That pushrod is junk. What is the condition of the ball on the adjusting screw of the rocker arm? It should be smooth and evenly rounded, not with a tit projecting from the center of the ball. Worn adjusters with a projection in the center cause the ball to bind in the pushrod cup and crack the edges of the cup, or create damage such as you have on that one. I've seen the shorter pushrod used temporarily by putting the adjusting screw lock nut on the underside of the rocker arm. That allows the adjuster to be turned down an extra 1/4 inch or so to compensate for the shorter pushrod. It's a shade tree fix, but it works.
Jerry
