Poormans Pushrod Unbending LOL

[thedadio]

Hi as im so cheap im attempting a snapped cambelt repair (see other post). Anyway i have been blessed with just 6 Bent Pushrods. I wish to unbend these but i dont fancy using a lump hammer for fear of leaving them unusable. So i have decided to go the Vice route, but just need a little more advice if possible.

1. Will this sufice? http://www.screwfix.com/prods/49861/Han ... vel-Base-3 (Note Cheapness)

and if it will do i place the rods in vertically and pull on them manually, or do i place them in horizontally and use the the closing force of the vice to rid them of bendyness??

Thanks

p.s I would get more satisfaction reusing old parts rather than buying everything brand new, apart from timing belt, tensioner and water pump of course lol

[phoenix]

The vice costs more than a set of rods tho'. Should be able to pick up a set of rods and rockers for about that much.

[thedadio]

Where on earth can i get rods for less than £20?? The best price i got was £8 Each?? and rockers to go with that?? Other than from a scappy, i cant think of anywhere else? Any none of the scrappers in my area have any trannys in the slough area btw thanks

[valeterjack]

for the cost of a few rods just buy them it'll save you a lot of time and hassle in the long run and they are garaunteed to be straight

[williamraff]

Hi, With regard to straightening bent pushrods - I would just point out that the impact which caused the bend in the first place will have caused stretching/compressing and weakening forces to act on the steel making up the pushrod at an atomic level - so distorting the natural grain structure of the steel.

In short - although you may acheive what looks to be a straight pushrod via the vice/lathe method you will be installing a performance critical component back into the engine which now has an inherent flaw in its strength/mechanical capability.

I would urge you not to go down this route unless this is your own engine and are not looking to sell and that you are prepared to accept the consequences should the engine fail.

Sorry if this is not what you want to hear but fore warned is fore armed as they say

Kind regards,Will.

[MrMPuk]

You'll have no problems just straightening them but as already said they really aren't expensive. Never used a vice either, block of wood, hammer and knee normally does the trick.

[jay]

I have used the hammer and block of wood method a few times now and even thrashed a engine i did this for a good few thousand miles up and down the motorways and the engine is still going strong..i bent 5 pushrods back in to straightnes..well as straight as i could be bothered adjusted the valve clearance back to what looked ok,never used feeler gauges(I was doing the engine back together in the rain outside and thought i would set them back up when we had better weather but we all know that dont happen much..

[thedadio]

forgive me for sounding like a total plum, but how exactly does the block of wood, hammer and knee method work? Where do i place the pushrod, wood and knee and what do i hit?

[scotty281976]

bend down on the floor with one knee. place the bent pushrod on the floor. insert peice of wood in mouth and hit your knee your not kneeling on with hammer

[sideshow_bill]

Check for straightness by rolling them on a sheet of glass or flat steel.

[Gromit]

bend down on the floor with one knee. place the bent pushrod on the floor. insert peice of wood in mouth and hit your knee your not kneeling on with hammer

LOL

[thedadio]

But wouldnt that cause injury? LOL, no seriously im scared of damaging the top and bottom of the pushrod, can i really just lay them down on the floor and whack them with my sledge hammer?

[MinorMatt]

Straightened mine (roughly) with a lump hammer using a vice as an anvil...

Thrashed it ever since with no probs - BUT you do need to make sure the rocker clearances are set correctly

[MrMPuk]

But wouldnt that cause injury? LOL, no seriously im scared of damaging the top and bottom of the pushrod, can i really just lay them down on the floor and whack them with my sledge hammer?

You wont damage the tops or bottoms, they are hard as sh*t.

[thedadio]

Okay sounds good thanks ill give it a go, just had an idea !! ? Howabout i buy the crappy homebase hobby vice (£11.99) and a cheap blow torch, then install the rod in the vice horizontally, heat up the section of rod which needs bending back, and gradually tighten the vice whilst keeping the heat on... what ya recon? U think a blow torch will be up to it?? thanks