If you've read some of my recent posts, I'm resurrecting my Dodge Travco 413 for a road trip or sale (if I find a decent diesel motorhome). It's been sitting about a year and a half but I've started it periodically.
Well, when I started it recently, it ran like hell, was very hard to start and wouldn't idle below about 1200 rpm's and was making tappet noises. I replaced the plugs, coil, and fuel pump, thinking a failed pump was making the tapping. No luck. I couldn't pin down the tapping with a stethescope. Well I pulled the left valve cover today after noticing it was hotter than the right. Two intake pushrods are completely disconnected, lying off to the side and a third is cockeyed but apparantly wedged against the top of the lifter somehow because it looks as if it was making the noise because, not being in the lifter seat, it wasn't getting any oil thru the pushrod but it was still pushing on the rocker/valve. I think the valve cover may have been hot because the misplaced rod was not allowing the intake valve to seat and hot combustion gases were getting by into the valve cover
What the hell happened????? What would cause three intake pushrods to pop out of place, all on the same side of the engine? It looks as if the rocker shaft is still firmly attached (although the engine was too hot to do much investigating). I'm assuming the right side of the engine is ok, because otherwise I can't imagine how it would run at all with three cylinders on the left malfunctioning.
Anyone else ever have this happen? Any hypothesis? I've never heard of a failure like this before. I did have a pushrod slide off a rocker arm on a Ford 240 six once, but it had been tapping pretty bad for thousands of miles before it failed.

I'm going to unbolt the rocker shaft and put the pushrods back in position if they are all straight. It's possible the rocker on the one that wasn't getting oil might need to be replaced, but it might be ok.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

hydraulic lifters collapsed???

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Current money-pits:
96 Passat TDI
78 300D 100k miles(60miles/day)FOR SALE
91 Jetta Diesel 250k miles (80miles/day)
82 Toyota Diesel pickup 150k miles; out of service for a little while with a valve problem.
All on BelenBioDiesel
Past diesels:
01 Golf TDI
81 Isuzu P/U
85 Jetta
89 KW 425 cat
85 Pete 400 cat (currently still running the west coast with over 1.5 million miles)
81 KW 400 Cummins
77 Freightliner CO ???? Cummins (Buttercup)
57 180D lots of miles(gone but not forgotten)

That's what it sounds like to me. My old IH Scout did that to me, and it sat for long periods of time.

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'83 240D with 617.952 and 2.88
'01 VW Beetle TDI
'05 Jeep Liberty CRD
'89 Toyota 4x4, needs 2L-T
'78 280Z with L28ET - 12.86@110
Oil Burner Kartel #35

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b1...oD/bioclip.jpg

Would a totally collapsed lifter allow enough clearance for the pushrod to escape the cups that hold it at both ends?
The instructions for checking the valve clearance is to bleed one down a lifter by pushing on it and then check the clearance between valve and rocker for betwee, .060 and .210. I assumed this was with the lifter totally collapsed. That isn't enough space for a pushrod to escape.

If it was caused by collapsed lifters, are new ones required or can the old ones get back on their feet?

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

For an engine if that 'vintage' I'd bet yes!

I'd also bet that if you can get the lifters 'unstuck' or 'uncollapsed' that you can re-insert the pushrods, probably have to remove/refit the rocker, and it will run OK.

Try to pull the lifters out (at least the lifters that spit out thier pushrods) and have a look, perhaps free them up, before you try again. Maybe soak them in a carburetor cleaner, or other varnish dissolver.

Oh, try to crank the engine over without ignition for a bit, to let oil pressure build up in the lifters before you actually start the engine. Remove the coil wire and crank until the oil pressure light goes out, stop, put the coil wire back on and fire it up.

Best Regards,
Jim

5.9 transplant. Travco veggie.

The 5.9 would be the no-brainer replacement if it becomes necessary. The problem is the Travco is the 220 model (22') and neither my wife or I like the layout. We've had smaller motorhomes that were more roomy. So, while I have been told that the 220 gets 18mpg with the 5.9 Cummins, and the motor bolts directy into the 413 mounts, I'd prefer to put my conversion efforts into a different model.
By the way, there's still a puzzle with the engine. Why was it that only intake valve pushrods dislodged?

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

i dont think collapsed lifter would allow the pushrod to fall out. i would look for bent pushrods from stuck valves.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.