• The Roadster Factory Recovery Fund - Friends, as you may have heard, The Roadster Factory, a respected British Car Parts business in PA, suffered a total loss in a fire on Christmas Day. Read about it, discuss or ask questions >> HERE. The Triumph Register of America is sponsoring a fund raiser to help TRF get back on their feet. If you can help, vist >> their GoFundMe page.
  • Hey there Guest!
    If you enjoy BCF and find our forum a useful resource, if you appreciate not having ads pop up all over the place and you want to ensure we can stay online - Please consider supporting with an "optional" low-cost annual subscription.
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Subscribers don't see this UGLY banner)
Tips
Tips

T-Series Bent Push Rods

PAUL161

Great Pumpkin
Silver
Country flag
Offline
Yesterday after a 150 mile trip, about 10 miles from home, I noticed a clicking/tapping sound above 3500 rpms, below 3500 no noise. Drove it home and pulled the valve cover to discover I had at least two bent push rods, maybe more. Looks like the re-builder used the original rods not new ones. Mind boggling why it ran perfectly for 4 years or more with no issues and now this happened. Running late, I did push it more than usual, but that shouldn't have bent the push rods. Maybe it was because I never pushed it up to 5000 rpms before. ?? Can stronger push rods be bought? PJ
 

Mickey Richaud

Moderator
Staff member
Gold
Country flag
Online
OUCH! Tough luck, Paul.

Check with Crane Cams; I seem to remember that they offer hardened pushrods and they have cams for MGs.

Mickey
 
OP
PAUL161

PAUL161

Great Pumpkin
Silver
Country flag
Offline
Thanks Mickey, I have a Crane cam in it now, but the push rods look original. I'll check with them. If the push rods were original and not perfectly true, I would believe that could have caused this issue. Reason I don't like using old push rods as they can get distorted by rough handling. Original style new rods would probably do the trick and since their an easy install I might just put a new std set in. Cars done for the winter, so no rush. PJ
 

Mickey Richaud

Moderator
Staff member
Gold
Country flag
Online
With some aftermarket cams, it may be that you can't use the stock pushrods; maybe that's the cause?
 
OP
PAUL161

PAUL161

Great Pumpkin
Silver
Country flag
Offline
With some aftermarket cams, it may be that you can't use the stock pushrods; maybe that's the cause?

Very possible because I never pushed it before. I'll check with Crane on their push rods. PJ
 
OP
PAUL161

PAUL161

Great Pumpkin
Silver
Country flag
Offline
Very possible because I never pushed it before. I'll check with Crane on their push rods. PJ

Just heard from LaVerne and it might be caused by brass valve guides tightening up when hot. Ordered a bore scope to check inside the bore for anything unusual, but I have a feeling it's the valve guides. Strange as I've been running this car for 4 years with no problems and the day this happened was a very cool day so it wasn't overheating, actually it was running on the cool side. ???
 

Mickey Richaud

Moderator
Staff member
Gold
Country flag
Online
He knows his stuff, for sure. It'll be interesting to hear what you find.
 
OP
PAUL161

PAUL161

Great Pumpkin
Silver
Country flag
Offline
Well, here's a couple pics to ponder over. Have to pull the side cover off to check the followers and make sure their ok. Valve stem tops look like new, the damaged rocker didn't hurt it.
View attachment 60849View attachment 60850
 

DrEntropy

Great Pumpkin
Platinum
Country flag
Offline
Exhaust ports for cylinders 2 and 3. Siamesed. That would be an understandable argument for the guides being the issue.

Are there bronze guides available vs. brass?

OFF WITH IT'S HEAD!

ack.
 
OP
PAUL161

PAUL161

Great Pumpkin
Silver
Country flag
Offline
The problem we have here Doc is, I lost the engine builders email address, retired MG dealer mechanic, I know where he lives and I'm trying to contact him to find out if the head does actually have brass guides in it or not. Looking through a pile of receipts, I haven't found anything pertaining to the head. I don't want to pull the head if I don't have to, but that doesn't look too promising. :frown-new:
Working on the engine on a TF doing anything major, it's best to pull the front of the car off, that in it's self is a royal pain.
 

DrEntropy

Great Pumpkin
Platinum
Country flag
Offline
I understand the pain, done it more than once. Not being able to determine guide metallurgy is kinda frustrating. If you can try a "scratch test" on a guide, brass is soft and will show a trace of damage where bronze is MUCH harder and is less likely to have evidence of minor damage.

Different color, too. Brass looks bright and shiny (almost like gold) with a scratch, bronze is darker and less likely to show evidence of damage.
 
OP
PAUL161

PAUL161

Great Pumpkin
Silver
Country flag
Offline
Well Doc, after many discussions with some other guys, I think we have discovered the problem. Knowing the engine has run like a champ for 4 years without any issues, it had to be something very recent. Talking to a couple cam experts on Crane cams and and appropriate components I've decided that #4 & #5 valves momentarily stuck due to carbon build up on the base of the stems, #1 & #8 look good. Odd because I color tuned the plugs in the spring and they were a light tan in color, so for some reason the fuel mixture enriched and caused the heavy carbon issue. I pulled the manifolds off and looked inside the ports and that's how I saw the build up in 4 & 5. Carb cleaner seems to clean the carbon off the stems, but I need to collapse the springs more to look at the stems further up. New set of Crane push rods coming and 1 new rocker for #5. carbs adjustment needed also for a slightly leaner mixture, might be a sticking float?? As you can see, I don't want to pull the head if not needed! Glue it all back together and give it a go. :encouragement: PJ

Oh yeah, I pulled every cam follower and they look like new and a light swirl on the bottom shows they are rotating as they should. Another thing is, number 5 push rods cup wasn't polished as the other 7, kinda odd but??
 

Mickey Richaud

Moderator
Staff member
Gold
Country flag
Online
Glad you're getting it sorted out!
 
OP
PAUL161

PAUL161

Great Pumpkin
Silver
Country flag
Offline
Glad you're getting it sorted out!

Can't do much more Mickey til the parts come. Have to reach out to the fella who is supplying me with the Crane push rods and see if he has a #5 rocker arm also, if not I'll get one from the normal suppliers. Parts prices doesn't bother me, but it's amazing what it costs for shipping anymore!:rolleyes2:
 
OP
PAUL161

PAUL161

Great Pumpkin
Silver
Country flag
Offline
New Crane push rods are in along with new #5 rocker. Odd, but not a problem, didn't realize it until all was back together and valves were adjusted that the new #5 rocker pushrod ball has a shorter thread area than the rest. Kinda makes the overall look a little odd. I wasn't about to pull the whole mess off to put one in from the original rocker just so it looks better! :rolleyes2: Now waiting for a set of new manifold flange studs, might be here today, so I can get this thing perking again!:encouragement:
Lower valve stems and ports have been cleaned of carbon while their open. Always a problem is getting parts in a short time, be nice if one could just run down to NAPA and buy what you need! Such is life.:peaceful:

View attachment 61013
 

DrEntropy

Great Pumpkin
Platinum
Country flag
Offline
With the cover on, nobody will know but us chickens. :wink:
 
OP
PAUL161

PAUL161

Great Pumpkin
Silver
Country flag
Offline
OP
PAUL161

PAUL161

Great Pumpkin
Silver
Country flag
Offline
Gave it a short test run on Saturday and everything seems normal, now I need to give it a longer run at 60/65 mph. Hopefully all will be as it should be. PJ
 

DrEntropy

Great Pumpkin
Platinum
Country flag
Offline
:thumbsup:
 
OP
PAUL161

PAUL161

Great Pumpkin
Silver
Country flag
Offline
Well Doc, Len Fanelli (Roller Cam Guy) said my settings on valve lash are too close, Crane specifies .018 intake and .020 exhaust for those clearances on my cam and also talked with LaVerne and he said he sets his at .016 intake and .018 exhaust. Cranes settings might be a racing specification (?), but I think I'll use Laverne's settings as This car will never be raced, never knew it but this cam calls for a noisy valve train, nothing I can do about it. :grief: PJ

Oh, Maybe I can cover the engine with a moving blanket! :encouragement:
 
Similar threads
Thread starter Title Forum Replies Date
J Healey 100 -- Broken rocker and bent push rods !!! Austin Healey 7
pan Bent push rod Austin Healey 3
B Bent frame rails near BE front end Spridgets 2
P Classic Tube Pre-Bent Brake Lines Austin Healey 5
L TR2/3/3A Bent lower wishbone arms Triumph 6
C TR4/4A Bent pushrod Triumph 20
KVH TR4/4A Bent Valves Triumph 11
M TR2/3/3A Forward Carb Jet Lever Bent Triumph 12
B Overdrive Operating valve bent Austin Healey 15
N Spitfire Should this be bent? Triumph 4
nevets pre-bent brake lines Austin Healey 7
M Bent Frame Spridgets 3
B TR2/3/3A is this a bent tr3b frame? Triumph 7
tinman58 Bent pushrods Triumph 69
J Disc rims all bent and out of round Triumph 11
bugedd My bugeye is bent Spridgets 31
jsfbond Flange bent? Triumph 6
glemon Bent Rear Hub/Axle Triumph 2
theleisure 3 out of 4 wheels bent, looking for new used set Spridgets 11
H TR2/3/3A TR3 Accelerator Shaft -- Straight or Bent? Triumph 9
I TR6 TR6 windshield frame bent? Triumph 8
19_again coil springs are bent Triumph 10
R How do you tell if a rim is bent or warped Spridgets 1
J Bent camshaft for 64 BJ8? Austin Healey 1
K Bent trunnion fulcrum Triumph 21
G Bent a Lifting Eye.....Whew! Triumph 8
69MGC Any tips for fixing a bent boot lid MG 7
drooartz Bent pedestal stud Spridgets 13
sultanoswing Bent Rims - fixable? MG 10
timbn2 Bent BN2 Steering Column Austin Healey 8
Webb Sledge Bent Valves/Head Gasket? Triumph 13
gsalt57tr3 TR2/3/3A TR3 Bent Frame Triumph 13
Webb Sledge TR6 TR6 Throttle Linkage Bent? Triumph 5
AUSMHLY bent frame Austin Healey 15
Guinn Bent bonnet MG 5
S TR4/4A Bent TR4 Frame Triumph 5
B MGB while driving engine cuts out if I let off or push more throttle it comes right back on MG 5
K TR2/3/3A Clutch and Brake Master Cylinder push rod stop bolts? Triumph 15
C MGA Change a pull starter to a push button system MG 6
R J-H no longer needs a push! Other British Cars 6
K Restoring Horn Push Button Austin Healey 12
Joe Reed General MG Early Midget horn push on Personal wood rim steering wheel... MG 3
Patrick67BJ8 Brake Pedal Vary Hard to Push Down and Brakes feel like there's no Booster on my BJ8 Austin Healey 27
Got_All_4 TR2/3/3A Push switch for washer fluid pump Triumph 4
Lukens TR2/3/3A Anyone ever see a push/pull throttle mounted on the dash? Triumph 4
T timmers 67, push rods and lifters Austin Healey 4
Martinld123 Push button on top of new H6 carbs float bowl from Moss Austin Healey 3
Joe Reed MGB Clutch Slave push rod...past its prime MG 2
KVH TR4/4A Rocker Shaft Lubrication, and Issue with Push Rods Triumph 1
GTP1960 TR2/3/3A Clutch slave cylinder / push rod alignment Triumph 10

Similar threads

Top