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Hot Rods chevy lifters in a 324

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by doug rhodes, May 9, 2020.

  1. doug rhodes
    Joined: Oct 27, 2016
    Posts: 29

    doug rhodes

    Have a 324 with Delta Cams reground cam, push rods and chevy lifters supplied by Delta. I used the crank, rods, oil pump and heads from my running 303. It had good oil pressure and run good. When I initially tried to start it there was no compression. Found that the pushrods were too long so replaced them with the right length rods. Started it and ran it about two minutes but sounded like the lifters were all collapsed and shut it off. Made a shaft, turned the oil pump with a drill and had good oil pressure. I don't want to do the 20 minute cam break in with the lifter issue. Any ideas out there. Might be a good one for Ross Racing or Frank Graff an Olds guy.
     
  2. Doug, is the sound you are hearing the rocker arms running dry? Are you getting oil to the top end when you are preoiling? Did the noise show up immediately or after it ran for a bit. On my 324 I ran gm lifters and used gm hollow custom length rods on the ends of the block to add more oil to the top end. Seems to help a lot.
     
  3. lippy
    Joined: Sep 27, 2006
    Posts: 6,825

    lippy
    Member
    from Ks

    You sure you have the right length pushrods now? Are the chevy lifters the same height as an olds? Just wondering. Lippy
     
  4. jaracer
    Joined: Oct 4, 2008
    Posts: 2,417

    jaracer
    Member

    Sure sounds like you still have the wrong length push rods. I used adjustable push rods on my nailhead.
     

  5. GM lifters are not the same height hence the need for custom or adj. pushrods.
     
  6. Rusty O'Toole
    Joined: Sep 17, 2006
    Posts: 9,657

    Rusty O'Toole
    Member

    Did you soak the lifters?
     
  7. 6sally6
    Joined: Feb 16, 2014
    Posts: 2,459

    6sally6
    Member

    What did Ken from Delta Cams say?
    6sally6
     
  8. doug rhodes
    Joined: Oct 27, 2016
    Posts: 29

    doug rhodes

    I got an adjustable pushrod gage from Summit and determined the proper length and bought a set so I covered those bases. Made a rod to turn the oil pump with a drill and got good oil pressure. Delta was supposed to have that covered with the right combination, lifters, pushrods and reground cam.
     
  9. doug rhodes
    Joined: Oct 27, 2016
    Posts: 29

    doug rhodes

    They said that once I got the correct length pushrods which I did, the lifters should work fine.
     
  10. doug rhodes
    Joined: Oct 27, 2016
    Posts: 29

    doug rhodes

    Ultimately that may be the issue, I didn't soak the lifters. I didn't want to do the 20 minute cam break in if there was a oil pressure issue with a restriction somewhere in the block. This was a fresh bore and boiled 324 block with the rotating assembly from a good running 303 that I used. Heads were done with hard seats and new valves and springs so I know this isn't an issue. I made a shaft to turn the oil pump with a drill and have good oil pressure. I'm hoping this will pump the lifters. Based on this test I may just do the break in and cross my fingers since I'm reasonably sure the crank and bearings are getting oil.
     
  11. doug rhodes
    Joined: Oct 27, 2016
    Posts: 29

    doug rhodes

    Good point. I'm gonna thy running it with the valve covers off and see what I find. I read a post from a guy who used 4 pushrods with oil holes, one on each end of the rocker shafts for better top end oiling Hindsight I should have just got a new stock cam and lifters and be done with it. One issue that baffles me is an occasional pop from what sounds like the intake, not sure why. Been doing some winter upgrades on my 38 Plymouth so I'm gonna focus on that and put the Olds on the back burner but first run the olds and go from there.
     
  12. Doug, when preoiling you need to rotate the crank a 1/4 turn and repeat preoiling until you have made a full revolution. Oiling to the top end is timed thru the cam and if I remember correctly I think you have to use a distributor body to make this work correctly. I had a used distributor that I used years ago when building mine that I modified to use as a preoiling unit.
     
    Paul, kidcampbell71 and saltracer219 like this.
  13. doug rhodes
    Joined: Oct 27, 2016
    Posts: 29

    doug rhodes

    Thanks for this info. I was going to use an old distributer to preoil but turned a shaft and added a flat on the hole where in slides into the pump to drive it. First, I ran the engine with the valve covers off late last night to see if the preoiling I did had any effect. This way I could both check out the noise and observe top end oiling. There was a noticeable reduction in the noise but still some that sounded more like lifter than rocker noise so I think you might be pointing me in the right direction. There was oil to the rockers but very little so I may go to the four thru hole pushrods in addition to doing the 1/4 turn process. Two questions though, did you start at TDC than do 1/4 turns and where did you get the custom made pushrods? Thanks again. Not related, I'm going to be picking brains on the hydraulic window system but first things first.
     
  14. Paul
    Joined: Aug 29, 2002
    Posts: 16,380

    Paul
    Editor

    I only pre oil before firing, you already ran the engine it shouldn't need it again.
    When pre-oiling you do need a distributor body to help direct the oil, spin the distributor shaft counter clockwise, rotate the crankshaft a quarter turn at a time listening to the load on the drill, you should hear a change and see oil at the top end when all is aligned.
     
    kidcampbell71 and loudbang like this.
  15. Doug lots of vendors for those push rods. I used Ross Racing back then but there are many out there. Summit can do them as well.
     
  16. bchctybob
    Joined: Sep 18, 2011
    Posts: 5,190

    bchctybob
    Member

    I've been reading this thread with interest since I'll be putting the top end of my 324 together and measuring for pushrods very soon. I've got a cam and lifters from Tony at Ross and adjustable 1.8 rockers. I'm wondering if anyone would like to elaborate on using the hollow pushrods for additional oiling to the rockers. Most Olds rocker assemblies I've seen are badly worn which makes me think the stock oil system could use some help. Do the pushrod seats in the rockers need modification? Do you just use a hollow pushrod in the four locations at the end of the shafts? Why? What about just some improvements to the stock oil passages?
     
  17. Bob, didn't see this post but one from another thread and sent you a PM earlier. Tony had said that any more than the end hollow push rods will flood the top end with oil. From my experience the old rocker assemblies would get choked up with sludge over time reducing the ability of proper oiling to the top end adding to the wear issue and perhaps the top end Olds rattle we have all heard. I replaced my rocker arm shafts with new units from a company out in Washington? and added the adj rockers. So far no issues.:)
     
    saltracer219 likes this.
  18. doug rhodes
    Joined: Oct 27, 2016
    Posts: 29

    doug rhodes

    Good point with flooding issue. I'll have to rethink my decision. I primed the pump every 1/4 rotation and lifter noise is gone but I noticed very little oil to the top end so the rocker shaft and adjustable rockers sounds reasonable. Since the original pushrods were solid I can see that modifying the original design concept may create some future issues. Thanks to all for your valuable input. Next challenge, hydraulic power windows!
     
    saltracer219 likes this.
  19. saltracer219
    Joined: Sep 23, 2006
    Posts: 1,071

    saltracer219
    Member

    Make sure that you removed the plugs from the rocker shafts and thoroughly clean the oil holes and the inside of the shaft then replug them and make sure the lube slots are down. If all the passages are clean and you have decent oil pressure they really lubricate pretty well. Most of the older engines had somewhat of a top end lubrication problem as they got older due mostly to the oil quality back then, we have not really much of an oil sludge problem since they did away with the parafin base oils.
     
    Desoto291Hemi likes this.

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