Shout out to a class A forum member

[hunt2elk]

Had a thread going about problems with soft fuel pump pushrods. Out of the blue beanhead offers to send me an original. Great I say and he sends it out immediately. Problem is the schiester doesn't even give me his name, much less his mailing address so I can send a thank you card and at least some $ for shipping. There sure are some awesome members on this site. Anyway, thanks a bunch beanhead and let me know if I can ever repay the favor.

 

[Richard Cranium]

You mean I'm not the only Class A forum member?

 

[hunt2elk]

You mean I'm not the only Class A forum member?

Yeah, I have to say you are high up on my list as well .

 

[Darter6]

Time to pay it forward.
Note, Yesterday the daughter calls Mom, "I was at the grocery store check out and the lady ahead stops and pays my grocery bill. I don't know her". The lady said "Just wanted to do something for someone else" . And walked away. My daughter didn't know what to say other than "thank you ".
As rotten as this 'ol world is now-a-days, there are still good people left. P.S. Lots of good people on the Bodies sites !

 

[beanhead]

No problem!

 

[kiwigtx]

Nice one @beanhead

 

[moparedtn]

What was the conclusion to all that stuff, anyways? Is there an actual replacement rod being made
that doesn't fail (get short) quickly? I've had a couple Comps and a Howards and all those did, quickly.

 

[Cranky]

I'm kind of wondering if they could be hardened by somebody that has a torch and some oil and knows what they're doing? During my machinist apprenticeship we were taught how to harden simple things like a punch. Don't remember what the base material was but it worked.

 

[Darter6]

Cranky , Like you I have thought about that too. Heating and oil quenching.
Off to You Tube I go !

 

[toolmanmike]

Catch 22. I would rather have the pushrod wear away than the cam lobe. how bout a roller? It would have to be a small one to fit through the hole.

 

[hunt2elk]

I'm kind of wondering if they could be hardened by somebody that has a torch and some oil and knows what they're doing? During my machinist apprenticeship we were taught how to harden simple things like a punch. Don't remember what the base material was but it worked.

I still have 2 of these supposedly nos pushrods. Been wondering what to do with them. Probably should be chucked in the scrap pile but I sure would like to know why they are not hardened. Or how to test that.

 

[Demonic]

Just spend a few grand on a Rockwell tester....


https://www.mscdirect.com/browse/tn...ers/Bench-Top-Hardness-Testers?navid=12107995

 

[Cranky]

I still have 2 of these supposedly nos pushrods. Been wondering what to do with them. Probably should be chucked in the scrap pile but I sure would like to know why they are not hardened. Or how to test that.

I took a fine half round file (a good Nicholson...not some China made crap) to a used original and dragged it across the center with the half round side and there's no drag on the file. If you lay into it, yeah, there will be some but not much and it marred the file. Then I took the flat side to the edge of the tip and it dragged a line in the file! That's a good sign it's hard. How much does a 'new' one cost? I'd like to do the file test on one of them just to see and if I can feel more drag than the original, then try to hardened it would be my next thing. If there's not much carbon in the steel, then getting it as hard as needed might not happen.

Maybe someone could take one to work and test it. Used to have access to that kind of stuff before I retired.

 

[Hey-O]

You mean I'm not the only Class A forum member?

No, right next to me!! we both have it, delusions of grandeur!!

 

[CudaChick1968]

I took a fine half round file (a good Nicholson...not some China made crap) to a used original and dragged it across the center with the half round side and there's no drag on the file. If you lay into it, yeah, there will be some but not much and it marred the file. Then I took the flat side to the edge of the tip and it dragged a line in the file! That's a good sign it's hard. How much does a 'new' one cost? I'd like to do the file test on one of them just to see and if I can feel more drag than the original, then try to hardened it would be my next thing. If there's not much carbon in the steel, then getting it as hard as needed might not happen.

Maybe someone could take one to work and test it. Used to have access to that kind of stuff before I retired.

I don't have a rod to test but am happy to report the oxy/acetylene bottles just got filled up again after wayyyyyy too long.

Way to go @beanhead! You make us all proud.

 

[Cranky]

I don't have a rod to test but am happy to report the oxy/acetylene bottles just got filled up again after wayyyyyy too long.

Way to go @beanhead! You make us all proud.

I have very little oxy/acetylene in my bottles and they are so out of date that probably no one will want to even bother testing. They are the smaller 80 and 60 cubic foot bottle iirc and bought them used in the mid 70's. Always meant to get a larger oxy bottle and did get one recently but the guy that gave it to me came back for it. Seems like that's happening more and more these days lol. Anyways, have a couple bottles of Argon/Co2 mix and hear that the valve can be changed and used for oxy....and figured I'd try that once one of them are empty.....guess it's time to get to work on the car and use it up!

 

[Budnicks]

Great deal

 

[kiwigtx]

Way to go @beanhead! You make us all proud.

Exactly.

Another shining example of a 'Random act of kindness', that was initiated by a caring member without solicitation of praise.

 

[Geetex]

Does anyone know what the factory dictated for a Rockwell reading on the fuel pump push rods?

As for heat treating them, first you'd have to know the material they are made from. The material will dictate the heat treat temperature, the time to maintain that temperature, what quench solution to use, rate of cooling, as well as other details to ensure a correct and uniform heat treat. Then you'd need to know if there's any other processes that need to take place like tempering, stress relieving, annealing, etc. The piece may distort during the heat treat process so you will need to do a final grind on the part, post heat treat. On a piece that was already to size before you started, doing a final grind to straighten it back up will probably put it out of spec.

Does anyone know what material the factory dictated for the push rods?

A big thumbs up to beanhead, what a great gesture.