Uh-oh! any idea what caused this?

[johnnychimpo]

I pulled the intake on my newly aquired C20 Sub's 454 and found a bent/broken pushrod. The lifter base looks fine. No apparent damage to the cam lobe. I'm missing a couple of inches of push rod though(no idea where it may be). I've got a call in to the PO to see if he removed the missing piece.

When I got this thing the PO had started the teardown already(most of the intake bolts already removed, distributor still bolted down, maybe the PO pulled the rest of the pushrod out of the head?) Any ideas on what may have caused this?

 

[Jason4x4]

i would check and make sure the valve moves. you over rev and float a valve?

 

[johnnychimpo]

Not sure what happened I bought someone else's problem. Any trick to opening the valve without a spring compressor?

 

[blazin_blazer]

tap the valve stem w/a hammer, i watched them do this at a machine shop after putting the spring, retainers, & locks on...they started at 1 end and went to the other..hitting each valve 2-3 times, they said it made sure the retainers & locks were on right & weren't going to pop off....if you just want to make sure a valve isn't stuck, this should work, don't hit the rocker arm

 

[Jason4x4]

you can put the nut of the stud, and try and open it with a pry bar.

 

[mnstrburbon]

My motor just did the exact same thing on the exact same lifter.
My guide broke don't know if it was before or after the push rod fail.

You got roller rockers could of been over revved and got lucky and only bent 1 push rod. My friends camaro did this all the time till i talked him into 1.7 rockers not 1.8.The wires also look fresh maybe some one did a tune up and overtightened that valve.
The hammer trick is done all the time just don't go crazy with it.

 

[johnnychimpo]

My motor just did the exact same thing on the exact same lifter.
My guide broke don't know if it was before or after the push rod fail.

You got roller rockers could of been over revved and got lucky and only bent 1 push rod. My friends camaro did this all the time till i talked him into 1.7 rockers not 1.8.The wires also look fresh maybe some one did a tune up and overtightened that valve.
The hammer trick is done all the time just don't go crazy with it.

I'll give it a try. The rockers on it are the 1.72's. Didn't think to check the guide plate for damage. Still waiting on the PO to return my call about the missing piece-o-pushrod.

Whats an acceptable redline for a 454 so's I don't have this problem in the future? I don't know much about the motor 'cept someone stuck a set of 781's & a Edelbrock Performer 2 intake on it, roller tip rockers & headers. Have no idea about cam profile, bore , etc.

 

[sweetk30]

bbc have 2 diffrent length push rods. by the pics you lost just the ball end on the bad one.

 

[johnnychimpo]

bbc have 2 diffrent length push rods. by the pics you lost just the ball end on the bad one.

I def. Wasn't aware of that.

 

[johnnychimpo]

I got a call from the PO who said he put a magnet down into the lifter valley to pull the pushrod out but all he got was a couple of small pieces. Says he never pulled the intake off & I didn't find any pieces in the valley when I did. Maybe he pulled out whats left of the ball that broke off.

 

[mnstrburbon]

Sounds like the po grabbed the pieces out. I would say keep it under 5000, and you should be safe.
Here is a couple pics of mine. It looked like on mine the guide plate was bent in so it rubbed against the push rod. Wearing it thin till it failed and broke the guide plate.

 

[johnnychimpo]

Hopefully I can get back on it in a couple of days. It's hard to turn down overtime right now. Thanks for all the help you guys have given me.