Pushrod problem

[JeremyNH]

Well I upgraded springs and changed the cam like I was told to never new I needed the retainers for clearance so your saying if I change the retainers I’m not having no more bended pushrods ?

Vortec heads bind up at about .480 lift with springs at the stock height. To get around that you need to either have the heads machined for added clearance from the stock retainer to the valve seal or switch to a retainer that sits higher on the valve stem. For the no machining case you need LS1 springs, retainers (Comp 787-16), and locks (Comp 623-16). That combination is good to about 0.530 of lift. Those Comp retainers only work with beehive springs.

 

[Captainfab]

In reading these posts, I have to ask if the cam was installed correctly? If not there will be valve to piston interference, bent valves and bent pushrods.

 

[Alexisobs95]

In reading these posts, I have to ask if the cam was installed correctly? If not there will be valve to piston interference, bent valves and bent pushrods.

What do you mean by intalled correctly? I removed everything that was supposed to be taken out and also went ahead and replace the valve seals

 

[Alexisobs95]

Vortec heads bind up at about .480 lift with springs at the stock height. To get around that you need to either have the heads machined for added clearance from the stock retainer to the valve seal or switch to a retainer that sits higher on the valve stem. For the no machining case you need LS1 springs, retainers (Comp 787-16), and locks (Comp 623-16). That combination is good to about 0.530 of lift. Those Comp retainers only work with beehive springs.

So ima have to buy the springs again and retainers and that will fix why my pushrods bended ? Hopefully no valves were damaged

 

[Erik the Awful]

How much lift do you have? If you're under .480" lift, your setup *should* be fine and it's time to do some real diagnosis. If you're running more than .480" lift, you probably bent your pushrods and smashed your valve seals.

I have Vortec heads on a TBI block with a .515" lift Lunati cam running LS2/LS6 valvesprings with Comp Cams 787-16 retainers and umbrella seals instead of positive seals. I measured several times before assembling, and can easily run .530" lift.

 

[Alexisobs95]

How much lift do you have? If you're under .480" lift, your setup *should* be fine and it's time to do some real diagnosis. If you're running more than .480" lift, you probably bent your pushrods and smashed your valve seals.

I have Vortec heads on a TBI block with a .515" lift Lunati cam running LS2/LS6 valvesprings with Comp Cams 787-16 retainers and umbrella seals instead of positive seals. I measured several times before assembling, and can easily run .530" lift.

I have just about 480 lift

 

[Erik the Awful]

1.5 or 1.6 rockers?

With .480" lift you shouldn't have smashed anything, especially since it sounds like you weren't turning 6000 rpm when it happened. .480" is supposed to be a *safe* lift with stock heads, valves, rockers, and retainers.

 

[Alexisobs95]

How much lift do you have? If you're under .480" lift, your setup *should* be fine and it's time to do some real diagnosis. If you're running more than .480" lift, you probably bent your pushrods and smashed your valve seals.

I have Vortec heads on a TBI block with a .515" lift Lunati cam running LS2/LS6 valvesprings with Comp Cams 787-16 retainers and umbrella seals instead of positive seals. I measured several times before assembling, and can easily run .530" lift.

1.5 or 1.6 rockers?

With .480" lift you shouldn't have smashed anything, especially since it sounds like you weren't turning 6000 rpm when it happened. .480" is supposed to be a *safe* lift with stock heads, valves, rockers, and retainers.

original rockers only changed my springs and replaced the valve seals but don’t know why my pushrods bended

 

[JeremyNH]

Are you using stock pushrods? So called "upgraded" pushrods tend to be very marginally longer. Example the Comp 7808 "high energy" push rods are sold for Vortecs and will normally work but the stock Vortec length is 0.010" shorter, 7.205" vs 7.195". You're at the limit of what the Vortec heads can handle and 0.010" is enough to go from "should be OK" to "not OK".

 

[PlayingWithTBI]

Sorry that was another truck I had the one I own is a 97

Then you'll want a shorter length checker.