No oil on top side

[87TurboGirl]

We have a fresh rebuild with only 600 miles on the engine. We have 80 psi oil pressure , but we have very very little oil coming up to the top end . Only two of the rockers have some oil on them and it isn't very much. Seems like with 80 psi we should have oil shooting out everywhere with the valve cover off.

I came a cross a post stating to cut out a piece of the gasket for the oil pump, could this possibly keep the oil from getting to the top of the engine? or is there another culprit?

This is the second time we have went through the engine trying to solve this problem.

Any ideas or suggestions are really appreciated

 

[87TurboGirl]

ttt

 

[GNX423]

Are the lifters making noise? I belive, and someone correct me if im wrong, that the rokers get there lubrication from the lifters pumping up. and i belive the lifters oil is dependant on if the cam bearings are installed properly. If the front cam bearing is restricting oil to the topend because it is not aligned properly, this would explain the high oil pressure. Im sure somone else will chime in with there thoughts.
Good luck,
Mike

 

[S2V6RACER]

Oil gets to 1/2 of the lifters via the main galley on the RH side of the motor. The oil is transferred through the #1 cam bearing to the opposite side with either a grooved bearing(most likely) or a groove in the cam journal(or both). You should see oil from all those lifters. I would bet a alignment problem with the oil holes from the lifters to pushrod to rockers somewhere.

Put a primer on the engine and see if you get oil through the pushrods without the rockers on. I don't know if you have T&D's or not. If your geometry is incorrect there could be misalignment. You may have to push down on the pushrods to make sure they don't leak at the base with no pressure on them.

The oil gasket is not the problem. You have PSI, you have volume. I'd bet the above will get you narrowed in.

 

[87TurboGirl]

Thanks we will try that. What type of oil pressure should we get out of the pushrods? Should it be squirting or dripping?

 

[REDS HOT AIR]

If it is a 109 (86-87) block it cant be the cam bearings because the block is fully groved behind the front cam bearing to transfer the oil across

other that that Ted A. pretty much summed it up sounds like a pushrod issue or geometry way out so that the oil hole in the end of pushrod is completly covered by the cup in the rocker instead of opening up to the oil hole

are you doing this checking with a oil pump primer or with the motor running ??If with a primer then rotate the motor to different spots during its rotation and oiling will switch to different rockers

and no it shouldnt squirt everywhere

 

[Lee Thompson]

Lifters??

Is it both sides or just the drivers side? If just the drivers side I would suspect some blockage in the front cam bearing area (highly unlikely). If both sides and the push rods are open, I would be looking at the lifters. Do you have roller rockers? I had a set of T&D that they had failed to cross drill the oil hole in some of the adjusting screws. Are the adjusting screws set so that the under cut is in the oiling hole area?

 

[Lee Thompson]

rocker arms?

In your sig. you say rocker arms, but what kind? If Harlan Sharpe anything could be going on. I put a set on a friends car recently and I will say their qualitly leaves a lot to be desired, not to mention the holes in the shaft was in the wrong location. Anyway, let us know what the problem is, once you find it. Best of luck.

 

[87TurboGirl]

I believe they are stock rocker arms.

Is there any way to identify if they are stock or not?

The sig was just something I had copied over from the guy we bought the car from.

 

[EightSecV6]

Not all stock blocks have the groove all the way around the back side of the cam bearing especially 14 bolt pan blocks, they were all hit and miss! How about the oil galley plug on the drivers side being installed too far. I am not sure if this is possible with the cup plugs, I tap all of ours, maybe they were tapped and the threaded plug is blocking the hole??????

 

[87TurboGirl]

We are getting oil to both of the oil galleys and up through the lifters, but only when they rocker shafts have been removed.

 

[REDS HOT AIR]

this must not have been clear enough

Originally posted by REDS HOT AIR
If it is a 109 (86-87) block it cant be the cam bearings because the block is fully groved behind the front cam bearing to transfer the oil across

and back to the issue at hand ..If your getting oil now with the rockers removed that means you are definatly doing it with an oil pump primer and not with the engine running

re-read the quote below

the pushrod dont feed constant supply to the rockers only at certain positions during lift do they get oiled so unless your rotating the motor while priming it you will only get a few rockers getting oil

Originally posted by REDS HOT AIR

are you doing this checking with a oil pump primer or with the motor running ??If with a primer then rotate the motor to different spots during its rotation and oiling will switch to different rockers

and no it shouldnt squirt everywhere

 

[Lee Thompson]

oiling

Look @ a stock rocker. The oiling hole is NOT lined up with the hole in the pushrod. Oil comes up through the pushrod and runs into the cup in the rocker. The hole in the rocker is over to the side. Oil then works its way through the hole and slowly runs down the rocker to lube the shaft and I assume the tip of the valve or the valve end gets its oil from splash.
These do not squirt like the older eng. You can actually remove the valve covers and let them idle. Eventually oil will drip off onto the headers.
Are you sure you have a problem?

 

[87TurboGirl]

the pushrod dont feed constant supply to the rockers only at certain positions during lift do they get oiled so unless your rotating the motor while priming it you will only get a few rockers getting oil

I understand what you are saying, but we aren't getting oil to any of the rockers while doing this.

I'm starting to thing there was maybe to much preload on the lifters. We are going to check that out tonight.