LA 360 timing chain oiling

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daniel9843

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Hi there i have removed my timing cover and found that my timing chain is bone dry on my 360 smallblock, i have good oil pressure in the engine, lifters are nice and quiet. I do notice that on first start up when cold my engine rattles a bit whilst the filter is filling. The filter seems to drain back when left to stand..the filter will be bone dry when cold too, i thought maybe as it is mounted
upside down on right hand drive vehicles..
i built this motor from scratch something doesnt seem quite right with the oiling system? can somebody help please..
 
There isn't a whole lot of oiling there really. there should be a hole drilled through one of the cam plates bolts that would allow oil to bleed onto the chain. Later models got a little piece added that served as a drip leg to carry the oil down the side of the chain. The there should be a disc like slinger in front of the crank gear to throw oil around inside the cover. There is a tensioner in a late model v6 engine that will bolt in there which may improve chain oiling. The main thing is remember to saturate a new cahin before installing.
One could guesstimate how much wear is in a used engine by how much metal is accumulated behind and below that bolt with the hole through.
The rattle is probably hydrolic lifters leaking down. The engine stops in the same position most of the time so the same lifters are under strong spring pressure for extended periods.
 
ok thanks for that it probably explains my stuff up all of my bolts are solid no holes in them..any ideas why the oil filter is bone dry too when replacing?
 
daniel9843 said:
any ideas why the oil filter is bone dry too when replacing?
Click to expand...

Really?!? Bone dry, or just not full of oil. If it's bone dry you really do have problems. I would think that if you have the oil filter adapter spun so that the oil filter is upside down, that is what is going to happen. Oil will drain back out of it as soon as pressure drops.

Why were you pulling the timing cover in the first place?
 
the oil filter in australia is mounted upside down on the firewall as the steering box gets in the way on rhd vehicles here..
pulled off the timing cover to change the cam.
Also the oil slinger is fitted...i think maybe the cam retaining bolts might have something to do with it as previously suggested. All of mine are solid bolts no bleed holes in sight...
 
What filter are you using?

All of the spin-on filters have an anti-drainback valve built in.

If your filter assembly uses the old replaceable element like the CH236APL in a metal canister, then you may not have a drainback valve. If that is the case, upgrade the filter base to fit a modern filter.

No need for dry starts.

B.
 
Some filters have an anti drain back valve while others don't. Maybe the ones your using don't have it. Do you have Wix filters there? If so check them out. Great filter and I believe all of them have the anti drain back valve feature
 
RedFish said:
There isn't a whole lot of oiling there really. there should be a hole drilled through one of the cam plates bolts that would allow oil to bleed onto the chain. Later models got a little piece added that served as a drip leg to carry the oil down the side of the chain. The there should be a disc like slinger in front of the crank gear to throw oil around inside the cover. There is a tensioner in a late model v6 engine that will bolt in there which may improve chain oiling. The main thing is remember to saturate a new cahin before installing.
One could guesstimate how much wear is in a used engine by how much metal is accumulated behind and below that bolt with the hole through.
The rattle is probably hydrolic lifters leaking down. The engine stops in the same position most of the time so the same lifters are under strong spring pressure for extended periods.
Click to expand...


These are two versions of the oiling, the third is where they didn't put in the top passenger side cam thrust plate bolt altogether.

Also make sure that you have an oil slinger. It is a thin round disk that goes on the crankshaft after the timing chain gear is installed and the small part goes toward the crank gear and the larger side flares outward toward the timing chain cover.
 
daniel9843 said:
All of mine are solid bolts no bleed holes in sight...
Click to expand...
Ditto for my two 273 V-8's. All 4 bolts were solid. It looks like the lifter valley above the cam would fill with oil and spill out the large front holes into the timing chain cavity. I added the later "drip plate" that leaves out the upper left cam-plate bolt to direct overflowing oil down onto the chain. I got it at the dealer for ~$10.

I always assumed the main purpose of the oil slinger was to keep oil away from the front crankshaft seal to prevent leaks, but doesn't make much sense. On second thought, it is probably there to help oil the chain. Also, running hot oil down the aluminum timing cover helps cool the engine.
 
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