Oil or lack thereof

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Mo'powr340

Mo'powr340

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Have a 69 Swinger 340 that has very little if any oil getting to the left rockers. Right side is getting plenty. It's not the shaft,it's on correctly, notch forward and down. The rocker shaft pedestal, (2nd back from front) that feeds oil to the shaft appears to be clean. Question, should I be able to feed a wire down this oil feed? Seems I can only feed a wire down about 3/4". I read a post somewhere that a guy said you should be able to feed a wire all the way down to the cam. Hoping for any answer besides a cam bearing installed wrong. Engine was rebuilt by someone else several years ago and hasn't been started until now.
 
I was going to say cam bearing, try taking both rocker shafts out and use a drill to spin the oil pump to get a visual. Then go from there
 
Or just switch shafts w/rockers from lf to rt Might help you pin point problem. Shafts can be cleaned out remove softplugs from ends.
 
LA engines will not give oil pressure on the passenger side if the engine is at TDC.
 
head gasket is always a possibility too.
 
The cam has to be in a specific position for the oil gallery to be open to the oilpump.And its a different position for each side.The top end only gets oil for a split second, every one cam revolution, unless that journal is fully grooved. I forget those specific positions.
You cant get to the cam with a wire, with the head installed.
 
On a small block:
Turn the motor to 90* before top dead center coming up on #1 compression. The pass. side rockers should get oil.
Turn the motor to 20* after top dead center just past #6 compression. The drivers side rockers should get oil.

Is the shaft on correctly?
 
Mo'powr340 said:
Have a 69 Swinger 340 that has very little if any oil getting to the left rockers.

Engine was rebuilt by someone else several years ago and hasn't been started until now.
Click to expand...

what is the oil pressure?

oil plug missing???
the one at the rear of the left side oil gallery for the lifters

You can see if its missing , while priming the oil pump, by looking in the distributor hole
 
Thanks to all that've answered. The shafts are on correctly and I'm aware of the cam position and it only getting oil once per revolution. Didn't know of the oil plug but will check this out. I'd rather it be almost anything but the cam bearing. Thanks again!
 
Got it, thanks. So I'm thinking the next move would be to pull the head; sure beats pulling engine for cam bearings.
 
Not doubting your install, but have you checked and double checked the shaft orientation. I put one on my engine backwards, and could have sworn I did it right, lol.

Easy enough to look at.

When you said this, are you referring to the driver side?

It's not the shaft,it's on correctly, notch forward and down.
Click to expand...
 
Bad Sport said:
Not doubting your install, but have you checked and double checked the shaft orientation. I put one on my engine backwards, and could have sworn I did it right, lol.

Easy enough to look at.

When you said this, are you referring to the driver side?
Click to expand...

I thought it was to the left and down
that way, it doesn't matter what side of the engine your on
 
diymirage said:
I thought it was to the left and down
that way, it doesn't matter what side of the engine your on
Click to expand...

That's a very good way to put it. Never thought of it!

That is assuming everyone knows left from right, I have known people that didn't, lol.
 
Mo'powr340 said:
Seems I can only feed a wire down about 3/4".
Click to expand...

Lot's of good info so far, and could be several things mentioned, but the quote above bugs me more then anything else? 3/4 of a inch isn't much down that passage? I was on the "Head Gasket" bandwagon when I first read this, but even that issue should be deeper then that if I recall?

I'll keep thinking on it and let you know if a "eureka" moment comes to me. :)
 
Bad Sport said:
That's a very good way to put it. Never thought of it!

That is assuming everyone knows left from right, I have known people that didn't, lol.
Click to expand...

my dad taught me a little trick to remember left from right when I was little
he would say: just look at your hands son, the left hand has the thumb on the right and the right hand has the thumb on the left :banghead:
 
take the rockers + shafts off. rotate the cam and prime the pump, compare how much oil comes up on each side. take a look at how the oil into each shaft lines up with the heads. there is no way anyone could get a wire down to the cam, the passage goes up from cam bearing thru block by head gasket into head, changes angle going up thru head bolt hole some, then changes angle again up thru rocker pedestal. never heard of this happening, but if the head gasket is blown at the oil passage - less oil up top, or if gasket hole at passage is somehow off/blocking flow
 
Thanks for your reply. I've rotated the motor 20* past tdc after the compression stroke of #6 cylinder, (the location where there should be oil going to the left rockers) and turn pump with a shaft and drill. No luck, must be either cam bearing or possibly faulty cam, (holes not drilled all the way thru on the journal). The cam problem is hard to believe but,they're made by humans too. Also, it IS possible to get a wire all the way down to the cam, you have to take the head bolt out right below the second rocker shaft stand that has the oil feed. I did it using a copper wire but could not feel the cam turn through the wire which could be because the cam bearing is in wrong. Will be pulling cam out as soon as time allows. Thanks again.
 
how can u tell if the wire went down the head bolt passage and then back towards center to cam, or just down passage and into head bolt hole in block. are we sure 20* past is correct? it will vary as to the installed cam centerline. what were u doing when the pass. side was getting good oil? I would rotate crank and oil pump clockwise at the same time
 
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