I spent Friday afternoon putting the cylinder head back on the work van after having it serviced etc.
Now, keep in mind, i used to be a mechanic back in the 80's and have a good idea of what i'm doing.
Pushrods in, oil the tips, rockers in place, oil the fulcrums and fit and tighten up. Manifolds back on, LPG connected up again and fill all the vital fliuds.
Double check everything and spin her over to hear a almighty "clank/clack" noise.
The engine hadn't fired up, so just turn key off and look at engine for 10 minutes.
Bottom lip by now is hanging a long way down.....
Its 5pm, so off for a drink and suss it on Sat.
First thing, rocker cover off and check rockers/pushrods. Number 4 inlet has bent the crap out of the pushrod. i robbed a pushrod from another to get number 4 working and screwed in a compression gauge and yep, number 4 is down a tad, but minor.
140 to 145 in every pot, but a 135 in number 4.
Strip the whole thing down again to a short block.
Turn head on its side, and pour fuel into every port...... no leaks. Jam some compressed air around valves.... no leaks.
Repeat other side, all good.
Try to buy a pushrod in Tin Can.... no hope...
Take old pushrod and very gently panel beat back into shape, testing it by rolling it along a glass window of the house.
After 15 minutes, test against a straight edge of a steel ruler and double check against the glass. I would never normally straighten a pushrod, but the ol 4.1L crossflow isn't a big HP unit, so i reckon i'm safe.... i hope.
Assemble parts back to a complete engine and start up..... perfect.
Drove around all day sunday and towed the trailer today with the ride-on... all good.
Just goes to show, no matter how good i was when i was mechanic, i'm a dufus these days.
It turned out, every pushrod was sitting in a lifter, except one i had sittin on the block casting.
I don't know if i put it there, bumped and knocked it there or if an evil force from outta space did it, but i still feel like a dickhead for it.
