Bent push rod

[Nightowl 10]

This is not a ford engine, but I was wondering what would bend a pushrod? It is the same cylinder. I have owned it since 1976, and did one rebuild on it in 1980. I just thought someone might have an idea on what it could be. It is a 304 American Motors engine.

[LindenBruce 27]

Over revving, valve hit piston, jumped out of place and got compressed into a lightening bolt, stuck valve, or defective. Got any pics? Bruce

[69droptopgt 10]

Or maybe stock rods with stiffer or over stiff spring. Maybe a worn rocker.

[Nightowl 10]

No, I haven't any pics, but I will try to check that out when I get the car home. It has a ticking sound, and that is what it sounded like when it did it before, but it won't take long to take the valve cover off and pull the rod. All good answers, but I don't remember doing anything to it, but stock stuff. I did replace all the lifters tho. It did that when it went into storage years ago. It seems I always have a project to work on. I might as well start on that one also, but interior parts are hard to come by. Its not like the mustang, where I have 5 catalods to choose parts from. I think I only have 1 catalog for the AMX, and alot of those parts are for the early Javelin, and not for the 1974.

Edited November 4, 2012 by Nightowl

[69droptopgt 10]

Well problem may be rockers. If stock rockers, they may ware out as time goes along. Take a close look at the "bearing" surface of the rock and see if it is pitted or not "polished".

[Nightowl 10]

Don't know if this has anything to do with it, but the car only has 75,000 miles on it. Maybe letting it sit in storage all these years might have done something to it? It did it before I tore the engine down tho.

[69droptopgt 10]

Its possible moisture was in top end or oil if it sat for a while. Especially if someone started it up but did not let it run for a bit then let it sit. pull off rocker on that cylinder and compare it to another one. Look at rocker and the "ball" suface. Only other thing possible is that cam timing is off. But usually would affect more than 1 pushrod and engine probably would not work that well.

[Nightowl 10]

Thanks I will take the cover off and take a look. Trying to find parts for that thing is hard. I was looking for some Maxi Blue interior paint, but I sure can't find it in spray cans like I can for the mustang.

[GypsyR 32]

I've had old dead gas do that. Ran OK and was fully warmed up. A couple of days later I cranked it up and evidently immediately bent a couple of pushrods. All intake valves. The gas put lacquer on the intake valves which apperently dried like paint after the engine cooled off. Upon restart the valves were "glued" into the guides. Something had to give. I had to heat the affected guides with a torch and hammer the affected valves out of them.

[Pakrat 1,043]

I'd check the lifter, maybe it's collapsed. When you bent one the last time and replaced it did you leave the old lifter in?