Hardened push rods

[416Ford]

Seems like everyone I spoke to though I knew more then I do about modifying an engine. I had a stud pull out of my 302 cylinder heads last year so I sent them in for a rebuild. Installed roller rocker, and screw in studs because everyone said it would help performance. Installed guide plates because I had it keep the rod in line. No one said I should replace the rods with hardened rods.
After 120 miles on stock ones, they look like bananas. Lucky for me, the week one gave out leaving the drive way Sunday.

[rumrumm]

There is more going on here than just the push rods. Hardened push rods are required when you run guide plates, but a regular push rod would not bend without some other issue causing it to bend like coil bind or incorrectly adjusted lifters. Are you running a big came with a lot of lift? The same issue could have caused your pressed in studs to pull out.

[416Ford]

Cam checked out to be a near stock cam. the guide plate wore the rod down to 1/2 the thickness. I have other rods that were worn down also. They clear the guide plates yet they are rubbing on the sides of the rods when its running.
The roller rockers have just enough movement in them from left to right that it allows them to rub...
I am NOT an engine builder and this is NOT a race engine. (I can't find the emoticon for frustrated)

[unklian]

put the stock rockers back on.

[Charlie Chops 1940]

Looks like serious misalignmentsomewhere between the valve tip, rocker stud, rocker and push rod.

I have bent the sum total of one push in 50+ years of serious engine abuse - and it was because a screw in stud was crooked.

[Arnold]

Springs too stiff?

I've seen stems/guides worn to the point where they started binding.
Rebuilt heads without enough clearance especially when warm.

Ya..as said..you got somethin' else goin on.

[416Ford]

Well my luck with the engine keeps hitting road blocks. Spent an hour working on it last night before realizing that the shop sold me the wrong push rods.
After my 45 mile drive to his shop before work and before he had his cup of coffee. We came to agreement that I would go somewhere else and get my parts. (THE CORRECT PART).


Charlie, that would be my worst nightmare.

unklian, the thought had crossed my mind, but I would have to remove all the rocker studs and remove the guide plates. Two more steps backward.

[416Ford]

Ya..as said..you got somethin' else goin on.

Everyone I talked to said that you should ALWAYS run hardened rods with hardened guide plates...

Almost all of my rods have some amount of wear on them from rubbing.

[416Ford]

Back together and runs good. I will pull the covers back off this weekend and check for wear mark.