Been there, done that. Use a telescopic magnet and pull it out. I used the same method to replace a lifter, too. 
Pushrod lost how to retrieve?
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,894
Likes: 3
From: Reading PA.
Pushrod lost how to retrieve?
My friend has a 62 Vette and ran into some problems. First off 2 rocker arm studs broke but luckily he got the broken pieces of the stud laying in the cyl. head. Next he went to pull out 2 of the pushrods and 1 slipped out of his hand and went back down inside the motor. What are the chances of the pushrod laying in the lifter valley and not down in the pan? Instead of pulling the intake off and the distributor out would it be better to take the front pulley off remove the balancer and timing chain cover and go in through the holes in the front of the block? (straight shot at it)? HOW WOULD YOU GUYS DO IT? THANKS FOR ANY HELP
Pipe I know this is the C4 section but it's basic motor stuff right. THANKS AGAIN
Pipe I know this is the C4 section but it's basic motor stuff right. THANKS AGAIN
Racer
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 408
Likes: 0
From: Elkton MD
Push rod retrieve
Unless someone has modified the timing cover and oil pan, the pan has to come off in order to get the timing cover off. Two of the bolts are 'inside-out'. Not a good way to access the lifter valley.
You may be able to snake a magnetic tool on a flexible shaft through the push rod hole and pull it out if you're lucky enough to get the end of the push rod. I've done it and found the push rod broken - I didn't drop it, it went in by itself. It required hours of 'fishing' and I'd have been better off pulling the distributor and intake.
Don't worry about the push rod getting into the pan. It will be lying in the 'valley' under the intake and is likely bent or broken.
Good luck and have patience.
You may be able to snake a magnetic tool on a flexible shaft through the push rod hole and pull it out if you're lucky enough to get the end of the push rod. I've done it and found the push rod broken - I didn't drop it, it went in by itself. It required hours of 'fishing' and I'd have been better off pulling the distributor and intake.
Don't worry about the push rod getting into the pan. It will be lying in the 'valley' under the intake and is likely bent or broken.
Good luck and have patience.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 755
Likes: 32
From: Roswell Georgia
Been There, Done That, Maybe You Could Send Me a T-Shirt If This Works
Odds are that the pushrod is still in the lifter valley unless your friend had the extremely unfortunate luck of dropping #8 exhaust pushrod down the oil drainback hole at the back of the lifter valley.
Didn't say which pushrod slipped out, but here's my method for retrieving small metallic parts out of the lifter valley. First remove the oil fill tube from the front of the intake manifold. Use a magnetic pick-up inserted through that opening to retrieve the pushrod.
If the pushrod is too far back for this method to work, remove the distributor and road draft tube for better access. (I've never seen a pushrod extracted through the road draft tube opening, but you can use it to move the pushrod to a more accessible opening.)
If neither method works, or if you friend has a late model intake instead of the period correct manifold, just remove the intake manifold to retrieve the errant pushrod.
Hope this helps!
Didn't say which pushrod slipped out, but here's my method for retrieving small metallic parts out of the lifter valley. First remove the oil fill tube from the front of the intake manifold. Use a magnetic pick-up inserted through that opening to retrieve the pushrod.
If the pushrod is too far back for this method to work, remove the distributor and road draft tube for better access. (I've never seen a pushrod extracted through the road draft tube opening, but you can use it to move the pushrod to a more accessible opening.)
If neither method works, or if you friend has a late model intake instead of the period correct manifold, just remove the intake manifold to retrieve the errant pushrod.
Hope this helps!
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,614
Likes: 163
From: Davis CA
You should be able to fish it out with a flexible magnet tool. At least I was able to do that on my iron head 86. I was even able to place lifters back in their proper position with the same tool.
That said, I agree that there is very little chance of it causing a problem if left loose in that valley. If it gets in the way of a moving lifter or pushrod, it will just knock it out of the way.
Don't sweat it.
That said, I agree that there is very little chance of it causing a problem if left loose in that valley. If it gets in the way of a moving lifter or pushrod, it will just knock it out of the way.
Don't sweat it.
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,210
Likes: 1
From: fighter pilots make movies, bomber pilots make history
I have a 61 that I have run for 40 years and 180,000 miles... I have broken many rocker arm studs, push rods, etc. thru the years.
Do not worry about it... I have probably have three or four pieces of push rods down in the engine. They will not block or damage anything.
If he dropped a complete (not broken) push rod down chances are the cam kicked the lifter out and the lifter is laying in the valley and needs to go back in the hole. Inspect to see if the lifter is still in the hole ?
If the lifter is kicked out of the hole AND it was run a long period that way the lifter body may be damaged and you need to remove the intake and inspect the lifter body for damage.
Joe
Do not worry about it... I have probably have three or four pieces of push rods down in the engine. They will not block or damage anything.
If he dropped a complete (not broken) push rod down chances are the cam kicked the lifter out and the lifter is laying in the valley and needs to go back in the hole. Inspect to see if the lifter is still in the hole ?
If the lifter is kicked out of the hole AND it was run a long period that way the lifter body may be damaged and you need to remove the intake and inspect the lifter body for damage.
Joe
Last edited by devildog; Jul 11, 2008 at 11:19 PM.
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,816
Likes: 0
From: :45 minutes from everywhere / E-I-E-I-O
I dropped a distributor holddown bolt once into the distributor hole.
I could see it down there plain as day. Laughing at me to I think.
I got a coathanger, folded it in half, put on a wad of RTV, and set it in the hole as gently as I could next to the bolt. Then said a few prayers about how much grease was not on the bolt, and hit the sack.
Next morning, I pulled the hanger, and the bolt.
I could see it down there plain as day. Laughing at me to I think. I got a coathanger, folded it in half, put on a wad of RTV, and set it in the hole as gently as I could next to the bolt. Then said a few prayers about how much grease was not on the bolt, and hit the sack.
Next morning, I pulled the hanger, and the bolt.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 81,241
Likes: 3,063
From: altered state
St. Jude Donor '05
If youre lucky it landed in the middle. Otherwise it will make a heck of a racket clanging on the other lifters. Just pull the intake, its not that bad.
Last edited by cv67; Jul 12, 2008 at 11:10 AM. Reason: spelling
Race Director
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 12,772
Likes: 17
From: Indianapolis IN
IMO leaving it in is not an option, knowing it is in there and not getting it out will make you crazy with worry
, and could leave you stranded some day in the future.
Half right,,, is ALL wrong
, and could leave you stranded some day in the future. Half right,,, is ALL wrong
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,894
Likes: 3
From: Reading PA.
THANKS for all the reply's everyone. My friend started allready and pulled off the intake before we could see if it could be fished out with a magnet. He found the bent pushrod laying in the valley and also the lifter was kicked out of it's bore so I guess it was a good idea to pull the intake anyway. Wonder what caused all this trouble? The car has a solid lifter cam in it and not sure what rockers or anything else. Maybe the rocker nuts went out of adjustment and everything else got sloppy bent the pushrod and broke the stud also? Maybe he should get a set of poly lock nuts for the rockers? Pipe
