Bent pushrod
 

Ok last year I was in a index race at the local 1/8th mile track and in the finals I over-revved my car to about 7000rpms while doing the burnout. It immediately began to tick but I went ahead and raced the race and ran a 8.14 on a 8.20 index, this was with my old 302.:rolleyes:

Anyways I just got around to tearing it apart and the pushrod on the #8 intake valve is bent but there are not any signs that the piston contacted the valve. The piston and the valve look untouched.

Could spring pressure alone bend a pushrod? And why just the one bent pushrod?

This motor made about 20 or passes with the new .566 lift cam before this happened.

Re: Bent pushrod
 

What springs/heads/rocker arms were you running?

Re: Bent pushrod
 

If you bent a pushrod, theres a really good chance you bent a valve too. It might be really hard to see, and you might not even notice it until its chucked up in the valve grinder. You'll definately want to have that guide looked at too, but with just a tweak in the valve, it probably didnt damage the guide.

Andy

Re: Bent pushrod
 

I was running Canfield heads, Harland and sharp roller rockers, and the machine shop set up the valve springs specifically for my Ed Curtis custom cam.

My piston to valve clearances were just within spec so I am really not surprised. I just wonder why only one of the pushrods bent.

I am sending these heads off to Abbot Racing heads for some new valve springs and to get checked out before I put them on my stroker.