I was changing my cam and came across a bent pushrod on number one cyl on the exhaust valve. Anyone know of a reason why I would have only one bent pushrod? Also that side of the heads show much more carbon build-up than the other. It was a total bitch to get the lifters out as well. The sludge buildup is unusally high as well. As I have been using dtergent oil and changing frequently.

 

make sure the exhaust valve isn't bent or binding, that will usually cause a pushrod to bend.

could also of been caused by a sticking lifter not letting the valve close properly and bent the pushrod.

but i would definetly check the valve to make sure it is not bent or sticking.

rgds
Mike

 

Is there any easy way to check it out while the head is still mounted and the motor is in the truck? Do I have to pull the head and remove the valve springs to check it?

 

Mine was bent from a bad lifter that was stuck

 

Give some details how that happened please.
Neil

 

the best way is to remove the head and check it.

you could also install a new pushrod and turn the engine over by hand to see if the valve moves freely and isn't binding or sticking.

another way is to remove the valvespring with the head on and put in a light spring and try moving the valve to see if it moves freely. a little more complicated as you have to use either compressed air or a rope shoved into the spark plug hole to keep the valve from dropping.

rgds
Mike

 

I had one chewed up lifter and one that was completely solid. The chewed up lifter just was not lifting enough to open the exhaust valve, and the other one, the pushrod got bent 40º. Also the one that bent the pushrod, it came out of its lifter bore, so I got no oil pressure.

I put new lifters in it and new pushrods, and guess what, i got oil pressure.

here is a picture of the rod, I dont think i have any of the lifter.

 

Ok, I remember that now from the other thread.

Same thing happend to me, 2 rods bent & one broken & 2 lifters jumpped out of their holes.
Funny thing about this engine, you could rev up about 2500 & it would have around 7 psi oil presure.

All my problems stemmed from the valves recessing into the heads & putting so much preload on the lifters it was like they were solid & I didnt have any idea anything was wrong with the engine, other than it skipping early on, + I had it turned up to much.
At that time I didnt know a 460 was only good for around 5000 rpm, BUT boy I know now.

If your engine was or is messed up like mine was, probably best to go ahead & plan on a new cam & lifters & timming set cause it wont be long before those new lifters will be messed up from the cam.

I'm kinda thinking Ford Motor Company ought to send me a certificate of some kind, cause I done been to school with this engine.

Prayer,
Lord,
please help me to forgive those that didnt put any hard stellite valve seat in the 1987 model 460 engine heads, when they knew full well that you could ONLY get unleaded gas at that time & that the engine was going into a chassis that would have a GVWR of at least 18,000 lbs & would end up with real high combustion chamber temps from having to move that amount of weight, please Lord, Aman.

After all the money spent & the work repairing the engine, it does run right well & I can feel the difference than how it was before, but got my mind on building a engine to go in this thing I wont have to worrie about if it will get the job done.
Neil

 

It appears that my valve is just fine. Some (1/2) of the old lifters were almost solid. The old cam has many different sized lobes on it and was wearing badly. The new cam and lifters etc, should make things work much better. Will be out on the road trying her out soon. Thanks for the input everyone.

 

Guy I had working on my engine, the first time the heads were pulled, he told me the oem ford lifters for some reason, if you take the preload off of them they will lock up like a solid lifter.
I did some checking just to see if he was being straight up about it.
I made a tool out of a piece of 5/8" rod, bent & with a hole so the end of it could be mounted under the bolt that holds the rocker arm & then a cup hole for the push rod to fit up into. I pressed down hard as I could & the little cup in the lifter wouldnt budge.
I checked the lifter & the cup was up high as it would go next to the retainer in the lifter body, so it wasnt like it was bottomed out all the way down & couldnt move. I guess he must have been right.
Funny thing, I guess it was probably 3 or 4 days after the repair was done & engine running fine, got to thinking about those lifters & was going to take one & put it in the press & see if it would go down, if nother else if it wouldnt move bust it trying to.
You know what, I looked the shop high & low, every place I thought he may have walked to, checked every trash can even to the big one outside & not a single lifter could I find, he must have took them with him, but why I got no clue.
Neil