Thread: Broken studs/Push Rod--> From bad Gas?

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Well, I went to the Good Guys run in Colorado Springs, and my trip back resulted in problems. This may be too long of a story for some to read. Sorry.

I got some bad gas on the way out. At about a half tank, my engine died. Acted like vapor lock. But checking under the hood, I found I still had fuel pressure at the pressure guage, and fuel in the fuel bowl.

After a couple engine stalling incidents at side of road, we got it started, and it seemed to run fine. I pulled into the next gas station, sensing possible gas problems, and filled up. Car ran fine.

Hind site tells me I should have not run the tank too low, but we did run the tank down to about 1/8 tank, and 5 miles before the exit we gassed up at, we noticed white smoke coming out the exhaust. By the time we reached the exit, the engine was pinging and knocking pretty bad.

We gassed up, and drove around the town for a bit. The knocking quit, but I had a miss. After some thought, I decided (maybe a bad decision) to head on toward home (no place in the small town open to get plugs). It was a good solid miss. I presumed the detonation blew a plug. Seemed like one cylindar was not hitting. I figured that we would gas up often, at about a half tank, and make it back.

We made it back, but about 20 miles from home (after driving 400 miles with the miss) I heard a noise from the engine that was not good (something breaking), and it started missing worse. I limped home.

Last night, I found 2 fouled plugs. Replaced all plugs. Drained the gas (I did find water in it) and put fresh gas in. Started, and still missed like crazy, and I could tell when I cranked it over that something probably wasn't right in the valve train. I shut it off immediately.

I found: all rockers were off the push rods in 3,5, and 7. Two rocker studs were broken off (that was the 'something breaking, I presume). One push rod is broken, and down in the head. One push rod on another cylinder is angled between the lifter and stuck.

I'm curious what you folks think:

1. ) Do you think the severe pinging/knocking from bad gas could have caused this?

2. ) Would driving with the miss have caused it to get worse?

3. ) Do you recommend pulling the cam and checking it out?

4. ) Do you recon I should invest in a stud girdle? Having two studs break is interesting.