340 Oil Priming Question First Start

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And even if he gets the rocker shafts off, he still has to find the correct oil timing before oil will come up through the head.
 
And even if he gets the rocker shafts off, he still has to find the correct oil timing before oil will come up through the head.
Yup but it will be so much easier to see it when he gets it there.
 
Have you tried setting the crank at the positions noted above in post 21? As said by others, some aftermarket cams are drilled differently but MOST are not. Set the crank at 90 degrees BTDC on number 1 compression, run drill for 2 minutes. Passenger side should oil. Rotate crank to 20 degrees ATDC on number one on spit overlap, run drill for 2 minutes, the driver side should oil. Do this next before taking anything apart.
How do I find 90 degrees BTDC?
Holy crap man, take the entire rocker assemblies off. What's the worry? What is it? 5 bolts each and they're on the work bench. Stop trying to cut corners and find out what's wrong. You have all of us here to help guide you if you get stuck. It's a very simple process and they NEED to come off to check everything. Just removing one or two bolts at this point? Makes no sense. Get to the root of it.
I hear ya Doctor! Did dr. McCoy say Holy Crap Man to Spock?
 
Have you tried setting the crank at the positions noted above in post 21? As said by others, some aftermarket cams are drilled differently but MOST are not. Set the crank at 90 degrees BTDC on number 1 compression, run drill for 2 minutes. Passenger side should oil. Rotate crank to 20 degrees ATDC on number one on spit overlap, run drill for 2 minutes, the driver side should oil. Do this next before taking anything apart.
And OP, don't forget that after the 90* btdc on #1 compression, you have to go all the way around and stop at 20* ATDC on the 2nd time around.
 
And OP, don't forget that after the 90* btdc on #1 compression, you have to go all the way around and stop at 20* ATDC on the 2nd time around.
Yup, so start by finding TDC compression number one, then roll the motor over forward 380 degrees.
 
And also don't forget that you might not line up at those places, proof in the post earlier where the camshafts have different oil hole locations.
 
this is far too much maths.

just pop the rockers off and throw them on the bench and then lean on the starter till the engine bay, hood, fenders and floor are sufficiently covered in oil and hope that the starter lead didn't melt the jacket off and light off all the slick stuff.
 
this is far too much maths.

just pop the rockers off and throw them on the bench and then lean on the starter till the engine bay, hood, fenders and floor are sufficiently covered in oil and hope that the starter lead didn't melt the jacket off and light off all the slick stuff.

Yeah, take out the 2 bolts, start the drill/(turn the key) rotate crank at least 2 rotations, - 2 geysers to the ceiling, reinstall bolts, button it up.
No messing with rockers etc, jmo
 
Have you tried setting the crank at the positions noted above in post 21? As said by others, some aftermarket cams are drilled differently but MOST are not. Set the crank at 90 degrees BTDC on number 1 compression, run drill for 2 minutes. Passenger side should oil. Rotate crank to 20 degrees ATDC on number one on spit overlap, run drill for 2 minutes, the driver side should oil.

Must be one loose motor to have to run drill for 2 minutes. Like @abodyjoe said, I've never even used a drill. I just turned the pump drive with a hex rod and small ratchet by hand. At the right position...gush. If all is assembled correctly it should easily oil.
 
My concern was a novice trying to align, put the rockers pushrods back in correctly, and the "why are some taller than others" valve spring questions .
I was good till you got to taking rockers off.
Carry on .
 
I honestly thought that with 60psi and a drill running as I swung the crank I would find a couple of gushers. It doesn’t make sense to me that I didn’t.
A running engine doesn’t have to pause over the oil passage alignments points to oil the top end right?

Guy’s I would be all over this right now but I tore up my knee and can’t walk. So I can’t do much right now. But this is very helpful for me.
Thanks
 
Must be one loose motor to have to run drill for 2 minutes. Like @abodyjoe said, I've never even used a drill. I just turned the pump drive with a hex rod and small ratchet by hand. At the right position...gush. If all is assembled correctly it should easily oil.
It was just a suggestion, not a necessity. If after 2 minutes of priming with the oil timing lined up on a dry engine, you get no oil, there is definitely something wrong. If you only ran the drill for 10-15 seconds you might wonder “did I run it long enough to fill an empty rocker shaft?”
 
this is far too much maths.

just pop the rockers off and throw them on the bench and then lean on the starter till the engine bay, hood, fenders and floor are sufficiently covered in oil and hope that the starter lead didn't melt the jacket off and light off all the slick stuff.
And hope the camshaft survives also. :lol:
 
And hope the camshaft survives also. :lol:
it's fine. fffiiiinnnneeee. there's 60 with the drill.

i mean, if you're really concerned with it, you could always get some white lith grease in the can and just aim it on in there with the little straw... the valve covers are already off anyway.

then just hit the valve train with some WD to ease it on in and it'll be good to go.
 
Just a side note, I had a coupla engines break rocker shafts.
The oil pressure gauge banged off "0" psi at 1/2 engine rpms.
So pump resistance should reduce a bunch as the passage opens.
 
Can someone please confirm that oil should flow from these holes in the rocker arms? I am assuming so but don’t know for sure.
Oil does not squirt from these holes, if it does you have something wrong. While engine running oil well ooze from these hole to lubricate the rocker arm tip and valve.
 
A running engine doesn’t have to pause over the oil passage alignments points to oil the top end right?
This might be the problem in your case. You have to fill the hollow shafts before you will see oil oozing out the rockers. You probably aren't seeing the oil ooz out because the shafts aren't full yet so you rotate past the alignment of the oil passage. It's a catch 22. Next time you try priming before you start try this. Remove a rocker shaft hold down bolt and fill the rocker shaft with an oil can or equivalent through the bolt hole. Repeat for other side. Replace the bolt and repeat the priming process as you have been doing it. Don't forget to re-torque the hold down bolts. Hope this works for you.
Having said all that if everything was working properly when you parked it you probably could get by with squirting some oil on the rockers and starting the motor. With the motor already primed it shouldn't take long to fill the shafts with the engine running and the oil squirted on the rockers will keep them lubricated until that happens.
You're this far into priming to see oil oozing out the rockers you may as well see it through to the end.
 
This might be the problem in your case. You have to fill the hollow shafts before you will see oil oozing out the rockers. You probably aren't seeing the oil ooz out because the shafts aren't full yet so you rotate past the alignment of the oil passage. It's a catch 22. Next time you try priming before you start try this. Remove a rocker shaft hold down bolt and fill the rocker shaft with an oil can or equivalent through the bolt hole. Repeat for other side. Replace the bolt and repeat the priming process as you have been doing it. Don't forget to re-torque the hold down bolts. Hope this works for you.
Having said all that if everything was working properly when you parked it you probably could get by with squirting some oil on the rockers and starting the motor. With the motor already primed it shouldn't take long to fill the shafts with the engine running and the oil squirted on the rockers will keep them lubricated until that happens.
You're this far into priming to see oil oozing out the rockers you may as well see it through to the end.
Thanks this is really solid advice! I am standing over the bay right now and will try this!
 
I honestly thought that with 60psi and a drill running as I swung the crank I would find a couple of gushers. It doesn’t make sense to me that I didn’t.
A running engine doesn’t have to pause over the oil passage alignments points to oil the top end right?
With the engine running, the holes almost become a continuous groove. No pulses, just continuous metered flow.
 
This might be the problem in your case. You have to fill the hollow shafts before you will see oil oozing out the rockers. You probably aren't seeing the oil ooz out because the shafts aren't full yet so you rotate past the alignment of the oil passage. It's a catch 22. Next time you try priming before you start try this. Remove a rocker shaft hold down bolt and fill the rocker shaft with an oil can or equivalent through the bolt hole. Repeat for other side. Replace the bolt and repeat the priming process as you have been doing it. Don't forget to re-torque the hold down bolts. Hope this works for you.
Having said all that if everything was working properly when you parked it you probably could get by with squirting some oil on the rockers and starting the motor. With the motor already primed it shouldn't take long to fill the shafts with the engine running and the oil squirted on the rockers will keep them lubricated until that happens.
You're this far into priming to see oil oozing out the rockers you may as well see it through to the end.
Ok I filled each side up and retorqued to 16ftls. We maintained 60 psi and I turned over the crank very slowly for 10 minutes 4 cycles of Ll the valves. Nothing out the holes on either side.
I guess it’s time to completely remove the rockers.
 
I did check for rocker shaft assembly orientation. The passenger end groove is in front pointing inward. See first pic. However the driver side shaft has no groove on either side. Smooth ring….see pic 2. This is not a stock motor.

IMG_2018.jpeg


IMG_2019.jpeg
 
Another up date. WE HAVE FLOW! I removed the #2 and #4 rod bolts and bam oil flow out both sides when aligned.

This must mean clogged passages in the rocker shaft right?

I am pulling them now.
 
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