Yes, there have been a few cases on this forum where Briggs Vee Twins have lost push rods and they ended up in the sump.
So far as I can recall those members pulled the engine, removed sump and retrieved the bent push rods.
I don't know of any cases where people have knowingly run their engines with bent push rods lurking in the sump.
I can imagine a few ways a push rod could completely wreck an engine. Two push rods in there might increase the likelihood of destruction.
But I can't imagine anybody being able to say for certain that you should risk leaving them in there.
Do you suppose you reached your expertise level/limit with the push rod installation and valve adjustment?
Or do you just want to play the lotto with your engine?
Yours is a vertical crankshaft engine. As such, there is a lot of activity and moving parts in the "bottom of the engine".
Not even close to being similar to a part falling to the bottom of an automobile oil pan in a horizontal crankshaft engine.

This post was edited by mownie on Wed, May 14, 14 at 0:22

Yea Id say I would be hesitant to pull the engine I really just don't know how thats done. Its funny you say the word "expertise". It reminded me how I fixed it in the first place. After putting in the new push rods I noticed the exhaust valve spring wouldnt compress and just bent the new push rod like it was made of butter. At this point I was pretty bummed out. So I took my hammer and whacked the spring and low and behold the spring moved like it was supposed too. that pretty much sums up my level of expertise.

I then straightend the new bent push rod as best I could and put the bad boy back into position. reasembled and test started it.

This post was edited by BattleSprout on Wed, May 14, 14 at 6:43

***"After putting in the new push rods I noticed the exhaust valve spring wouldnt compress and just bent the new push rod like it was made of butter."***
The above statement is referring to the incident that has just happened, is this correct?
If this is correct then your problems are just beginning.
The scenario in which the valve would not depress, and bent the new push rod instead............pretty much indicates that at least that valve has a valve guide that has come loose in the head and caused the original failure (where 2 push rods disappeared). Your "whacking with hammer" apparently knocked the valve guide back down enough to permit the push rod to depress the valve without bending.......for now.
But I assure you, you have not "fixed" anything and the valve guide is going to move again and you will be right back where you were before.
Usually, when valve guides and/or valve seats loosen and move in a cylinder head, it is due to overheating of the cylinder, and overheating of a cylinder (or both cylinders in case of a Vee Twin) is due to blockage of the cooling duct work by excessive build up of grass clippings, or by RODENT activity. Mice love to get inside the cooling shroud of air cooled engines to make nests and food caches. Often, the first indication of a rodent issue is when an engine overheats and causes damage to the cylinder head.
At this point you are probably faced with replacing at least the one cylinder head you have had the issue with.
There is a fix for "curing" the problem of valve guide migration but it is at a skill level and tools requirement level a tier above most mechanics.
You need to at least remove the flywheel cover and look into the ducting to confirm or deny any blockage that may be the root cause of all the bad stuff you have going on now.

Mownie's above post contains much wisdom. You need to replace or repair that head, you did not fix it and get those stray pushrods out of there. There are lots of good used heads out there, I have maybe 4 myself but they are not for sale as I plan to use them.

I do have the fix Mownie refers to, since it was the exhaust valve guide, perhaps you may know someone with the equipment and ability to fix it.

Address below IF you want it, put in proper format and remind me, engine model number and what you want. I can also send you a Service Manual for your engine.

Walt Conner
wconner5 at frontier dot com

Hello everyone.i have in my building something i spotted and fell in love with..a 1992 cub cadet with a briggs 14 hp v twin ohv vanguard.i picket it up for a 25.00 deal...now up on starting i have a loud tap in the motor..engine hrs say 1015 hrs in it its all factory except i cant find a hood..my question is the cost to fix this and ...think i can fix it myself...i have done rings and piston in a 16 hp briggs before...just wondering...chuck-~ charles.harris94@yahoo.com

Also the model an serial on this is..model 142633100 - serial is 821406-- thanks .also...anyone have a hood lol--willing to barter pest control in southeastern ohio tooo...

Ok , I have I believe to be a 2011 Craftsman riding mower with a 48 inch cutting deck and a 24hp Intek V-twin Briggs & Stratton engine that was given to me 3/25/18 of this year. Engine model #446677 0463 E1. Previous owner said engine started backfiring while mowing then died. Since I had done auto mechanic work for several years and the mower still looked almost new I accepted it. Got it home and charged up the battery and give it a whirl. The engine completed about 4 or 5 revolution’s and it backfired. So did a little research on this issue. Found out it could be several things. So I removed the flywheel and checked for a bent flywheel keyway. It was fine. Next I pulled the valve covers and what do you know. Sitting on the mower on the left side it had dropped the pushrod out of the lower exhaust tapper and sucked it into the engine. The valve guide and spring looked fine and were not stuck as I could compress the spring and valve without any hard spots. On the intake valve it had about .0012 clearance and the pushrod was barely hanging on. The right side of the engine was almost as bad finding both pushrods barely hanging on and not dropping out of the tappers. I have tried to use a telescoping magnet and run it inside the engine just to the right of where the pushrod sets on the lobe. I’m not sure if the pushrod is steel or aluminum? Anyway no luck from that point of entry. Next I removed the oil filler tube and went from that angle but the magnet only grabbed the crankshaft and wouldn’t allow me to move the magnet all around in the crankcase to retrieve the stray pushrod. It got dark on me so I had to stop for the night. Tomorrow I’m going to drain the oil and remove the drain valve and give it a try that way and after the oil is drained I had thought about jacking up the opposite side of the mower so that the pushrod might be loose in the crankcase and slide or roll to the side of the crankcase where the filler tube and oil drain valve are and maybe get lucky and be able to retrieve it. What I would like to know is the exhaust pushrod steel or aluminum and do you have any suggestions that wouldn’t require the engine to have to be torn down ! I sure could use a engine repair manual showing how to separate the engine case if needed to extract the rougue pushrod. Anything you can suggest or can me to download would be awesome. Thanks Tim F.

The exhaust push rod is steel. You will want to know that the rocker studs are secure in the head and that the guides protrude roughly the same distance as the guides can come loose in the head. Normally they come forward, though on occasion rearward. Your intake clearance should be .004 Unless you meant .012, it is tight? You could always unmount the engine and try shaking out the front. Otherwise the sump comes off and the new gasket kit comes with the bolts and instructions. Or try your luck with Right Stuff.

I.m in the same situation, I needed a new head and both intake and exhaust push rods, I made a mistake and prior to putting the new on I put the pushrod in the hole It slipped into the engine, so how to get it out. I drained the oil and thats not a good access point, I haven't tried to go through the oil fill tube. its a 24hp B&S any help would be appreciated.Steve

I would try a telescoping magnet in through the hole in the head. It won't ever come out the fill tube hole.

I too have a bs24 that ate a valve rod. I’m pretty sure the magnet trick won’t pull an aluminum rod out, if I could even find it. I convinced it’s like an old car. Sometimes it just ain’t worth the time, effort or money to try and save it. After new starter 2 tie rod ends, a front tire and a seat this old girl is ready for the bone yard

The aluminum rod has a steel end on it. But, it is likely coiled up like the snake it is in the sump...