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Busted Nuts!

dolt

dolt

Well-Known Member
SE Quick Intall Tapered pushrods; adjusted for the fourth time and one of the adjustor nuts cracked and another split in half while tightening. This might explain why two pushrods have loosened up since installing this hardware; perhaps the nuts were defective from the factory. I didn't pay attention to the country of origin, so I don't know if they were made in the US or not. The metal appears to be a very grainy, low grade aluminim; looks like potmetal. Has anyone else used these pushrods and had any problems?

Question is does anyone have any suggestions for substitutions before I resign myself to the purchase of a new set of pushrods just to get new nuts?
 
Happened to me last month. You have to buy replacement push rod complete or do as I did. I got a good quality nut 1/2 across the flats and drilled it out to 21/64 and ran a 3/8 - 24 tap through it. I have put a few thousand miles on it and no problems. The original nuts are a hardened steel and I couldn't find any supplier that had nuts in a hardened steel with 1/2 flats.
 
TQuentin1 said:
If you have to replace the pushrod set, here is the set I used when I did my roller-chain conversion project:

V Thunder: Push-Rod Kit: "Fast Times" Twin Cam Push-Rod Kit

These are 24 tpi. So for the standard "B" lifters, it is 3 turns to 3+2 flats out from zero lash.

TQ
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Thanks guys. I don't think the original nuts are hardened steel; too light and grainy and I don't think hardened steel would break like that.

I am going to check McMaster Carr and call a couple of local dealers and indys to see if they have an extra laying around. If I have to buy another pushrod set, I will buy the same ones. The new tapered pieces are $136 from Zanotti's and are really good hardware; it's just the adjusters that are poor quality.

FYI, if you turn from 0 lash to full bottom on the 'B' lifters, you will get 8 turns, so 4 turns in puts the pushrod halfway into the lifter travel; I set mine at 3 turns in.

Thanks again, I will check local hardware but not optimistic about finding a suitable fastener.
 
dolt said:
FYI, if you turn from 0 lash to full bottom on the 'B' lifters, you will get 8 turns, so 4 turns in puts the pushrod halfway into the lifter travel; I set mine at 3 turns in.
Click to expand...

The travel of the lifter piston is about 0.250". A 24 tpi adjuster moves 1/24" per turn or 0.04167". So to adjust the pushrod from zero lash to half the piston travel (0.125") is 0.125/0.04167 = 2.9998 turns. 4 full turns would be 0.1667" down. Probably too much. But I have had it suggested that the pushrods be adjusted a bit more than half the piston travel (0.130-0.140"). So I adjust it 3 turns plus 1 or 2 flats (3.167 - 3.333 turns).

If the adjuster were 32 tpi, then 4 full turns would be 0.125".

TQ
 
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TQuentin1 said:
The travel of the lifter piston is about 0.250". A 24 tpi adjuster moves 1/24" per turn or 0.04167". So to adjust the pushrod from zero lash to half the piston travel (0.125") is 0.125/0.04167 = 2.9998 turns. 4 full turns would be 0.1667" down. Probably too much. But I have had it suggested that the pushrods be adjusted a bit more than half the piston travel (0.130-0.140"). So I adjust it 3 turns plus 1 or 2 flats (3.167 - 3.333 turns).

If the adjuster were 32 tpi, then 4 full turns would be 0.125". TQ
Click to expand...

I know the math and not disagreeing with you but 8 turns is 8 and 4 turns is halfway and,I agree, probably too much. That's why 3 turns still works for me. I am still looking to replace those busted nuts. Found some "flanged" nuts at MC that look like a fix; more commonly referred to as jam nuts.
 
"Thanks guys. I don't think the original nuts are hardened steel; too light and grainy and I don't think hardened steel would break like that."

Hardened nuts would break quiker then mild. Mild would bend, where as hardened are brittle and break easier.
 
speedyron said:
"Thanks guys. I don't think the original nuts are hardened steel; too light and grainy and I don't think hardened steel would break like that."

Hardened nuts would break quiker then mild. Mild would bend, where as hardened are brittle and break easier.
Click to expand...

Understood. I really don't know what the material is but, like I said, it doesn't look like hardened steel. It is very porous and grainy; looks like potmetal, not hardened steel. Could be hardened stee, just very poor quality.
 
kemo said:
I tried cutting it with a file and the file wouldn't scratch it so go figure.
Click to expand...

I think I just got a couple of bad ones. Still haven't found a suitable replacement; looks like I will be buying some pushrods. There is a PN for a single pushrod instead of the kit which includes the pushrods, tubes, clips and o-rings; maybe I can order two pushrods, we shall see.
 
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