Would it be ok to use new pushrods with old lifters and rockers? Bone stock 1991 Chevrolet 4.3 Vin Z roller hydraulic cam with 191,152 miles. Zero drivability issues and zero idle issues only thing needed were new replacement valve stem seals due to engine burning oil at startups. But when putting everything back together and adjusting and rotating the push rod to achieve zero lash, I felt that the push rod would catch and throw off my adjustment. I found out that some of the pushrods had some sort of step at the rocker end of the rod that would catch the rocker oiling hole while being rotated and adjusted; meanwhile, the other pushrods are perfectly polished and round. I believe this bump, step, or emboss is wear (pictures included). So should it be ok If I use old lifters and old rockers with new replacement pushrods or New replacement rockers with New replacement pushrods and old lifters or what should I do?

 

Standard operating procedure is to never change only one part of a wearing set . As in , you don't change only the pushrod and use the same old rockers that have the same wear pattern/time as the pushrods your replacing . I know this isn't the answer you were looking to hear , but if the pushrods are worn enough to be catching , and we're talking a 200K mile engine , a proper rebuild really should be the plan here ....

PS , you may see this thread locked/disappear since a B body Caprice is not within the target scope of this forum , which is 1982/1992 F body cars (Camaro/Firebird) only .....

 

If the lifter end shows no real wear, then I would replace all the rods and all the rockers. They are cheap.

GD

 

OrangeBird, I have never owned an F body but the reason I joined this forum is that almost all gm V configured engines are the same and the B body used the same engines and carburetors that are found in F Body cars. I specially joined this Forum due to high activity and a great crowd. There is no thread that covers this issue and this not only covers the 4.3 v6 but most GM late 80's to early 90's hydraulic roller cam engines with floating adjustable rockers.

 

Thank you GeneralDisorder for the reply, so new rockers and pushrods and leave the lifters alone and no I saw no abnormal wear at the lifter end only on the rocker end. I understand rebuilding the whole engine would be the usual thought but this is a roller cam and I've been told they are quite a lot more forgiving than a flat tappet cam and there are absolutely no metal particles or shavings this wear must have happened gradually over time. In this case, I'd imagine that a flat tappet cam wouldn't have this kind of wear due to the lifter rotating right?

 

An excellent point about the HFT lifter rotation. The pushrod also rotates.
At the lifter end, the pushrod only goes up and down with the lifter.
Replace the pushrods and rocker arms like GD said.