oil pressure to rockers?

1930artdeco

1930artdeco

Well-known member
OK, I am getting ready to fire up my long dormant engine! So I thought that I would prime the engine first and then adjust valves and set to TDC. Long story short, the PO added an aftermarket oiler system that I did not catch. That problem is fixed but my question is this: Why do I get a large amount of pressure on the drivers side and not so much on the passenger side? The pass side rockers get oil but not as much as the drivers side. Can I clamp down the drivers side rockers to force more oil to the pass. side?

Mike
 
I bought a hot rod with and rebuilt Olds 324 engine in it. During the rebuild somebody had installed the rocker shafts upside down cutting off the oiling holes to the rockers. It ran on the pre-lubed rockers and then eventuallywiped them out. All that metal went through the engine bearings and wiped them out too.
 
I don't know about your engine, but I tore my 239 back apart for the same reason. The cam bearing journals are drilled. If you rotate the engine a little the other side will be getting oil.
 
Yep it is a Y block. I mean the pass side is getting oil, just not as much as the driver side. I am hoping and praying that I don't have to tear the engine apart. It is brand new.

Mike
 
The center bearing on the cam has a groove machined in to run oil to the top. If one side gets more than the other, there is a restriction between the cam and the top. You can remove the rocker shaft from the dry side and run a 1/4 drill as far in to the head as it will go. Then with the plugs removed, use the starter to spin the engine to clear the crud out. If that doesn't work, you will have to remove that head and do the same to the block, or the cross over in the head.
 
take the rocker arm shaft off take the plugs in the end of the shaft out and run a 1/2 in ball hone in the shaft lots of surprises in there you can get new plugs at o'rielys i have also found the hole in the rocker arm that feeds the push rod the casting may not be drilled been playing with y-blocks since 54 have fun
 
The engine only needs to be rotated slightly for the other side to receive oil. I took my engine apart needlessly after the first pre-oil attempt after I rebuilt it. I'm trying to save you from doing the same.
 
That's the most you get regardless of where the engine is rotated to? If turning the engine a few degrees at a time doesn't change the flow, no, that is not enough.
 
UPDATE: As usual Tim was right and I was paranoid. I spun the engine and the oil pump and the oil return tube blew off and she shot oil all over the solenoid. IT is back on tighter now;) To be fair though this is my first Y block and I was going to make damn sure the rockers all got the right amount of oil! I mean I spent good money on that engine. Anywho, the valve covers are down (until I half to pull them to verify the gap during the engine break in), fan is on, PS is bolted up, and the lower rad hose is now on. Gaskets come on Friday and then I can bolt up the intake, valley pan, and hook the carb up. Getting close now!
 

Attachments

  • IMG_7976.jpg
    IMG_7976.jpg
    68.1 KB · Views: 19
  • IMG_7977.jpg
    IMG_7977.jpg
    104.6 KB · Views: 15
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top