ok just to check are you saying that if the lifters didnt have enough oil in them that that could be why the rods bent? and now that the engine has had oil pumped all through it, its now fine and just needs the new push rods to work? i wasnt there for the installation of the cam, lifters and rods but i doubt they were soaked in oil before being put in like some one mentioned. sooo hoping it could be somthing simple!
