The valvetrain of your performance engine is one of the easily overlooked areas when it comes to making reliable power. It’s easy to become seduced by big-bore heads, valves, and accommodating an aggressive camshaft. Among the needed improvements between springs and retainers are the all-important load bearers — pushrods.

Typical OEM pushrods are economical but not the best performance solution.

Deceptively simple, these aluminum or steel rods see immense loads, and encounter them cyclicly — one of the most stressful conditions for any mechanical part. Engine Pro recognizes the need for replacement pushrods, and cater to the varying tiers of demand and budget for builders one both the large and small scale.

Introducing the first installment of a series of educational videos on the importance of pushrod technology is Dave Sutton of Engine Pro. Looking back on engine building schools of thought, weight-savings has always been the goal of builders to improve performance — but other considerations need attention.

Referencing the use of patented Spintron technology, Engine Pro has tested the dynamics of valvetrain operation and durability. Spintron technology is effectively a complete valvetrain dynamometer for collecting data without running the engine, instead an electric motor is used to spin the engine up to whatever rpm is desired. Sutton further elaborates on their new line of pushrods saying “It was found that weight is far less a factor, and overall stiffness was far more critical. Increased tube-diameter and wall thickness to promote valvetrain stability far outweighed any penalties weight imposed.”

The video employs the illustrative metaphor of a pole-vaulter. The pushrod can be thought of as a spring, and different materials and dimensions affect the spring-rate. A stiffer pushrod will resist the deflection of a sudden load and open the valve at a more linear rate, while a softer pushrod may yield at first and then snap straight.

While the weight of dynamic parts is an important factor when it comes to reducing the inertia of internal engine components, it can not be at the expense of rigidity. When high rpm operation is a goal, stiffness and strength are equally important. When we think of the concept of floating the valves due to low spring pressure, we rarely look to the pushrods.

Engine Pro’s 1010 line of pushrods makes improvements over the multi-piece construction of OEM-style parts by integrating the spin-welded ball ends into a full one-piece pushrod — eliminating the possibility of a weld failure. This pushrod is intended for applications employing a hydraulic or mild solid-lift camshaft and under 400 pounds of spring pressure. The swedged ends, final rockwell hardness of 58 HRC, and black oxide finish are features borrowed from Engine Pro’s racing line of products for a comparable cost to OEM replacement parts.

If you are upgrading your small or big block, don’t leave out pushrods. A broken tip can leave you stranded on the side of the road and is easily avoided. The 1010 line is just the first in the progression of Engine Pro’s pushrods and we will explore the other options for extreme applications. Look for more videos and applications from Engine Pro.