Ordered pushrods too short, what to do?
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 1,191
Likes: 4
From: West Union, OH USA
Ordered pushrods too short, what to do?
Hey guys, I ordered some new pushrods from summit, but ordered the wrong ones by accident. The ones I ordered are 5/16 8.490 in. and the length I need is 5/16 8.635 in. The engine is a 71' 429 thunderjet. The closest length I can find is 8.600 in. The motor has adjustable stud mounted rocker arms. Should I send them back and just get my money back or get the 8.600 in.? They do sell pushrods that are listed as "Ford 1970 429 Super CJ Stock Length" what length and diameter would these be? If none of those will work where can I find pushrods the right length, because summit doesn't have 'em. Thanks
I found the length of the 70 429 CJ @ Jeg: 8.656. My old pushrods are worn so maybe this is what they're supposed to be stock. Also the deck and heads have been milled and shaved at the machine shop, though I'm not sure exactly how much.
I found the length of the 70 429 CJ @ Jeg: 8.656. My old pushrods are worn so maybe this is what they're supposed to be stock. Also the deck and heads have been milled and shaved at the machine shop, though I'm not sure exactly how much.
Last edited by fordguy76; Sep 1, 2006 at 03:29 PM. Reason: left out info
Postmaster
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 3,351
Likes: 1
From: Escondido, CA
Did you check to see if they are in fact too short? If you have had any machine work done to the engine your may need the shorter ones. Take a Sharpie and color the valve stem tip. Then install the pushrod adjust it to what the lash is supposed to be and see where on the valve stem tip the rocker arms are. Rotate the cam shaft through a complete cycle to get the full lift. You want the rockers to be running through the middle to prevent valve guide wear.
Hotshot
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 18,423
Likes: 9
From: iowa
round to the nearest .050" in your case order the 8.650" if your sure that the 8.630 is correct, did you get that by actual measurement while checking valve train geometry?
Edit, I see you edited your post I would double check and then go with the 8.650"
Edit, I see you edited your post I would double check and then go with the 8.650"
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 1,191
Likes: 4
From: West Union, OH USA
Ok I can try that. I have another question as well. I'm installing pushrod guideplates, do the pushrods have to be hardened? The ones I have now are Comp Cams hi-energy pushrods
Hotshot
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 18,423
Likes: 9
From: iowa
if you have guide plates you need hardened pushrods. try this part number on summit, they will be the ones that are 8.650 and are the same brand and type I run (except I run 3/8, and different length due to my heads)
TFS-21408650
TFS-21408650
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 1,191
Likes: 4
From: West Union, OH USA
Thanks for the reply. I was going to install the guide plates, but it wasn't working out. When I put them on, my rocker arm wasn't able to tighten down all the way(not enough thread). I guess I'd have to get different studs? I'm gonna just go without them for now.
Those pushrods are expensive, but they're what I need. Would these stock length(8.656 I'm assuming) 429 SCJ pushrods work? : summit part # CRN-35621-2
Those pushrods are expensive, but they're what I need. Would these stock length(8.656 I'm assuming) 429 SCJ pushrods work? : summit part # CRN-35621-2
Last edited by fordguy76; Sep 1, 2006 at 09:08 PM.
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Thread Starter
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 1,191
Likes: 4
From: West Union, OH USA
I keep answering my own questions, but I guess I would have to use a pushrod checker to get the proper length pushrods to use with guideplates. I have a better understanding of things now. I just need to get this engine together soon, it's not going to be used for anything but driving and maybe pulling a trailer. I'm not planning on racing it, so I hope the 5/16 rods will be ok. I'll probably go to 3/8 and use guideplates later when I have more cash. Thanks again
Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 5,241
Likes: 3
From: Other side of the sunrise
I put a set of 70 460 heads on a 73 block once and found that the push rods from teh 73 were too long. I had to find my old 68 push rods from my parts pile to make those 70 heads work. The problem I found, after torquing the heads down, was that the push rods were too long and didn't allow the valves to close. Of course the engine would not start as a result with no compression. The rockers were completely different designs. The older heads had the rocker posts and the later heads had the rocker rails.
on edit: I may have the two mixed up here as well. You know, it's been a while since I had this experience. It might be that the rods for the 73 were shorter and the 70 push rods were longer. Not sure. Main thing is that there was a difference in the two model year's push rod length and the ones I initially installed were too long.
Anyway, what all this is leading up to is maybe you were sent push rods for a different model 460 from Summit. Might want to call them and verify that they did provide you with the correct part number for what your request was for.
on edit: I may have the two mixed up here as well. You know, it's been a while since I had this experience. It might be that the rods for the 73 were shorter and the 70 push rods were longer. Not sure. Main thing is that there was a difference in the two model year's push rod length and the ones I initially installed were too long.
Anyway, what all this is leading up to is maybe you were sent push rods for a different model 460 from Summit. Might want to call them and verify that they did provide you with the correct part number for what your request was for.
Last edited by olfordsnstone; Sep 1, 2006 at 11:27 PM.
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I have a 1973 460 . I rebuilt it the 1st time about 5 months ago an ran it for 12 minutes then POOO. It had a 480 gross lift cam and didn't know it but the people at Motor Parts Of Ocala punched out my motor 5 months ago and pushed in some new cam bearings even blasted out my motor but they left in my motor some of the shavings and the tinny ***** they blast the motor with they also did not put back in my oil galley plugs. So i try to run the motor and had no oil pressure and every time i would shut the motor down to see what was up i never knew the problem was inside the motor. Hell i took the oil pan off more then 6 times oil filter off 3 times looking for problems. Finally i took the motor a part and saw I destroyed all my new bearings and the crank. So i ordered new everything cuz the Motor Parts Of Ocala told me it was not there fault so it came all on me. I got a new BIG ***** THUMPER <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com
ffice:smarttags" /><st1
lace>Cam</st1lace> and when put my rocker arms on today 10-1the push rods are way short when the motor is at top dead center when cam lobs have no pressure on valves. But i did check the new lifters with the original lifters and new lifters are longer by maybe 5/16 . BUT when i rotate the rocker arm back with my fingers I am able to slide in between the valve stem and rocker arm a 5/16 alen wrench. Yep i can move the push rod with my finger over the the side of the lifter out of where it should ride or up at rocker arm it can be moved. I even made a solid lifter out of an old lifter by placing a nut inside the lifter the put back together cuz i wanted to make sure my valves would not hit my 11.1 pop up pistions. GOT ANY IDEAS WHATS UP<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
ffice:smarttags" /><st1lace>Cam</st1lace> and when put my rocker arms on today 10-1the push rods are way short when the motor is at top dead center when cam lobs have no pressure on valves. But i did check the new lifters with the original lifters and new lifters are longer by maybe 5/16 . BUT when i rotate the rocker arm back with my fingers I am able to slide in between the valve stem and rocker arm a 5/16 alen wrench. Yep i can move the push rod with my finger over the the side of the lifter out of where it should ride or up at rocker arm it can be moved. I even made a solid lifter out of an old lifter by placing a nut inside the lifter the put back together cuz i wanted to make sure my valves would not hit my 11.1 pop up pistions. GOT ANY IDEAS WHATS UP<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
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