Plan on cranking engine on ??? break-in oil question

[67 Sunroof]

Nope.
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1776cc, CB crank, CB 2241 cam, CB light lifters, CB H-beam rods, CB light flywheel, Mahle forged pistons, A1 Sidewinder exhaust, Dellorto drla 40’s, Hoover modded case, fully balanced, fully flowed, heads by www.type-emotorsports.com, Air ride suspension by https://www.airkewld.com/?Click=3989

[chrisflstf]

Are there any rub marks on #3 exhaust pushrod?

[67 Sunroof]

Ok I decided to be doctor and see what I have today. The pushrod tube IS cracked on the #1 intake pushrod where the pushrod was bent. I cut it open to examine the inside and I can see the wear marks on the inside as well as some small divets?
So I decided to check all pushrods for straightness. All rods on that side were straight.
BUT....
I got to #3 exhaust pushrod and it WAS just slightly bent....I’m talking I can see it when I roll it on a straightedge. Slightly.
So what does that tell you guys? My pushrods were too long and possibly put the springs into coil bind?
I have 272mm pushrods. I remember installing them and then I had to back cut the adjusters on the rocker arms because I couldn’t get any lash. So I’m guessing my pushrods were too long and I should order a new set of like 270mm pushrods.?
So the pushrod DID rub the inside of the tube and caused a small crack....then the oil leaked out and hit the header causing the smoking toward the end of my cam break in. Pretty sure that was the issue there.
Here are today’s pictures for your enjoyment😡

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1776cc, CB crank, CB 2241 cam, CB light lifters, CB H-beam rods, CB light flywheel, Mahle forged pistons, A1 Sidewinder exhaust, Dellorto drla 40’s, Hoover modded case, fully balanced, fully flowed, heads by www.type-emotorsports.com, Air ride suspension by https://www.airkewld.com/?Click=3989

[modok]

USUALLY problems with tight valve guides happen after a few hundred miles, but it is still possible for that to be the problem here.

I've had it happen, John C has had it happen, I think we all have.

It's not just the usual incompetence, I think there is a little more to it.

We all like to use MAXIMUM press fit on the guides, so they don't come loose but....that means....the head is clamping the guide as tight as possible, and the guide resisting this at a maximum force possible.

Sometimes the guide does relax over time, meaning the clearance tightens.
And if so I think it's more a consequence of time rather than anything else.
bronze is not a totally stable material nor is aluminum.
If I put in some guides and set the head on a shelf for a few years, then check it gain, usually the guides are little smaller or a lot smaller, it's never bigger. Is that because oxide grew, or beacase the guide shrunk, or because the casting shifted? I know not how much of which, but some of each.

Long disclaimer for just a possibility, but, they say check the simplest thing first. It could be the simplest thing. And the simplest thing is tight guides.
And all the other stuff about special pistons, and sounds heard when what wire was hanging which way is just over analysis.

I think it's been a slow project? could be a factor, or, whatever lube was on the valves stems might have been past it's expiration date. or you didn't lube them.

or not, but then again maybe

[evanfrucht]

[67 Sunroof]

[66brm]

My guess is the pushrod wasn't seated in the lifter when assembled, engine gets rotated, coil bind on one, bent rod , then "noise " is the rod seating in the cup.
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[74 Thing]

For future reference you can straighten a bent pushrod tube with a long 3/8" socket extension.

Good job taking a break then coming back. We all do that at some point!

[Ohio Tom]

I see lots of wear on the lash caps. Consider replacing them with harder ones.
Are you sure the geometry is right? I see a rather large contact patch.

Which came first?
The bent PR tube? or the bent Pushrod?
Both are likely.

Either way they seem related. Did a jack stand slip off or something?

One nice thing about spring loaded ones is they are an easy fix when knocked out of place.

Been there myself.

Bent a pushrod at the track. It bumped the pushrod tube out of socket.

I replaced the pushrod, Put the tube back in place. Set the hot valve lash at .016" and went racing.

[67rustavenger]

Good on you for taking the time off. And approaching the engine with a fresh mind set.

You'll get it figure out. Then, enjoy the fruits of all your hard work.
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Cheap parts are gonna disappoint you.
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There's never enough time to do it right the first time. But there's always enough time to do it thrice.
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[Zundfolge1432]

Many years ago I built an engine and fired it up, ran great. I got right on it and drove about ten miles shut it down. Came back next day to drain oil and do the valve adjustment but engine was seized.

I tore it all back down and found the thrust bearing had melted just a little onto the crank, reason end play too tight. Thankfully I was able to clean the bearing material off the crank and case was not damaged.

How did I feel? Like a moron. I built another one that was so out of balance it had noticeable vibration at certain rpm, shit failure again. Had other setbacks along the way. Just take a break come back later. Then there was the time I put a nice dent in a customers car.

[67 Sunroof]

Much appreciation to my fellow vdubb club. (The Samba Brothers) I’ve taken a week or 2 or 3? off and thought...
I wasn’t looking for handouts. I want to make that clear. I wasn’t begging for parts or expected someone to send me parts-that wasn’t my intent. But it is much appreciated.
This Wednesday I’ll pull the other valve cover and assess the other pushrods for straightness. (Hopefully the other side of the cam’s pushrod is straight)
Next, I will order a new pushrod with the same length as my current ones.
I will then drain all of the oil out and I guess put in the clean 10w30 Brad Penn oil I already have.
I shall report back on my findings. I “think” I saw a small crack in the paint on one of my pushrod tubes in the middle. It may not be the paint-it may be the actual pushrod tube that was rubbed and eventually leaked causing the drip drip onto the header and the smoke. This is my thoughts.
I had to step away. I guess my patience isn’t nearly as good as when I was younger. I lack experience. Lack of experience leads to lack of confidence. Lack of confidence leads to lack of patience.
Very much appreciate the kind words and helpfulness you guys have given me. I really do.
_________________
1776cc, CB crank, CB 2241 cam, CB light lifters, CB H-beam rods, CB light flywheel, Mahle forged pistons, A1 Sidewinder exhaust, Dellorto drla 40’s, Hoover modded case, fully balanced, fully flowed, heads by www.type-emotorsports.com, Air ride suspension by https://www.airkewld.com/?Click=3989

[Shane Tuttle]

67,

I understand your frustration. Not to make this post to pressure you or anything. I don't post a whole heckuva lot. But I do read key threads to educate myself since being out of the scene for the last 20 years. Yours is one of them. Take a short break, for sure. Don't be discouraged. As others have stated, you're SO close. Even if you spend 30min a day, make a point to head out in the garage and knock out a little at a time. Doesn't matter if it's just pulling a couple of nuts, or the entire side of the engine (if necessary). Point is, all the little bit of here and there will keep you moving forward. You have some sound advice to troubleshoot the mystery oil leak and a possible low cost option to address the push rods/tubes. Hell, for all the info generated on your thread, I'd be more than happy to throw a few bucks your way or order a couple of parts and have them drop shipped to you. You need a new head? That's a different story. Need some pushrod tubes or a couple of pushrods? I'm sure I can help with that. Whatever it takes to help you meet your goal, you let me know. I'm about to put an order in with CB, Aircooled, and Car Craft.

[txoval]

He no longer has a NDA

[UK Luke 72]

Perhaps the pushrod bent as it slipped out of the cup when you fitted the rockers. Fingers crossed its not bent a valve. I don't expect it will have given that it ran well for break in.

You don't need stronger pushrod. Those cb aluminium push rods are holding on with my fk10 that's been to 7500 multiple times.

TX my understanding is that you are in breach of John's NDA with those pics... careful.
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[chrisflstf]

My theory is the push rod bent because of the severe rubbing from the dented pushrod tube. It appears to be worn thru the side wall and most likely weakened it under the load of a new motor. Stuff happens, just pull the heads, change the tubes and rods, adjust valves and you should be good to go

[txoval]

I'm deleting the post including the pistons as they are a distraction to the OP's topic and current issue.

The pistons are a proven product...look up the Super Squish thread or research Rolling Wave pistons.

[raygreenwood]

[evanfrucht]

Since all the rest of the pushrods are fine and you say all turns over well with a straight one in its place then I think something just got hung up and it bent when you were cranking it.

CB might even send you a replacement for free... stick that in there with the JC tubes and be done with that. You already had it running for 30 minutes so you must have done something right during the build

As far as the oil leak I think I may have an idea where it would be coming from. Did you check those two M8 engine case nuts that are on the side of the engine towards the bottom and near the flywheel side? Those are known to leak sometimes. Maybe it was running down onto the sled tins? If not that, from your picture it looks to maybe be coming from the top head studs but it also seems odd it would leak from a high point above the oil fill level?

Also have you considered that maybe you accidentally spilled some oil around the filler area when you filled it up, and that ran down onto the sled tins, then maybe once the engine warmed up after the 15 minutes it started to drip on the header and smoking... what if you dont actually even have a leak? Just a thought

That's really all you have to do, no money involved just a bit of time. Take a week or so to mull things over, you've come this far already and honestly nothing major happened. If you really wanted to upgrade pushrods that wouldn't even cost much more than $100, if that. You may be able to get CB to send you a single replacement, or someone here may be kind enough to send some your way.

Dont worry about any potential metal shavings from the pushrod, whatever doesn't come out the first oil change will get caught by the screen and/or filter. No harm has been done IMO.
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[nsracing]

Don't give up now - you are so close.

It is probably a small hiccup - w/ the bent pushrod. I sure hope did not smack the piston and valve. Half-inch lift is a lot! Did you check for piston-to-valve clearance?

Was the pushrod from intake or exhaust?