Ok, which side of the pushrod goes into the heads and which side stays up at the rocker? And why do they need to go back into the same slots they cam out of? Would it matter if they didn't?

 

The ends are the same.

It's always best to put them back in exactly where they came from, if you're re-using existing parts. That way, if any of the parts (push rods, rockers, or lifters) was worn slightly differently from others to match itself to one of the other parts, those "matched" parts would be back together again. But it usually doesn't make much difference how they go back.

 

You know...thats what I thought, but for some reason my Haynes manual was telling me otherwise. Anyway, thanks alot for the clarification.

 

i'm sure it's "better" to put everything back where it came from, but most things like push rods i never do. never had a problem, yet.

 

I think you mis-read the Haynes book; they say to put everything back as it came out. In fact, they even show using an upside-down cardboard box to label the pushrods... poke holes thru the cardboard box bottom, label each hole with cylinder # and valve type (1Exhaust, 1Iintake, 2E, 2I, etc)...

 

Logic would suggest that the more worn the engine is, (or more specifically, the parts in question) the more important it is to put them back exactly as they were. Of course, logic aside, I think that if the parts are worn enough for it to make that much of a difference where you put them back, then you should be buying new parts anyway.