Bent Push Rod!!!!
 

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.:D

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. :cursing:

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.