Shaft vs Pushrod Oiling

[mopowers]

Is one method for oiling the rockers and pushrods preferred over the other?

In other words, if someone has the choice to run pushrod oiling, shaft oiling, or even both, which is best?

I picked up some Harland Shard rockers that are designed for pushrod oiling for cheap for a roller LA 408 build and am wondering if I should utilize hollow pushrods to oil the top end, or run solid pushrods and rely on the stock shaft oiling. Does it even matter?

 

[Ironmike]

Pushrod all day long. Done right, it feeds much more oil everywhere else. I should mention it's probably best done with bushed lifter bores.

 

[mopowers]

Pushrod all day long. Done right, it feeds much more oil everywhere else. I should mention it's probably best done with bushed lifter bores.

Thank you. I definitely won't be bushing the lifter bores as this is just a cruiser motor and nothing special.

 

[TT5.9mag]

I run both on my w2 heads and magnum block. The pushrod oiling ends at the pushrod tip, adjuster interface and I oil the shafts through the back of the heads fed from the oil pressure gauge port. Honestly I have way too much oil upstairs and I’m currently on my 3rd down size on the restrictor to limit oil flow. I like the oil deadheading at the adjuster /pushrod as it means I’ll never overheat that junction. But with full time oil at the shafts also it’s too much. I’m down to .030 restrictors on each side currently.

 

[SSG_Karg]

I oil the shafts through the back of the heads fed from the oil pressure gauge port.

Could you post a couple pics of this if you’re able to?

 

[TT5.9mag]

Could you post a couple pics of this if you’re able to?

 

[RustyRatRod]

View attachment 1716370503View attachment 1716370504View attachment 1716370505View attachment 1716370506View attachment 1716370507

I really like those shaft hold downs.

 

[TT5.9mag]

I really like those shaft hold downs.

Mike at B3 made those for me.

 

[RustyRatRod]

Mike at B3 made those for me.

He's a bad dude. Hard to imagine people on here arguing against his methods.

 

[SSG_Karg]

View attachment 1716370503View attachment 1716370504View attachment 1716370505View attachment 1716370506View attachment 1716370507

Just so I’m seeing this right……the oil comes in the back of the head and intersects the rocker shaft bolt hole and then enters the shaft around the bolt? Like the factory setup, only on a different pedestal?
Do you have a build thread on here for that engine?

 

[TT5.9mag]

Just so I’m seeing this right……the oil comes in the back of the head and intersects the rocker shaft bolt hole and then enters the shaft around the bolt? Like the factory setup, only on a different pedestal?

Almost. You drill the head at the accessory bolt hole through to the rocker shaft stand. Then center drill the bolt to the rocker shaft height, then drill halfway through the bolt to intersect the center drilled spot. You can see my white mark on the head of the bolt telling me which direction to drill when the bolt is torqued.

 

[SSG_Karg]

Build thread?

 

[mopowers]

I run both on my w2 heads and magnum block. The pushrod oiling ends at the pushrod tip, adjuster interface and I oil the shafts through the back of the heads fed from the oil pressure gauge port. Honestly I have way too much oil upstairs and I’m currently on my 3rd down size on the restrictor to limit oil flow. I like the oil deadheading at the adjuster /pushrod as it means I’ll never overheat that junction. But with full time oil at the shafts also it’s too much. I’m down to .030 restrictors on each side currently.

Thank you! I love those valve covers.

Would you run that oiling setup on a cruiser? Seems like it may be a little unnecessary for that application. Or is it? I guess if nothing else, it just shows there's more than one way to skin a cat.

 

[mopowers]

By the way, the guy I talked to at Harland Sharp recommend running both - shaft and pushrod oiling, but restricting the shaft oiling to 040". This seems similar to @TT5.9mag 's setup above, though the shaft oiling would not be full time, except for what's coming from the pushrods.

 

[SSG_Karg]

Where is that third line running to the front going?

 

[DNasty777]

Turbo oil feed?

 

[Newbomb Turk]

If I want full time oiling to the rockers I do something similar to what’s done above.

But, the Chrysler oiling is dead reliable IF you do it right. I mean to 9k with 900ish over the nose spring loads.

I don’t do pushrod oiling on ANY conventional OE or race block with Chrysler oiling.


Any leak at the lifter takes oil right off the rods and mains. If the rockers need more oil make it full time.

In fact, if you look around Pittsburgh racer has pictures of how he was doing it. I do something close to what he was doing.

 

[TT5.9mag]

Build thread?

No build thread for the engine specifically but some stuff is in the thread for my car build.

Well, I drug home another one

Thank you! I love those valve covers.

Would you run that oiling setup on a cruiser? Seems like it may be a little unnecessary for that application. Or is it? I guess if nothing else, it just shows there's more than one way to skin a cat.

Me too! I looked for a long time for a set of the wide covers and then had to build the headers to fit them. It’s a drag n drive deal so keeping the springs cool is important as well as making the rockers live. This oiling setup is dictated mostly by the magnum bottom end and W2 (LA oiling) heads.

View attachment 1716370576
Where is that third line running to the front going?

Turbo oil feed?

What he ^^^said it’s for the turbos.

 

[TT5.9mag]

 

[TT5.9mag]

 

[TT5.9mag]

The video in post 19 is before I limited the oil running out the top of the adjuster. I like some running out and over on to the spring but not that much. I think (if I remember correctly) I changed to a solid cup adjuster and drilled a .020 hole in each one. It’s been a while since I did it, I’d have to yank a valve cover to check.

 

[mopowers]

The video in post 19 is before I limited the oil running out the top of the adjuster. I like some running out and over on to the spring but not that much. I think (if I remember correctly) I changed to a solid cup adjuster and drilled a .020 hole in each one. It’s been a while since I did it, I’d have to yank a valve cover to check.

That's a good idea too! I noticed the Harland Sharp rocker tips only oil by splash. Drilling the top of the adjusters may help feed those.

 

[RustyRatRod]

The video in post 19 is before I limited the oil running out the top of the adjuster. I like some running out and over on to the spring but not that much. I think (if I remember correctly) I changed to a solid cup adjuster and drilled a .020 hole in each one. It’s been a while since I did it, I’d have to yank a valve cover to check.

You think it's possible you may not need the shaft oiling?

 

[TT5.9mag]

You think it's possible you may not need the shaft oiling?

Need is a very strong word. For the intended use of this engine, I think it’s definitely an added benefit. But I think it would run just fine with the full time shaft oiling. Plus the factory magnum lifters already have pushrod oil provisions so why not put pressurized oil right at the adjuster? I’m going to beat on this thing like a red headed step child and then drive it hundreds of miles. I don’t think more oil will hurt anything. Like I said above the oil running over and down the rocker, cooling the valve spring I think is a big plus.

 

[Demonx2]

Well if you can get the oil to drain back down to the pan and not starve the engine, putting oil on the springs like that is the best way to cool them. Splash oiling is what cools valve springs so extra oil up there is good. UNLESS it can't get back to the pan without some tortuous path hitting the crank, etc, etc and causing a bunch of windage, oil areation, or oil starvation.

Some may have looked at new modern engines and noted the "batwings" up on the cam caps in DOHC engines. Those are to provide a path for drip oiling the valve gear and cooling the springs.