There are "hardened" ones like the factory 95 and some others.

Then there are chromoly. I have a hardened one that looks like yours, going chromoly now.

 

When i build my first motor i didint' tighten the poly locks right and lost six rockers and bent six pushrods as bad as yours is. I put new lifters in and new pushrods and it ran for about 3 months before it blew a hole in the piston.

My lesson is i tighten the poly locks the right way and i will no longer use self alighning rockers.

 

Did you ever find out why you blew a hole in your piston?

I'll be pulling the head to see what's what, I imagine if there was no piston to valve contact that nothing is wrong with the bottom end.

Can someone confirm that for me?

I'll be using NSA 7/16" stud rockers with guideplates this time

 

I did the same thing last summer. Except I was getting on the gas while leaving a parking lot. Then I heard some jaring about, at that point I knew something was wrong. I had to pull the valvetrain apart in a McDonalds parking lot. I also wrecked accompanying rocker.

Although, I didn't take my topend apart to check things out. I probably should have, but so far so good. I probably put 3-400 fairly hard miles on the car without a problem. And if there is a problem later....well that gives me a reason to build.

 

That's what my rocker looks like

Yah I suppose I could get away with just replacing that pushrod.. but I'd like to check things out. And what better time for heads/cam?

 

Ouch man...how did you manage to put a hole in a piston?

 

This thread should be the case for good pushrods!

 

Bret, seeing as I'll soon have one of your cams in my car.. Can you give me any insight on the bottom end? Assuming no piston to valve contact, should be ok right?

 

Well I THINK that it was because i hit the rev limiter and it cut fuel causing it to detonate or i dropped a valve. The piston was in peices, the rod was gone, both the exhaust and intake valve were gone. There was about an inch of metal in the bottom of the oil pan....and get this the freaking thing still ran!!!!...err well sortof anyways lol. Every thing was ruined on the engine except the intake.

Im hoping i dont blow up my current setup as i have alot of money it it.

Javier, i would do the heads and the cam if everything checks out ok. I wouldnt risk just putting in a new lifter and pushrod cause something bad could still happen.

 

Defiantly pull it apart. It is a worth the few hours it takes so you can ease your mind after you have checked everything. I am now in the habit of taking pictures of things when I pull them apart, more of a documentation process for myself.

Anyhow, good luck and get that thing back on the road.