Thanks everyone....... the push rod is fine and unbent. I cant check the spring bind as is seems the lifter must have shot out of its hole as the push rod drops into its hole too far after the stud broke and shot the rocker off, so I cant reassemble...... after reading all the advice and observing the rocker right before it broke (it was mvoing up and down much farther than the others) I think it must be a bad lifter and/or spring bind caused by a weakened or broken spring.. so I guess i begin taking off the manifiold to replace the lifter.

 

thanks for all the help and advice.

 

if the top of the lifter popped off it may have sent the valve into the piston.

 

Thanks for all the advice, when we finally tore down the top of the engine it was a broken lifter!!