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View Full Version : Heads up tech guys!



KerrLake
05-19-2009, 11:23 AM
Here is the low down on what happened last week with my engine. I just had the engine done last year. I put new Edlebrock performer aluminum heads. Engine ran great for about 40-50 hrs and my rockers began to get noisey. I took it to the mechanic and he determined that my push rods flattened out. I don't know if it was the top or the top and the bottom. Unfortunately he has moved away, so I am having to figure out what has happened myself. I know that the top were flat. He said that the Comp cams push rods were on a long back order so the parts store sold him rods that were supposed to be comprable. I don't remember the brand. I had only run the boat on the hose before taking it out on the lake. Everything seemed fine. I made a 3500 rpm run and came back down to 12-1500. As I was letting the hatch up I heard what sounded like something hit the valve cover followed by what sounded like a really loose rocker. I shut the engine off and have not started it again. I took the valve cover off and the only thing I could see was a really loose rocker. The push rod still looks like new. I am afraid that a valve banged a piston. Should I do a commpression test before tearing into the motor or what else should I check? I really hate to take the engine out again.:boggled:

Conquistador_del_mar
05-19-2009, 11:39 AM
Have you turned the motor over with the valve covers off to see if your pushrods are lifting correctly? Sounds like the cam might have gone bad - especially if the cam was not broken in correctly. I had this scenario on a Vette motor last year with the same symptoms. Bill

mrfixxall
05-19-2009, 11:40 AM
Here is the low down on what happened last week with my engine. I just had the engine done last year. I put new Edlebrock performer aluminum heads. Engine ran great for about 40-50 hrs and my rockers began to get noisey. I took it to the mechanic and he determined that my push rods flattened out. I don't know if it was the top or the top and the bottom. Unfortunately he has moved away, so I am having to figure out what has happened myself. I know that the top were flat. He said that the Comp cams push rods were on a long back order so the parts store sold him rods that were supposed to be comprable. I don't remember the brand. I had only run the boat on the hose before taking it out on the lake. Everything seemed fine. I made a 3500 rpm run and came back down to 12-1500. As I was letting the hatch up I heard what sounded like something hit the valve cover followed by what sounded like a really loose rocker. I shut the engine off and have not started it again. I took the valve cover off and the only thing I could see was a really loose rocker. The push rod still looks like new. I am afraid that a valve banged a piston. Should I do a commpression test before tearing into the motor or what else should I check? I really hate to take the engine out again.:boggled:

When installing a edlbroch head your soppose to install +.100 pushrods..
My concern would be where did all the metal go from the old pushrods that wore out? if it were mine i would pull it and get all the metal out of the oil pan and check the bearings..Also check the cam bearings,if they go bad or the guy didnt aleign them up with the main bearing holes then that may be why the pushrods wore out from lack of oil..

when installing the new pushrods put a white paint mark on them,when you start the engine you should see the paint mark spinning whyle the valve cover is off..if the pushrods wore that bad the guy probably had the rocker are adjustment to tight..

show me pics of the pushrods!!!

BigGrizzly
05-19-2009, 12:07 PM
If the valve was smaked in that short a time the assembly was bad. What really bothers me is the fact the first set of push rods went bad. All push rods have hardened ends, so why did the first set go bad?

BUIZILLA
05-19-2009, 12:12 PM
Kerr, do you recall our conversation?

mrfixxall
05-19-2009, 01:07 PM
P>S> if you think your valve spacked a piston remove the rockers and put a straight edge across the tip of the valves where the rockers touch. if the one that was loose isnt touching the straight edge the suspect the valve is bent..

MOP
05-19-2009, 06:40 PM
Before you do anything do a compression check and like Mike said check for any short stems, if your guy put standard push rods in that may be the whole deal. Where all of the rods still in place in the rocker tips or did some jump out? Take it slow things tend to get blown out of proportion pretty quick, with a bit of luck the push rods are bent!

mrfixxall
05-19-2009, 07:38 PM
on a another note, did he use self locking nuts? do you have standard rockers or roller rockers? if you have standard rockers or roller tip rockers the i suggest you get a set of poly locks,this way they wont come loose if thats the case..

KerrLake
05-19-2009, 09:17 PM
Kerr, do you recall our conversation?

Yes sir. I remember the 1st thing you said was the pushrods were not getting oil. Is it possible that the push rods were inferior and just would not hold up or is that wishful thinking? I am taking it to the same shop tomorrow even though the builder is no longer there, so stay tuned to see what they say the culprit is. The guy who built this engine was suppose to be the best in the area, but now I am wondering.

It has roller rockers and and none of the rockers had jumped off. I just can't imagine that the pop I heard could have been something too simple. Wouldn't it have sounded like all hell broke loose if the piston hit the valve though? Only the one rocker was really loose.

This engine ran great for about 50hrs before the push rod issue made the rockers noisey.

Fix- I don't have the old pushrods, but I can post a pic of the new.

mrfixxall
05-19-2009, 09:44 PM
Yes sir. I remember the 1st thing you said was the pushrods were not getting oil. Is it possible that the push rods were inferior and just would not hold up or is that wishful thinking? I am taking it to the same shop tomorrow even though the builder is no longer there, so stay tuned to see what they say the culprit is. The guy who built this engine was suppose to be the best in the area, but now I am wondering.

It has roller rockers and and none of the rockers had jumped off. I just can't imagine that the pop I heard could have been something too simple. Wouldn't it have sounded like all hell broke loose if the piston hit the valve though? Only the one rocker was really loose.

This engine ran great for about 50hrs before the push rod issue made the rockers noisey.

Fix- I don't have the old pushrods, but I can post a pic of the new.

were the pushrods black in color? do you know if they put restrictors in the back of the block,some builders do this to resrtict the oil flow to keep the oil pressure in the bottom end but not reccomended with a hydrolic camshaft.

BigGrizzly
05-20-2009, 09:16 AM
Gee Mr Fix I did not realize you were old enough to remember the straight edge trick.