Need Pushrods for Pre-71 engine

[69MGC]

Hi guys

Anybody have a set of pushrods that will fit a pre 71 B engine? I need a set badly for me engine rebuild.

Let me know ASAP if you have some.

Thanks
Kevin

 

[vping]

I might have a used set?

 

[tony barnhill]

But, do you want to put used in a new engine?

 

[Hap Waldrop]

Are you talking about the short pusrod, long lifter combo? I'm not real crazy about this set as you can't get good hardened long lifter, that why alot fo folks switch on the early engines to the short lifter, long pushrod set up, becaue you can source god hardend lifter to be use with anew camshaft, I like the APT lifter, either CF-10, or the CF-4 with a oil dran hole. I have enbgie I Have 1967 B engine I bought that some backyard guys had freshen up, it had never been fired, i took it back aprt to build a hot rod for my car out of it had new long lifter, and short pusrods, and I won'tr be using them, if you're interested give me a call I'll sell them for 50 cents on the dollar of Moss pricing, because I won't ever use them.

 

[69MGC]

I'm rebuilding a 69 engine with low compression pistons, I don't want a hot rod just something that will tour me around town with no problems.

I can't find the pre-72 rods on Moss any longer they just carry the later ones.

Hap, let me pass your comments on to my friend whose rebuilding the engine for me and I'll get back to you about purchasing yours.

How much do you want for your set?

kev

 

[Hap Waldrop]

I don't know, let me look them up and see what they sell for, I'd take 50 cent on the dollar for them. Here's my call though, if it were me I get a set of the APT chilled iron short lifters, and a set of new long pushrods, it has nothing to with performance, but more along the same line as the same hardness level the factory origianlly supplied, this will help to not destroy your camshaft. These days alot of parts are made in lord know where third world country, and the quality of standard lifters is a itme that is not up to snuff of the old OEM lifter, you want a hardness level of 57-60 Rockwell C, and alot fo the standard lifter are lucky to get to 50C, every engine I build no maatter if if stock or full race gets APT's chilled iron lifters.

 

[69MGC]

Okay Hap, let me know. Send me a PM if you can.

kev

 

[69MGC]

Oops I made a mistake. What I need are Piston Rods for a pre-72 engine. Do you have a set of those?

 

[Hap Waldrop]

Warning: really long post

Kev, the 18G series motors ran the short pushrod, long lifter set up, I can't express enough how the aftermarket lifters made for these engine are not up to the hardness level. Lifter offerings with these engine even in the short lifter is mess to say the least, All factory cams were hardened, any aftemerket cam manufactuer worth their weight in salt is also hardending their cams, either salt bath nitriting or Ion nitriting. Lifters require the same level of hardending, any decnet cam manufactuer, Isky, Elgin, APT, Knet, etc. will tell you with a billet or nitrited hardend camshaft ot use a lifter that is 57+ Rockwell C. The problem to day is the standard lifters offered by the major vendors are made in third world coutries to substandard specs, I've seen standard lifters with Rockwell C ratngs of 45 (that is unexcusable), it is an insult to our hobby that vendors are even offering such products, but you can't hold them accountable because most of these guys are just parts people, and don't build engine and trust their suppilers are giving them the good quality parts, even though many of us have made them aware of this, not like they will make good of the inferior iternal engine products,, when it does fail, they will just tell you, you did something wrong when building the engine, blame it on lower zinc levels in todays oil, etc., this is truely a shame, but this is what happens when part supliers are not engine builders. many offering have been made in the short lifters that meet or exceed the 57C level, Mini Spares/Mini Mania lightened lifters (Midget and MGB short lifters are one in the same), APT CF-10 and CF-4 lifter, the Isky style made in Europe and offered by a few US vendors all meet or exceed the hardness level. Now the problem with the long lifter short pushrod was it had bad geomentry, that why the facotry changed this, and the short lifter long pusrod combo is interchangeable in these early motors without any other parts or mods, so that why we professional engine builder all use the later set on the earlier engines. even if this was a acceptable set up the problem still arrises that no manufactuer is offering a good quality long lifter.

Read the last paragraph in Doug Jackson's tech article about this,
www.mgamgb.com/tech/mgb26.htm and heed his warning if you don't won't to listen to me listen to Doug. I'm sure there will be some cat who may have built one or two MGB engines in his life that tells you we're all full of it, then you're left with who to beleive, just remember I don't sell any of these parts new, so I have no financial gain here.

I'm going to bow out of selling you my short pushrods, buy Vince's, I don't want my name associated to any future failures. Thas what I should have done to start with, but the salesman in me popped out.


I'll close in saying this, Kev, don't take what I'm saying here to be directed at you, it's not, it's a overview of many folks I talked to. I get 1 or 2 dozen calls a week from folks building their own engines, some more savey than others, asking for advice. The one thing I've found out over the years about folks asking advice is most of the time they are already in the midst of whatever they are doing, and advice is really not what they are looking for, they are looking for conformation, they want you to tell them they have done is the right thing. They are not real keen on your advice if it varies from what they have done, and commonly want to argue with you if your advice varies from their actions, the older I get the more often I am to say, "well ok, good luck with that", rather than persuade them to take my advice. Don't get me wrong, I don't know everything, far from it, thats what I love about this, is you constantly learn, there is no shame in saying "I don't know", but folks do struggle with this concept When I'm passionate about my advice, is generally because I have either made the same mistake, or a person I know has made the same mistake, if I'm uncertain, then go with the 'I don't know" it's the smartest answer I can give alot of the times . I see alot folks on forums answering questions they they don't actually know, sure they might fool the person asking, but be assured others will siliently know they have BSed your way into a answer to make themselves look smart. Kev, all I can tell you is I beleive in harden lifters and and the short ones are the only ones I know that you can source in good quality, and I have personally seen the results of sub par lifters and the damage they can do, if someone else got lucky, then good for them, they need to buy a lottery ticket

Kev, good luck with your engine.

 

[tony barnhill]

Yep, Hap, when I redo an engine, I always switch that setup out to the later one, though I usually use a stock 18V setup....wonder if just doing that gives any boost in performance?

 

[Hap Waldrop]

No, not really, maybe a little better valve geomentry, or so I've been told, for me it about the lifter quality. I want three things for sure when I build a engine, no matter if it's stage 1 or full race.

1. Good chilled iron lifter
2.Billet or a known nitrited reground cam (this is why I buy cams from David Anton at APT, I know him and can trust him)
3.Vernier adjustable timing gear sets, I fiquire why spend the good money on the other two not be able to set the cam timing at the desired setting, and off set key ways, and multi keyway timing set are always a compromise, and on my end cost the customer more labor, so the vernier is the best buy for them and no compromise.

 

[vping]

I may want to hook up wth you too Hap. I'm building an earlier block ('68 I think) with a later ('74) head. I want to make sure I have the correct set up and good quality. PM me with my options when you have a chance.
Vince

 

[MGZT260]

Hap and Tony, read his last post - he wants connecting rods not lifter rods as you might have first presumed. (and I did from thread title) Moss does show rebuilt rods for two pre-71 engine series with 5 bearing mains (which a '69 should be, if I'm not mistaken. What they don't show is half the rods for a 3-main engine. No, they're not cheap, but I don't usually replace con rods unless they are cracked, stretched, otherwise broken (severity of a spun bearing) They can be rebuilt, as evidenced by what is offered. Small end is usually not the problem, but teh big end can be spray-filled and turned down to properly hold mains (if that's the reason for needing new)

Another option, tons of these engines exist, and even nearby everyone if you look; you might be able to scarf up a complete engine for less than the price of a set of rebuilt rods. Downside is it may come with a body and rest of running gear still attached. :wink:

 

[69MGC]

Thank you all for your advice and I'm sorry I miss labeled the post. I'm a novice rebuilder.

Kev

 

[bob67bgt]

I will dig in my pile of B parts and let you know. Always have the rods checked and resized as needed.

 

[tony barnhill]

I've got rods - but I would want to know a couple of things about your pistons before I recommend which rods - don't think I really like the ones that were in your car originally.

 

[vping]

The straight connecting rods are better than the offset correct?

 

[tony barnhill]

Yep - IMHO, the straight pin-type rods are the best.

 

[bob67bgt]

I have never had a problem with the side split rods. For a street engine they are fine. Has enyone reading this had a problem with them? I actually drive my MGB's....Hard. Most of them are side split rod cars. 3 main and early 5 main cars! I am guessing he has pistons already and needs rods that take the circlips. Did 70 or 71 run straight rods with circlips? Bob PM sent

 

[AlanT]

18GK engines have 'straight' rods with floating wrist (gudgeon) pins.

AT