Lucky me. Started to crank my xj today and the battery was weak so I put a battery charger on it. Went to start it, turned over a few times and backfired through the intake (cause I had pumped the throttle a few times). Finally it cranks up. tap tap tap tap tap. WTF? pull valve cover find pushrod bent like and "S". Ordered 2 new ones be here tomorrow.

 

weird...it can happen that easy?

 

YUP!

1) That's why you check over everything more than just a couple of times(if you do it yourself)

2) That's another reason why mechanics have job security. Some people don't want to even get close to tedious work.

V/r,
-Gray

 

I do all my own work always have. Used to be a mechanic at a Ford dealership. Do all my work from home now. Thank goodness for air tools and a lift!

 

Had that happen twice to my CJ7 inline 6. I finally ended up replacing the lifters and a pushrod when it happened again a year later.

Mine always happened during the colder, winter months of course.

 

Replace it and the valve cover gasket today. All is good.

 

Wondering why starting the motor after charging the battery would have pushed back on a open valve hard enough to bend a push rod? Is there a Paul Harvey "rest of the story" here?

 

backfire

 

Motors backfire all the time when something (timing, etc.) is out of wack without bending a pushrod. If something solid (a piston) or cyl full of liquid pushed on an open valve, that would be different. Cyl full of liquid fuel vs air/fuel mix at start-up maybe?

 

Nice! Ford trucks can be a pain. I myself usually do my own work. Used to be in a diesel service shop as a welder and mechanic. Air tools definitely make a difference. A lift would too, but that's where you have it better than myself.

By the way, glad you got everything up and running.

V/r,
-Gray.