I just finished installing a set of 12mm ARP studs into my '02 HO at about 3AM this morning. Guess I was sleepy but I didn't get the #3 Exhaust pushrod seated into the lifter all the way and it bent the pushrod and the one next to it. It doesn't look like the valve, retainer, keepers or springs got damaged. I'm hoping just 2 pushrods will fix it and that the spring bottomed out before the piston got damaged. Anybody done this before?

This also caused me to look over the rocker arms real close and I noticed that about half of them were pitted on the cross-shafts. I can polish the grooves out with some emory cloth. Is this caused by poor lubrication or is there something in the valve train design that would cause this?

 

i did and when i started it up there was a loud popping so i shut it down. But there was no harm done and once it was fixed it ran like a champ.

 

Check the tappet tops with a mechanics mirror and make sure you didnt chip them off.

 

What he said.

 

Is it worth my time to polish the grooves out of the cross shafts so they move more freely or not worry about it? They aren't bad, just not super smooth.

 

The pushrod thing usually isn't to big of a deal. New rods are about 5 bucks.