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Doubt that......
Chuck, you have far more experience than I have. What makes a pushrod bend? I had the trans set to shift on my car at 6 grand. The only valve train mishap in all those gazzillion passes was a couple of cracked stock rockers. I won't even say what valve spring pressure I used as it would send most screaming off into the night.
 
Chuck, you have far more experience than I have. What makes a pushrod bend? I had the trans set to shift on my car at 6 grand. The only valve train mishap in all those gazzillion passes was a couple of cracked stock rockers. I won't even say what valve spring pressure I used as it would send most screaming off into the night.
My $.02.. Engine got really hot, white smoke says head gasket. Head gasket puts water in the cyls, hydralock while trying to drive it to the station, and bent p rods. The original suggestion may have been part of the deal, too. The valve guides are locked down on the stems and the pistons caught up with the valves.
This says time to use the most famous tool ever invented for the v-sicks... The engine hoist.
Actually, the guy that invented the hoist, also invented the v sicks, as he wasn't selling enough hoists. 😉
A methodical autopsy will show the causes for the failure.
Warped heads.
Blown gaskets.
Galled valve stems and guides.
Lifters stuck.
 
First off thank you for your input Chuck, this is ALL new to me! My guess about the white smoke I saw before pulling over to the shoulder was because the lower rad hose literally came off and all my coolant poured out 'at speed' and hit my headers n exhaust. One reason I don't think head gasket is because the oil wasn't milky at all just black n smelled bad. Another reason is after filling it up with coolant and starting it, then driving 1 mile to exhaust shop and then another 18 miles home I saw no more white smoke coming out the exhaust. I did have a little smoke from the leaking valve covers n pan gaskets (cork) hitting exhaust. After changing valve cover gaskets (felpros) and starting to record the video in post #1 - still no white smoke out the exhaust, just a little bit from the engine bay from oil burning off the headers.

I don't think its have a bad or bent valve because the car isn't miss firing at all, she starts/runs and idles just as it did before it overheated.
I don't think its a bad or collapsed lifter because the rocker travel is all equal distances when bumping/turning over the motor n idling.
I don't think its a wiped out cam lobe because there was zero metal in my oil pan when I changed it.

Thank you to all who chime in, sharing n learning is part of the experience. Hoping its just pushrods and I'm one lucky S.O.B. Today going to measure rod thickness, then the rod hole in the heads, would like to run a 3/8th rod thickness if it will fit the champ gn1 heads. Also want to look at the rocker cups as I forgot to check for damage there.

These are the rods I'd like to get
 
I might step up to .135" wall thickness over the .80"

Not sure if I need it. Because I'll be going from 5/16" to 3/8" that's already an upgrade.
 
Stick with a 3/8 thickness. The only gain to be had will be the next time you will bend valves and kill lifters from that extra thickness......
 
I'm rethinking the upgrade from 5/16 to 3/8. I am worried about the 3/8th size fitting in the cup of the rocker without having to modify.
Will probably go with 5/16 and .135 wall IF I can find them. Most I have found so far is 5/16 with .080 wall. But I agree with Chuck as well, this is a flat tap motor low rpm I don't really think I need to upgrade.

Just hoping the pushrods are the fix and nothing deeper happened. We will find out soon enough. I'ma get on the phone today with PRW the link above, as they are local in socal so maybe I can just go pick up instead of waiting for shipping.
 
I'm rethinking the upgrade from 5/16 to 3/8. I am worried about the 3/8th size fitting in the cup of the rocker without having to modify.
Will probably go with 5/16 and .135 wall IF I can find them. Most I have found so far is 5/16 with .080 wall. But I agree with Chuck as well, this is a flat tap motor low rpm I don't really think I need to upgrade.

Just hoping the pushrods are the fix and nothing deeper happened. We will find out soon enough. I'ma get on the phone today with PRW the link above, as they are local in socal so maybe I can just go pick up instead of waiting for shipping.
Go back to post #21. No one beat the piss outta stock junk more than I did...and I had that thing buzzing at 6 grand all day.
 
Manley also has a pushrod part #25746-16, 5/16" - 8.850 length - .080 wall
I've heard great things about Manley's chromoly pushrods.

I haven't heard anything about PRW pushrods, nor could I find anything via a tb search.
I've scratched the idea of going 3/8" - dont want to modify my rockers to fit them - also no need for that upgrade.
 
Just got off the phone with Ruben Racing Cams in Anaheim (Manley supplier). Ruben answered and didn't have #25746 in stock but put me on hold and called Manley, they will have them in stock by Friday. So Friday I'll go down to Ruben n pay, then be able to go directly to Manley for pickup to avoid shipping time. Here we go!
 
Better choice!
Thanks chuck.

Yea PRW is cheaper, but only by 40 bucks. Plus no one I found runs them. Not even one post here on TB either.

Manley PR were only $150 plus tax. I'll feel like the luckist mf'er if this works n was the only thing wrong.
 
Definitely keep us updated and we're all hoping for the best for you.
This kind of post and info, believe it or not, will help the Turbo Buick community in the future.
IOW, priceless feedback from your unfortunate situation.
Let us know.

Hey Chuck.. Can I get some of that corn?
"Patrick pours Chuck a double of Col. EH Taylor..."
 
Definitely keep us updated and we're all hoping for the best for you.
This kind of post and info, believe it or not, will help the Turbo Buick community in the future.
IOW, priceless feedback from your unfortunate situation.
Let us know.

Hey Chuck.. Can I get some of that corn?
"Patrick pours Chuck a double of Col. EH Taylor..."
Thank you I appreciate your kind words. TB is my online home, I'm not into facebook or insta or snapchat.

Called Manley today, the truck got delayed and won't come till Monday :(
UPS freight shipping, I wonder what happened but Manley only knew it was delayed not why.
 
Hey Mike I'm not sure. How would I check that?
If you knew the lift of the cam, rocker ratio, installed height of the springs and spring specs, you could figure it out.
At this point, just rotate the engine until you have a lifter on top of a lobe. (not one with a bent pushrod). See if the spring still has room to compress further. You'll most likely need some kind of a valve spring compressor tool or rig something up.

Coil bind would explain broken rockers and bent push rods. It's possible that someone shimmed the springs more than they would allow.

Just one possibility that had not been mentioned. I'm not saying this is your problem.
 
Max lift and a feeler gauge.
.080 on intake seems popular.
.100 on exhaust.
Bottom of the retainer hitting the guides is a no no, too.
 
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