A question that I am not sure how to even ask...
ok on the pics. that plug was for cleaning out during the casting process.
On drain Back... the oil returns are a ~1/4" hole between each lifter pair AND a hole going to the timing set.
What i would do. pull the drain plug and with the cover off put equal amoutn of 1 qt of cheap ATF in each of the lifter area's (you'll see how the block is divided. watch and see how they drain, should be right now and you should see it coming out of the pan. if it drains into the pan and out then you put the oil into the wrong hole.
now, if the ATF doesn't drain then get the wire coat hanger out and clean out all the holes and then let the ATF sit over night and drain it. then pour 4.5 qts of oil with the cover off (verify drain to the pan) and then a half qt of ATF. check the stick, if you have a oil line great, if its on the mark better! if not get a longer stick (chevy SB work great and are long enough to cut down).
let us know!
Okay, I'll try that.
As for putting the oil in the wrong hole, I poured it into the spout, under the breather, in the front of the valve cover. It was stamped oil twice, in two directions [I think it was the stock valve breather & needed a cleaning.].
Like I said, I'll try your suggestion, but I was also thinking about hand turning the fan after pulling a plug out, one at a time, in case the oil got into the cylinders, to see if some spurts out there? I could use a pump to clear it from the cylinder?
Does anyone have a diagram, of the upper block that shows where the drain pugs are? I have checked to service manual and no dice. I thought that the casting bolts were until you educated me about that. One is damaged and sludgy inside. I was going to probe the drains with a straw as well.
Now I haven't worked on one of these in twenty years, but this doesn't look very dirty to me, by comparison. I'm just not seeing the sludge?
BTW: I am not shocked bout the oil still missing. If its in the cylinders or clogged up above the screen below the drains, I would think that this block, which is huge, could easily hide that much, couldn't it?
Thanks for you patience and ideas. I am really wanting to save this old girl...
