I just installed new 1.6 pro mags, hardened pushrods and springs. Shortly after starting the car it started driving like crap and making loud noises. I parked it and decided to pull the valve cover to see if I needed to re adjust the rockers. Well, one of my push rods was bent pretty badly and the guide hole in the head was all wallowed out. Do I need new heads or block!?! Please anyone help if you have ever heard of this. Thank you!

 

The heads and block are probably fine but you could have damaged the cam or even the crank and bearings. That little stunt put a lot of pressure on the cam. You definately have metal in the oil now and its anyones guess what that did.

When you changed the ratio of the rocker to a higher number, it moved the push rod closer to the fulcrum. That usually brings the rods in contact with the stock head and opening up the passage with a lewis tool is required. In addition, you may have non self aligning rockers being used without guide plates. Not sure about that one though.

May want to start over and be sure you have the right style rockers and that the rods are the correct length and so on.

Start here:

http://www.compcams.com/Technical/Cu...ML/306-307.asp

Be sure to check out the info on the rockers also.

 

You need to find out WHAT made it bend,piston contact,spring coil bind,rocker came off of valve stem and fix that before replacing push rod. Ya might want to check them all to see if the problem is on every cyl. or is a freak thing with one hole.

 

I will just about bet that you have non SA rockers without guide plates.

-Shannon

 

Either that or Comp F***ed you over. My buddy bought a set of brand New Comp SA rockers from Comp and they gave him 15 SA and 1 NSA. It took him a while to figure out why his damn rocker kept walking off. I believe he posted and found out that its kind of common to have that happen from Comp. He had found a few people that got 8 SA and 8 NSA and all other sorts of combinations.

 

Thanks for all the replies guys. How do I know if I have sa rockers or non sa rockers. All I know is that I ordered sa ones. I talked to a guy and combination motor sports and he thought I just didn't adjust them correctly. Sounds kind of drastic... Also, I have never heard of having to use a "lewis tool", is this common? I am so scared to try anything because if I have metal in the oil I am screwed no matter what, right? I don't know where do go from here. How do I check to see if the valves are bent or the lifter is trashed, or bearings, cam and everything else? Should I just take it to a good shop and let them check it out or what?
Thanks again for the great replies guys.

 

hehe, dont feel bad, once you figure out what you did, you'll likely never do it again. I adjusted a rocker on a old school small block chevy twice by accident back in the day and let me tell you, it caused some pretty catastrophic damage but luckily i caught it after about 20 miles and tore the top half apart b4 it got worse. I still have the pushrod in my toolbox at work to remind me not to be in such a hurry all the time. It also brings about some good laughs when you show it to people and it looks like a limp noodle. If I can get a digicam Ill snap a pic of it, but it sounds like you'll have one of your own to laugh about soon. Sorry to hear the bad news. My opti took a **** the other day, if that makes you feel any better.