pushrod

American  

[poosh-rod] / ˈpʊʃˌrɒd /

Or push rod

noun

Automotive.

1. a rod in an overhead-valve engine that is part of the linkage used to open and close the valves.

---

pushrod British  

/ ˈpʊʃˌrɒd /

noun

1. a metal rod transmitting the reciprocating motion that operates the valves of an internal-combustion engine having the camshaft in the crankcase

---

Etymology

Origin of pushrod

First recorded in 1905–10; push + rod

Example Sentences

But the big news is what’s old: the continuing availability of Ford’s high-output 7.3-liter V8, a naturally aspirated, pushrod actuated, gas-guzzling anachronism nicknamed Godzilla.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 6, 2026

Introduced in 2019, it was the first pushrod V8 Ford built in nearly 20 years.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 6, 2026

The top version of the 7.3-liter pushrod motor is officially rated at 430 hp and 475 lb-ft of torque and comes mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission.

From Fox News • Aug. 1, 2019

With the linkage-lever bottomed out, snap the pushrod back in place.

From Time Magazine Archive

The hinged cam follower was omitted and the pushrod bore directly on the cam through a roller in its end.

From The Wright Brothers' Engines and Their Design by Hobbs, Leonard S.