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Projects Can't catch a break with this old engines!

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by iwanaflattie, Apr 9, 2023.

  1. iwanaflattie
    Joined: May 14, 2011
    Posts: 4,224

    iwanaflattie
    Member

    I recently had a pushrod bend in my 61 econolines 200 inline...with your guys help,I'm trying to get it fixed,good thing is that everything is accessible.

    I also have a 55 ford vanette that has a SBC swapped into it..
    I drove the donor van 100 miles one way and drove it around town for a month before that. everything seemed good.
    I got it running back recently and I moved it around the side of the house so I could work on it..
    I started cleaning the greasy engine today and when I popped the p*** valve cover,there as a pushrod barely popping out of the head..
    Fml,pulled it out and it had sheared inside of it..
    I can't pull the engine so my best bet would be to pull the head out or fish the other piece out and pray.
    20230409_170239.jpg
     
    GlassThamesDoug likes this.
  2. Kerrynzl
    Joined: Jun 20, 2010
    Posts: 3,611

    Kerrynzl
    Member

    Why pull the head? [I can't see how a pushrod can get inside a cylinder]

    Just pull the intake and have a look. If the piece has gone further down, then pull the pan
     
    OahuEli likes this.
  3. iwanaflattie
    Joined: May 14, 2011
    Posts: 4,224

    iwanaflattie
    Member

    Can't see the piece ..gonna have to pull the intake
     
    Deuces likes this.
  4. finn
    Joined: Jan 25, 2006
    Posts: 1,491

    finn
    Member

    From what I remember, there’s no tappet side cover on the small Ford six, and there’s no access with the head in place. The 240/300 has a side cover, so the head can stay in place.
     
    Deuces likes this.
  5. 57 Fargo
    Joined: Jan 22, 2012
    Posts: 6,210

    57 Fargo
    Member

    This is a small block Chevy….
     
  6. Beanscoot
    Joined: May 14, 2008
    Posts: 3,650

    Beanscoot
    Member

    Jeez, some people can bend pushrods in anything!
    :p
     
  7. Kerrynzl
    Joined: Jun 20, 2010
    Posts: 3,611

    Kerrynzl
    Member

    Try a cheat method first.

    Get a small diameter magnetic bolt ,or screw preferably. [screw magnets]
    And screw it into the end of some flexible curtain wire !
    upload_2023-4-10_13-54-21.png

    push it down the pushrod hole and "twist it" [spin it] and see where it goes.
    I've recovered [saved] lots of situations using curtain wire.

    A cheap inspection camera [preferably borrowed from a friend] can also save some grief
     
  8. HOTRODNORSKIE
    Joined: Nov 29, 2011
    Posts: 646

    HOTRODNORSKIE
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Broke a push rod on my Yblock and drove it home. Removed the rocker shaft and fished it out with a magnet.
     
  9. RMR&C
    Joined: Dec 26, 2009
    Posts: 4,945

    RMR&C
    Member
    from NW Montana

    Seth, you need to get yourself a flathead v8. No more push rod problems! Just saying. :D
     
  10. 1971BB427
    Joined: Mar 6, 2010
    Posts: 9,834

    1971BB427
    Member
    from Oregon

    Not sure how you could get a piece of pushrod out of the lifter valley by trying to fish it through the hole in the head? Even using a bore scope down another pushrod hole, and watching as you try to get it with a magnet will likely be frustrating, and time consuming. And if the lash got loose enough to allow the pushrod to pop out of the lifter or rocker, it really needs the intake pulled so you can see if the lifter is in place, and also pull the lifter to examine it and the cam lobe for damage.
    There is no good shortcut to this, and it really needs to be addressed properly.
     
    Truckdoctor Andy, F-ONE and bchctybob like this.
  11. bchctybob
    Joined: Sep 18, 2011
    Posts: 6,040

    bchctybob
    Member

    ^^^^ That’s what I was thinking. Something caused that pushrod to bend, and it needs to be looked into.
     
    Deuces likes this.
  12. iwanaflattie
    Joined: May 14, 2011
    Posts: 4,224

    iwanaflattie
    Member

    Yeah I don't think the poor flathead can move that big *** van!
     
    Deuces likes this.
  13. 51504bat
    Joined: May 22, 2010
    Posts: 5,645

    51504bat
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    337 out of a Lincoln or big truck. Or maybe a Cadillac?
     
  14. Bleach
    Joined: Apr 19, 2011
    Posts: 31,888

    Bleach
    Member

    I vote for a Cadillac flathead. If it was good for a tank, it should be good for most everything else.
     
    Toms Dogs, Deuces and 51504bat like this.
  15. iwanaflattie
    Joined: May 14, 2011
    Posts: 4,224

    iwanaflattie
    Member

    I wish!
    Not really budget friendly tho
     
  16. Bleach
    Joined: Apr 19, 2011
    Posts: 31,888

    Bleach
    Member

    Not much good stuff out there that’s still budget friendly anymore. SBC is good but it’s a bit boring. My Y-block can be fun but it’s bent some push rods in the past and has had a carb fire as well.
     
  17. Rickybop
    Joined: May 23, 2008
    Posts: 10,732

    Rickybop
    Member

    Just a note about one possible cause of bent push rods.

    I had an old tractor that bent a couple of pushrods. Checked for interference, didn't see anything. Everything mechanical seemed fine. I cleaned everything and put it back together with straight pushrods and it happened again. I think I finally determined that running the engine with old gas and varnish was putting deposits on the valve stems, causing them to stick and bend the push rods.

    I replaced the old gas with new.
    But it happened again.

    I could see that there was still quite a lot of varnish in the fuel tank. It seemed to me that maybe the new gas was dissolving the varnish and STILL leaving deposits on the valve stems.

    I cleaned the hell out of the fuel tank until I couldn't see any varnish.

    No more bent push rods.

    Not saying the bad gas and varnish was the reason. But just something to consider for some of you who can't figure out why the hell you keep bending pushrods. LOL
     
    Last edited: Apr 10, 2023
  18. spanners
    Joined: Feb 24, 2009
    Posts: 2,197

    spanners
    Member

    When I fuel up my petrol Grey Fergie tractor I add a litre of diesel or kero to 20 litres of fuel. Keeps the tank clean. They were very low compression engines so it still runs well.
     
  19. iwanaflattie
    Joined: May 14, 2011
    Posts: 4,224

    iwanaflattie
    Member

    Thanks for all input.
    I fished the other piece today took 5 seconds with an autozone magnet stick and a flashlight..broke right in half....
    Valve was stuck open and there's a varnish in the old pushrod...whats the next move?
    Loosen rocker arm insert pushrod,tighten till firm??
    How can I clean the varnish off the valvetrain??
    I've never done anything like this as you can tell
     
  20. Rickybop
    Joined: May 23, 2008
    Posts: 10,732

    Rickybop
    Member

    No wonder you want a flatty.
    No push rods. LOL

    You said varnish on the push rods. You mean varnish on the valve stems?

    To do a good job of cleaning the valve stems and guides would probably require removing the head and pulling the valves.
    But I think you can probably get things moving again with some carb cleaner and WD-40. Maybe a few taps on the stuck valves with a hammer.
     
  21. iwanaflattie
    Joined: May 14, 2011
    Posts: 4,224

    iwanaflattie
    Member

    I have a flat 6 and a flat 8 but they're for "later projects"
     
    Rickybop likes this.
  22. iwanaflattie
    Joined: May 14, 2011
    Posts: 4,224

    iwanaflattie
    Member

    What does it mean when the VALVE dropped and the spring is compressed on the side that the pushrod broke???
    The other valves on the p***enger side head look normal(decompressed) and the valve where the pushrod is down...did the valve smack the piston????.
     
  23. gimpyshotrods
    Joined: May 20, 2009
    Posts: 24,525

    gimpyshotrods
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    That is a distinct possibility.
     
    warbird1 likes this.
  24. iwanaflattie
    Joined: May 14, 2011
    Posts: 4,224

    iwanaflattie
    Member

    Weird.
    I popped the pushrod into its place last night,the valve was dropped and walked away thinking the worst.
    I walk out there this morning and the spring decompressed by itself????
    It's running real good now...
     
    2Blue2 likes this.
  25. 2Blue2
    Joined: Sep 25, 2021
    Posts: 412

    2Blue2

    Supper sticky?
     
    gimpyshotrods likes this.
  26. gimpyshotrods
    Joined: May 20, 2009
    Posts: 24,525

    gimpyshotrods
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Hella sticky.
     
  27. Lone Star Mopar
    Joined: Nov 2, 2005
    Posts: 4,220

    Lone Star Mopar
    Member

  28. gimpyshotrods
    Joined: May 20, 2009
    Posts: 24,525

    gimpyshotrods
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Is that even legal in Texas?
     
    Budget36 and Lone Star Mopar like this.
  29. rod1
    Joined: Jan 18, 2009
    Posts: 1,523

    rod1
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Not only legal ,but suggested.
     
  30. iwanaflattie
    Joined: May 14, 2011
    Posts: 4,224

    iwanaflattie
    Member

    Engines been running good..I think it needs a new carb.
    Took the van to a local car show and drove it around town for a couple of days..
    It's pretty nimble for a big *** van
    20230507_070547.jpg 20230507_070541.jpg 20230507_070534.jpg
     

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