The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Pushrod corrosion

Greetings,

How important is the condition of pushrods in my 1959 235ci providing they are straight? This week I'm installing new rocker arms and rocker arm shafts. I pulled out the pushrods to clean them and found some rust and pitting. After soaking them in a rust remover and rubbing them down with some 0000 steel wool the rust is gone and I'm left with pitting but they appear to straight. My mechanic friend barked at me explaining any abrasive is a no-no and if I'm smart I will promptly buy a dozen sparkly clean new pushrods at $20 each. (implying some kind of delicate balance/ or weight issue with rubbing off maybe .000002 milligrams of pushrod material.

FYI these are the 11 & 1/4 inch pushrods...proving difficult to locate....as is much of the valve train at reasonable prices.

Any opinions?

Thanks!

Napa can get them for about $7 apiece. For that price, I would replace them with new.

Check the ends for wear & gauling. If that is good & they are straight I would use them. No need to balance them unless its a high RPM race engine.

Great advice! Thanks. I just called Napa and they can get the pushrods for my in less than a week at $8.70 a piece plus $10 in shipping. SWEET! But I confirmed the size at 11 & 1/4 inch and was informed they are 11.474 inches. Here is my dilemma: I "thought" I had an original 235 in my 1953 5 window 3600. After checking the casting numbers my 235 block turns out to be cast in 1959 ( CON3 L 19 ) While the casting number on the head is 1956 ( F 14 G) and the guy at napa had no listing for an 11 & 1/4 inch push rod.

Hate to wait a week and find I have the wrong pushrods. Will the difference in length be important?

Thanks ( again) in advance.

The proper length is very important. Your mechanic may have a valid point for the more modern, high RPM engine with hollow push rods. I doubt that some minor pitting on a solid push rod in a low RPM, virtually a tractor motor is going to matter.
But then I have a romantic attachment with reusing old parts.
Carl

In fact the $20 a piece rods are NOT modern. That is just what they cost to buyer locally.

What's the serial number on the engine, and is it a hydraulic or solid lifter cam? If I'm not mistaken, there is a difference depending on what cam is in the engine.

My thoughts are as follows. First, if the pitting isn't severe it's probably OK to use them as they are. Second, if you choose to buy the new ones from NAPA, the extra length may or may not be an issue. Those of you with a ton of engine building experience correct me if I'm wrong but a pushrod .224" longer won't change the geometry of the pushrod/rocker assembly will it? A straight line drawn from the lifter cup to the rocker seat would still be straight even with the longer pushrod wouldn't it? On my '38 216 I have tons of adjustability at the rocker and could easily take a pushrod 1/8" longer. If the same holds true with the OP's 235 would it not be a case of just put them in and go? If I'm clear out in left field tell me so and I'll go to the corner & twiddle my thumbs but it makes sense to me.

If we're building a racing engine that's going to produce three times the designed horsepower and maybe last half a dozen passes down the drag strip or 500 laps around a dirt track before it hand grenades, it's a little different than doing a restoration of a stovebolt that might get driven a thousand miles a year or less. Comp Cams actually has "cut-to-length" tubular pushrods with a wide assortment of ends that are pressed into place if a specific length is really needed, but I've never bothered to do that on a street engine.
Jerry

These engines have very little lift and spring pressure compared to any modern engine that still uses pushrods, so really no need to worry about weakening the pushrods with a little scrubbing or rust pits.

RockAuto.com has them aswell. At least for a 58' 235 they do.