them clean them and put them back or not ?? here's hoping that I was clear enough in my questions .. thank you for your help cordially
indeed I realized that my engine was not running smoothly and was smoking on the left side (I have two separate exhausts) after opening the rocker covers I noticed that a push rod was missing and I found it twisted in the intake plate with its tappet out of its housing .. after inspection it did not damage me .. the cause of this breakdown is due to the wear of the rocker arms and their nuts .. I ordered a kit of rockers + nuts plus new bolts .. by inspecting the other tappets I realized that the engine is off so without oil pressure they are hard and do not sink in?? do you think this is normal?? I re-soaked the one that had come out in engine oil in order to fill it up and even filled it is flexible compared to those that are in place ... should I take them all out and empty them clean them and put them back or not ?? here's hoping that I was clear enough in my questions .. thank you for your help cordially
Lead Driver
Joined: Oct 2018
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If you're in there I'd replace all the lifters.
It's doubtful you had enough wear on your rockers to cause the bent pushrod. or if you do everything else is probably wasted as well. check the valve that lost the push rod carefully to see if it's returning all the way back up.
I bought a new f150 with a 400 in 1980 that bent a push rod when I test drove it and did it again about every 10,000 miles until it hit about 50,000 miles . I never did figure out why but I assume it was a tight guide.
It's doubtful you had enough wear on your rockers to cause the bent pushrod. or if you do everything else is probably wasted as well. check the valve that lost the push rod carefully to see if it's returning all the way back up.
I bought a new f150 with a 400 in 1980 that bent a push rod when I test drove it and did it again about every 10,000 miles until it hit about 50,000 miles . I never did figure out why but I assume it was a tight guide.
Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 2,251
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From: Kenner,La.
Push rod
Be sure that the push rods are clean on the inside. A stopped up push rod will wear out a rocker arm. There was a 351 M at my Dad’s shop that would start up and after about 10 minutes it started to miss on #4 because the exhaust rocker would bind up. The push rod was stopped up.
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5th Wheeling
Joined: Apr 2020
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thank you for your answer.. i think the rod has twisted in the tappets i will look at everything as it should i looked at the tappet and the inside of the cylinder (it is number 5) with an endoscope none damage .. what bothers me is the lack of flexibility of all the other tappets when cold and without oil pressure ..
Laughing Gas
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 996
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Agree its not likely wear in the rockers is the problem and also agree it may be a sticking valve that caused it to throw a rod. The design of the rockers is that they do have play in them after the nut is tightened so I wonder if that's what you are seeing and think is wear?
When you had the lifter soaking in oil, you need to compress the piston in lifter with a push rod to pump it up hard. Just soaking it probably won't fill it. If you can't "pump" it up then the lifter is bad.
I would not empty the all the lifters; You don't want to disturb anything other than where your problem area is at least until you accurately diagnose why it threw a rod.
I may not be understanding your comment but a good lifter will not leak down so it will not compress when cold with no oil pressure.
Once back together leave valve covers off. Disconnect coil and turn engine over with starter while watching the valve closely. Hard to say without seeing it in person so we have to speculate, but there could be other causes.
When you had the lifter soaking in oil, you need to compress the piston in lifter with a push rod to pump it up hard. Just soaking it probably won't fill it. If you can't "pump" it up then the lifter is bad.
I would not empty the all the lifters; You don't want to disturb anything other than where your problem area is at least until you accurately diagnose why it threw a rod.
I may not be understanding your comment but a good lifter will not leak down so it will not compress when cold with no oil pressure.
Once back together leave valve covers off. Disconnect coil and turn engine over with starter while watching the valve closely. Hard to say without seeing it in person so we have to speculate, but there could be other causes.
Lead Driver
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 8,922
Likes: 153
hello to all ... I come to ask you for advice about my rocker arms on my ford f 150 with a 400 engine
indeed I realized that my engine was not running smoothly and was smoking on the left side (I have two separate exhausts) after opening the rocker covers I noticed that a push rod was missing and I found it twisted in the intake plate with its tappet out of its housing .. after inspection it did not damage me .. the cause of this breakdown is due to the wear of the rocker arms and their nuts .. I ordered a kit of rockers + nuts plus new bolts .. by inspecting the other tappets I realized that the engine is off so without oil pressure they are hard and do not sink in?? do you think this is normal?? I re-soaked the one that had come out in engine oil in order to fill it up and even filled it is flexible compared to those that are in place ... should I take them all out and empty them clean them and put them back or not ?? here's hoping that I was clear enough in my questions .. thank you for your help cordially
indeed I realized that my engine was not running smoothly and was smoking on the left side (I have two separate exhausts) after opening the rocker covers I noticed that a push rod was missing and I found it twisted in the intake plate with its tappet out of its housing .. after inspection it did not damage me .. the cause of this breakdown is due to the wear of the rocker arms and their nuts .. I ordered a kit of rockers + nuts plus new bolts .. by inspecting the other tappets I realized that the engine is off so without oil pressure they are hard and do not sink in?? do you think this is normal?? I re-soaked the one that had come out in engine oil in order to fill it up and even filled it is flexible compared to those that are in place ... should I take them all out and empty them clean them and put them back or not ?? here's hoping that I was clear enough in my questions .. thank you for your help cordially
Lead Driver
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 7,894
Likes: 2,371
Not likely that would cause it. but he says there's no oil burning so the guides must be pretty good. maybe too good and one is sticky.
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5th Wheeling
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hello .. thank you for your advice ... I'm just going to put the pusher in question back and I'm going to change all my rockers I received them yesterday afternoon from the United States .. I'll let you know what happens next and you'll do some photos again thank you for these precious advices cordially .. (
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5th Wheeling
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the rod twisted when it "descended" into the intake plate it was the action of the other moving tappets that twisted it the tappet I inspected and cleaned it has no problem against the rocker is worn at its pivot point that's why I recommended some to change them .. my engine has apparently been redone but they have not changed these parts ... however what I I'm surprised it's the hardness of all the others that are in place, even with the engine stopped and cold, no oil pressure but no play, they're hard as wood. I wonder if they shouldn't all be taken out. and disassemble them to clean them or else they have a non-return valve and at this time it is normal for it to be so ... to be continued
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