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lost push rod??

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Old Nov 11, 2003 | 09:14 PM
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jnye6625's Avatar
jnye6625
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From: Marquette, MI
lost push rod??

Recently i was in the mudd and after revving the engine up i floated a rod and it fell into the valley pan on my engine. I ended up just putting a new rod in cuase i didnt feel like fishing the old one out. Is this okay? if it going to hurt anyting to sit in there? I dont think that even if it rubbed on anything it would actually end up hurting it, but im not sure.

1978 Ford F-150
351M
 
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Old Nov 12, 2003 | 01:41 AM
  #2  
Torque1st's Avatar
Torque1st
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The thing you have to worry about is why you lost a pushrod in the first place...
 
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Old Nov 12, 2003 | 09:49 AM
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jnye6625
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From: Marquette, MI
I think i probably lost the pushrod because of maybe a weak valve spring? is this possible?
 
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Old Nov 12, 2003 | 12:04 PM
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bubbaf250
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Possible, but not very likely.

More likely you have a worn out valve train, or old valve stem seals that are disintegrating, with chunks that occasionally lodge between the spring coils.

If the spring gets a chunk of valve stem seal between the coils, it can bind (preventing further valve opening) before the cam reaches the peak on its lobe. When that happens, the pushrod bends, and once the pushrod bends (even a little bit), the pushrod is weakened, valve train slack (clearance or lash) increases, and things get worse very fast.

When the cumulative lash between the lifter and the valve stem tip exceeds the capacity of the hydraulic lifter to compensate for it, the pushrod starts banging around between the top of the lifter and the rocker arm cup. Eventually, the pushrod bends enough to just fall out.

If the valve stem seals are going bad, it's only a matter of time before a big enough chunk gets down to the oil pan and sucked into the oil pump and kills it.

Excessive lash can also be caused by worn out components (i.e., accumulated wear on all of the contact surfaces of the lifters, pushrods, rocker arms, and fulcrums). Once the lash exceeds the lifter's capacity, pushrods get loose and the whole problem starts.
 
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Old Nov 12, 2003 | 01:14 PM
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From: Mooresville
I had the same problem

When you do decide to take off the intake and look it it you should find that there is a slight hole in the side from rubbing the head at high RPMS. I had the same thing happen to my motor when I abused it to often in the mud. I just bought a $3.50 push rod and forgot about it.
 
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