Help No Oil

[rsk68]

Hi Guys



I think i have a serious problem, I have around 8 minutes of run time on my motor and when pulling off a valve cover i noticed there is no oil getting to the rocker arms, what the hell could cause this? the only assembly work I did was the lifters, pushrods and rockers, the rest was by an engine builder, my oil pressure at idle is 75 pounds, I dont want a setback like this and have to pull this thing apart, any ideas out there.

Thanks

[Steve68]

Rick, did it make lots of valve train noise???

Maybe you should get/make a primer and reprime the engine with the V/C's off to see whats happening, do this or something before you waste the topend,

[BA.]

Well, I'm no engine expert, BUT, I did sleep at a Holiday Inn Express last night.....
75psi at idle is a WHOLE WHOLE bunch. Seems like too much to me, like (God forbid) there might be partial blockage or something.
Is that an old small block chevy, or a newer LSx model engine?

I agree with Steve68 though, you need to spin that oil pump manually before major damage occurs, if it hasn't already anyway.

I bought mine from Summit long ago for like $15, it's just a metal shaft for a drill with a slot at the other end to go over the oil-pump drive. Normally the distributor shaft fits goes over it , so, just remove that and you can see it.

[rsk68]

Steve
no crazy valve train noise, I soaked the rockers during assy, as for priming the pump I did that also, I'm wondering if the pushrods have no hole thru them, that just seems to odd though, my fear is the engine builder forgot to put a pipe plug in somewhere and its bypassing the oil gally for the lifters, I just dont know and I will be calling him tomorrow.

BA.
Its a 68 Big Block 396

Thanks for ther reply's

[HILROD]

Some older big blocks need a grooved cam or cam bearing or they don't oil right. I don't remember the year for cutoff though. FRANK

[Jims78elky]

Rick,

Wow..sorry to hear that news on your new engine,but i
would have too agree with the other guys about doing
a spin check with a priming tool... there very cheap.




I hope its something simple for you.



Good luck,

[Steve68]

I made mine out of a old dist, the push rods could be plugged,

[paul67]

Have you used cam breaking in oil, is so how long was it used till the engine fired up, friend of mine left his for a bit and the breaking in oil went hard and blocked the oil ways up, destroyed the cam and top end.

[rsk68]

Hi guys

Well i pulled the intake and checked the lifters, I'm a little miffed now,
I dont see any way oil can get from the groove around the lifter to the hole on the side that feeds the pushrods, am i missing something, should there be a groove in the lifter bore for this? I dont think this thing ever had oil going to the rockers, how could that be!

[Madspeed]

When the lifter is down in the bore that hole lines up with the oil groove in the lifter bore of the block.
The years that needed a groove around the cam ( and its the rear most cam journal needs a full groove)if memory serves me correctly is 65 and down.

Umm someone check me on this ( and I should know this ) Big block Chevs are Priority main oiling and if the cam bearings arent installed correctly then you will starve the top end.
Ill get out the old how to hotrod big block chevys book (The bible)

[68nate]

I've had this same problem on a Pontiac engine. Machine shop left a plug out of the lifter oil galley. Took me a long time to figure it out, had good oil pressure on guage but no oil through pushrod holes. I'm not positive, but I think the lifter oil galley plug on a chevy big block is in the same location as Pontiac. Pull the distributor and prime the oil pump. If you look into the distributor hole and see ALOT OF OIL running through the hole and back down to the pan, machinist probably left the plug out. Unfortunately you will have to pull the engine back out if this is the case. Sorry to hear about your troubles, hope this helps you figure it out. Nate

[paul67]

Check to see if the cam lub is blocking any holes and gone dry , also some engines you have to prime the lifters by forcing oil in using an oil can.