Got up this morning and went for a drive. About 2 miles into the day and broke a push rod. I had to drive it another 10 miles to get to my tools as I let a friend use them to change his intake. Got lucky it was an intake vale not exhaust. Just unpluged the spark plug and when on. I did take it very easy on my way though as to not mess anything else up. Well I changed the pushrod but have had time to get into the oilpan to fetch the rest of it. I was sure to mount a huge magnet to the bottom of the pan to try to hold the peice down. Never found out what cause it to break. I guess I will know soon enough.

 

Wow, that sucks. I have never broken a push rod before... Just bent them horribly... Are you sure that peices of it ended up down in the pan? I'd get that magnet on there ASAP (like yesterday) to make sure that they don't float around and do some more damage...

I'd be concerned with what caused the push rod to bend...

 

Well the magnet is on.
Deffinatly concerned. Another broke this morning in the same spot. It appears as if the rod is rubbing the guide for it with the 1.6 rockers. I put the 1.5 back in its place to see if that is it. Otherwise then my valve is somehow sticking while it sets overnight. If that is the case then I'll be picking up a set of the cpi heads and doing a little extra work to the for clearance needs that will be a future must. Probably put in bigger valves while I am at it.

 

well did itagain this morning
Pulled the intake and found all the broken peices and a lifter with a stuck plunger.
Replaced and used the 1.6 rocker so we will see what happens now.

 

What work did you do to it when you put on the higher ratio rockers? I'd like to know what the heck is breaking the push rods... Are they wearing on something?

**EDIT - removed a stupid question...

 

Good deal on a good day.
Problem was with the lifter. Guess it was just not willing to adapt to the 1.6's Plunger jambed up on top. Couldn't make it move for nothing. Put a new one in for 14 bucks plus gaskets and all is well again. Changed it out last night and put the 1.6 back on. Been fine every since. Now I just have to get rid of the new oil with all the intake dirt in it. Know a good fluss other than seafoam. The dirt particles are stopping up the oil ports to a few of the lifters. Gives me a light rattle for a whole minute. Plus it is making my oil gauge act as a tech. More gas more pressure. I just don't need 80lbs at 3000 rpms. So yea, ditch the old oil and get that magnet off then I'll be all set.

What makes me a little upset about the whole deal is that the one time I need to pull the intake my air tools are 100 miles away. For that I still didn't get to port the little thing. Did clear a lot of stuff out of the egr port thuogh. Talk about a dust cloud.

EDIT** ADDED THIS.
The push rods are not rubbing the guides with the 1.6's as I feared. I went in from the top and bottom of the heads with a gauge and they got room. Not much but enough to be fine with a great deal of lift.