push rod question

Some how when I layed down the push rods to dry after I cleaned them, I lost one. Even though I layed them down in the order I removed them, I do not know which one I lost, so who knows which ones are out of order now. I do have an extra. My question is does it really matter what order I put them back in if I have what amounts to a new rocker assembly?
Thanks for your help.

Kevin

I forgot to ask, how do I know if a pushrod is good? What do I need to check?

Thanks,
Kevin

Straightness, if that's a word

Straight. Try rolling them. They're probably fine.

I'd tear my house down and find a lost push rod before going on. That's just me. I'd need to know it didn't fall somewhere that could prove to be disastrous. When I lost my jet centering tool I was certain it had rolled into the combustion chamber. The mind plays games. If you let it. I'm still waiting for my engine to explode.

IMO, no worries on getting the pushrods out of order, as long as you check the valve lash afterwards.

In addition to straightness, inspect the tube near where the ends are pressed into it, for any signs of damage (bulging or cracks); and also the wear surfaces of the ends for pitting or other extreme wear. Not likely you'll find a problem if the motor hasn't been raced, but it doesn't hurt to give them a look anyway.

Kevin !! What are you doing dude ?!!
Losing important parts.

Remember what we always discuss when doing a project?

Parts Boards !!

Non-mechanic guys like you and me need Parts Boards so we
don't lose parts and so we know how the parts we remove fit
back together. No matter how small the project. A square
of cardboard with 12 holes punched in it was all you needed.

I'm in the middle of a small project and I'm using a Parts Board. Now go find yer missing push rod!

best regards,

dale

The largest area of concern, when redoing a valve train, is the wear pattern between the rocker arm and the valve stem. Since you are replacing the rocker arm assembly you have eliminated that concern. Make sure you replace the push rod with one of equal length. You will find this out when you adjust the valves. If you can establish the proper gap you are OK.

I am pickng up my cylinder head tomorrow. It had to be built with new stock valves, springs, guides, and seats. I also ended up having to replace most of my rocker assembly with new parts when I rebuilt it. I guess what all of you are saying though is that since everything is pretty much new, it won't matter the order as long as the the push rods are straight with no visible damage to the ends, correct? I rolled them over on my table saw bed and I did not see any wobble.

Dale, as I cleaned each part I placed them on butcher paper underneath my car where I thought they were safe. I didn't number the rods at the time because I layed them carefully in order next to the rocker assembly, waiting for them to dry after I cleaned them. I had far less parts than the suspension rebuild and wasn't too worried about labeling them later. One thing I didn't mention is a chipmunk problem. This sounds like one of my student's excuses for now turning in their homework. I had a chipmunk in my garage going through everything. It started storing nuts inside the engine bay, and unrinated there also. I was pretty mad. I was in a hurry when I moved stuff out of the way to get to it. I moved the parts quickly, but thought I was ok. I am still looking for the pushrod. After three days of persistence, at least the chipmunk is no longer a problem.

Kevin, there are tears in my eyes I'm laughing so hard!

Only a teacher could come with such a wild excuse!!
The "dog ate my homework" is drab compared to yours!

Good luck with your project. I'm really sorry the low
pressure cylinder has turned into such a nightmare for you.
I know money is tight.

A chipmonk peed on my parts!!! A great one!!

regards,

dale