Pushrod #2 ...

[Pathogen]

Okay, I was impresssed. Saturday I replaced "bent pushrod #2" and finished putting the car back together on Sunday. Did a beautiful 5 miles with no problems, even oil pressure seemed to be holding. Decided to take the car to work today and about 7 miles into the 10 mile trip, I started to hear that dang tapping again. Sure enough, sounds like I've bent "Pushrod #2" again.

I know it's not too much hp (laugh), but wtf?!

[RallyRed 98]

stock valvetrain?

[Pathogen]

All motor stuff ... stock ...

[RallyRed 98]

and pushrod 2 was bent when you replaced it?

[Pathogen]

It was slightly bent, so I replaced it with another stock one, took about 10 miles(ish) for the noise to return .. which leads me to believe it's bent again.

[AZ3.8Camaro]

Don't worry about the bent pushrod. Worry about whats bending them.
Stock cam? Timing chain was put back on correctly?

[Pathogen]

Timing chain never removed. Stock Cam.

Okay - new one -- water in oil! (UGH! - some one donate an LS1 to the project ... or a 3.8 - I'll take either. UGH!)

Car is making no noise other than the tap created by the pushrod. No smoke at all. I'm tearing the blower off tonight (given time) and setting stuff back to stock. May take the TB off to reset the gasket (I've had that blow out before).

All this started just after I had the car at Jiffy Lube for a coolant flush. UGH!

[WickEdSix9838]

i almost bet that the stock pushrods are too long...when i put mine back together w/the heads and cam i had to use a .080 shorter pushrod when it actually should have been longer than the stock one....i'd buy a pushrod length checker tool and then buy the right length from comp...

[AZ3.8Camaro]

Didn't you take apart the front cover?
A bad or improperly installed gasket can cause the water in the oil.
But... It sounds to me like you may have done some damage though. Water in the oil will kill your bearings and such.
Good luck, I would start disassembling, hate to say it.

[Pathogen]

To rebuild .. or not to rebuild ... that is the question. ;)

I'm gonna think about it tonight ... will check all my timing cover bolts before I leave work .. was certain all of them were tight.

My courage is up a little after going under the valve covers .. I guess the big question is how much can I fix without actually pulling the motor...

[AZ3.8Camaro]

You can fix everything except the bearings and the bottom end.

[Turbo V6 Camaro]

if you have to pull the motor this is how i did mine with the tranny on it (pulling and installing)
http://viper03af.50megs.com/custom.html

[Pathogen]

Thanks Viper. We're really trying to avoid removing the motor, that's a last resort.

I've read so much and studied so much on how to remove the motor I feel like I've already done it!

[Turbo V6 Camaro]

Originally posted by Pathogen:
Thanks Viper. We're really trying to avoid removing the motor, that's a last resort.

I've read so much and studied so much on how to remove the motor I feel like I've already done it!

so you lost oil PSI and that stared all this? when i looked at my stock cam is was starting to go it had a bad spot at the top of one of the lobes, the guy doing my motor said it didn't look like it was hurting any thing thou

do you have a bad lifter? that could bend a push rod in our hydric lifter froze up

i have my stock ones $20 plus shipping if you need them 87K on them no noise at all and $10 mor plus shiping for all my rods, i have pics if you need

[Pathogen]

I might take you up on that ... seriously -- do you accept paypal?