possible pushrod damage? (pic 800*600)

howdy folks, good to have fordsix.com back

Ive noticed that expansion (?) on each end of all of my old pushrods. balls look good, both overall shape and hard chrome layer.

I´ve also noticed that the tubing is of smaller diameter than on my new TRW replacements.

Are the deformations at the end of each pushrod shank a sign of a defective design (shank too slim, not sufficiently hardened...), or is it just another proof of how badly neglected the engine was when I got it? Valvetips, however, were not mashed, and even the rockers could be reused if the lack of lubricant in the completely clogged shaft wouldn´t have caused severe binding. Just as additional information



engine, as usual, is my `69 250.

I would say that was from when they welded the ball on teh end of it. they rod will buckle before it deforms like that

It does look like poor manufacture... Maybe their minimum, minimum standard was reached that month?

I think this is wear/eventual failure. I have seen engines where the ball ends have split the tubes back so far that little chunks have broken off the vertical fractures that were formed. Notice that the fractures/splits in the picture show pieces of metal that will break off someday if the fractures keep advancing.

I've never seen new pushrods (including NOS) that look this way, but I've seen many old used ones that look like this or worse. I believe it is a byproduct of that little ball end getting pounded day in and day out on the end of a hollow tube, it's slowly splitting out the sides of the tube and pushing further in.

A good test would be to do a well measured comparison of the length of the old and new pushrods. This type of compression should be measurable.

thanks for the input. After checking, the old units are no shorter than the replacements.

so, whether the deformation is due to poor manufacturing processes or just everyday wear and tear, the pushrod tubing apparently seems to be the weakest link in the chain...

Isn't that a benefit of sorts, then? Being the "weak link"? I mean, if the pushrod bends you get less valve action. If it transmits the resistance of a sticky valve too well, won't the cam be history?

Scott has such experience that I'll happily accept his diagnosis. Yet another little quirk to look for when rebuilding a motor...

good point, but I´d prefer a reliable running engine over one that actually needs a rated breaking point to "protect" the more expensive parts.
I doubt (yet don´t know if) something like a`collapsible pushrod´ would be able to prevent the damage caused by a malfunctioning, pumped-up lifter.

the pushrod tubing deformed (if it did at all) over a peroid of time we don´t know. I think the engine had around 50k before I started to tear it down.