[prkaye]

OK, I'm 99% sure that I'm being ridiculously paranoid, but looking for someone knowledgeable to tell me that and put my mind at ease. I thought about email aerosport about this, but I don't want them to think I'm being fussy and critical.
In my engine (overhauled O-320), on one of those 8 long tubes on the top that go from the centre out to the cylinders, there is a tiny "ding". The paint is not cracked. I'm sure I haven't dropped anything on my engine, so it must have come like this. As I say, I'm 99% sure such a minor ding is not even an issue worth giving a second thought to, but would somebody here who knows about engines mind having a look at this photo and reassure me?
Thanks!!
Phil

 

[Mike S]

Those are pushrod tubes.

I would not hesitate to use it, from the photo.

 

[prkaye]

Those are pushrod tubes.

oh, you mean they just cover the pushrods that open and close the valves? So no oil or fuel or gas or anythign flows through these? In that case, I am not at all worried.

 

[Lionclaw]

A few of the tubes on my engine were all dinged up. I think someone tried to use an open end wrench to remove the spark plugs!

Yours look great, but a few of mine will have to go

If it bothers you, you could always remove the valve cover, loosen the shroud clamp, and rotate the dent to the bottom.

 

[Mike S]

oh, you mean they just cover the pushrods that open and close the valves? So no oil or fuel or gas or anything flows through these? In that case, I am not at all worried.

Yes, just covers.

There is oil in them, but it is what gathers there from being flung all over inside the crankcase, not under pressure like a hose.

 

[mahlon_r]

A small ding or dent not deep enough to contact the push rod that is inside the tube, should be OK as long as the ding isn't creased sharply. A sharp crease might crack eventually. If the paint isn't cracked that likely isn't the case. If you want you could take the tube off and drive a wooden drift that is close to the same OD, as the tube ID, into the tube, and it will straighten the dent out.
Good Luck,
Mahlon
?The opinions and information provided in this and all of my posts are hopefully helpful to you. Please use the information provided responsibly and at your own risk."

 

[Captain Avgas]

You can easily ding a pushrod shroud just by letting a wrench fall on it because they have in fact a very thin wall. Some builders think that because they have a large diameter they must be robust and so they mount brackets on them to support significant structural loads (I've seen several builders who supported their baffle mounted oil coolers off a pushrod shoud). Of course that is exceptionally bad practice and very dangerous. For insignificant loads such as wiring and ignition harnesses it is however acceptable.