Man in my thirty years of wrenching i have never seen a push rod look that way!!Thats known as candy caning ,,I' am sure the did not look like that when they were installed.By the way a .450" lift is no small cam!!Check comp cams recommendations for valve springs with that kind of lift!!!Ya know they rotate,for steel to twist like that something is binding them,,the rods in question, were the all intake or exhaust??Good luck....Jay
