I am rebuilding a 1956 Olds engine for my Model A project. I am not really an engine guy, I usually let a machine shop do that part of my projects. But this time I wanted to be able to say I did it myself. I bought a rebuild kit from Old Car Parts and went to work. I am to the part where it is all together on the lower end and ready to put the valve covers and valley pan on. I decided it might be a good idea to power up the oil pump and pre-lube everything while I could see the results. I built an adapter to run the oil pump from a drill motor and added 6 quarts of oil to the crankcase. The oil pressure came right up and is at 40 lbs. But I can see no indication that it is reaching the valve train rockers. I ran it for maybe 10 minutes and nothing. So I took off the rocker assembly and tried it again. I figured if it was the rocker assembly clogged I would get a gush of oil from the feeder hole in the head. Still nothing. Did I screw up? I did not replace the cam bearings, so I don't think they are the problem. Dumb question.....are there left and right heads? I could have reversed them, not sure. Shouldn't I see some oil pumping up to the top?
It can't oil the rocker shafts if the motor is not turning. That is because there are "cross through oil feed holes" in the cam journals. That way just a predetermined amount of oil flow, got to each rocker shaft, passing right through the cam. It goes from there, up through one rocker stand on each head. Keep the plugs out and spin the starter with the dist back in, now that you know you have flow at the pump....then after a very long time, you should see a bit.
You could also spin the oil pump for about 30 seconds, then rotate the crank 90 degrees with a breaker bar. You might see some oil flow then.
Yep, Might is a good way to put it. he,he.. I saw a youtube video of 2 guys running a fresh 303 Olds on a test stand.... with NO valve covers on it... They could have worn their best white dress shirts and not gotten them dirty
So, if I get the drift here, there is not much oil coming to the rockers even when all is as designed. Is that right?
Especially since you didn't change the cam bearings ......extra clearance allows oil to bleed off instead of pushing it to the heads....... This is common on an early olds Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Hopefully you made sure the oil feed passages from the cam to rocker arms was not clogged when you had it apart.They clogged up regularly with early non-detergent oils. It might be a good idea to fill the passages,(cam to rockers) with oil from a squirt can, and then pressurize the system and rotate the assembly to try to detect oil being fed up from the cam journals. Time spent now will pay off for years. It's not to late to disassemble it now and have the oil passages cleaned properly with the cam bearings and oil gallery plugs removed. I know that's a painful thought but a ruined crankshaft and bearings caused from dirty oil passages is something you would be kicking yourself over for many sleepless nights! I ruined 3 engines in my 20's before learning the right way to do a rebuild. Good luck buddy!
Thank you F&J for the information about the camshaft holes for upper oiling. This morning first thing I went to the shop and turned the crank a little at a time, without the rocker arms fitted. After about a quarter turn of the crank when I hit the drill motor running the oil pump I got a gusher, maybe 3 ft onto the shop floor. A little oil sure makes a mess, but what a relief to see it........
I did not buddysyard. The engine was clean with no sludge whatsoever. It looks like someone had been in there not too long ago. I intend to take the rockers apart this week just to be sure. I am just a little concerned about popping out the plugs on the end of the shafts. Not sure where to get replacements.
Someone on here from Maine, said he found them at NAPA. Might be listed as a freeze plug? BTW, Goatroper gets the thanks for posting all the Olds oiling system info a couple years ago. (I just repeated it ) I doubt I can find that thread, but was a lot of info on rocker oiling too.
Dorman plugs #555-007 steel expanding plugs. cup 17.32" sc. When I tore my engine down the shafts were toast so new one were in order and I had them machined and hard chromed for new rockers that also were worn out.
Hi, Early Olds distributors/oil pumps turn anti clockwise. If you're turning the pump clockwise it will pump oil but not the same volume as it would turning the correct way. Try reversing your drill. Geargeezer. " the world was my oyster but I kept using the wrong fork"
Today I ordered some plugs for the rocker shafts from my local NAPA store. They cross referenced them to something they said would work. So I popped out the old plugs and took a look inside. The shafts were clean inside, no slug at all. My problem came when I tried to install the new plugs. Somehow I managed to screw that up, and wouldn't you know, I didn't order any extras. If anyone has done this and has a suggestion on how they are supposed to be installed I would appreciate it. I did mount the rocker shaft back onto the engine and powered up the oil pump with my drill motor. I got a major leak at both ends of the rocker shaft. I ordered a pack of 10 from another supplier. So I will try again in a few days. I guess I really gained nothing from taking the rocker assembly apart, other than piece of mind. But that is worth a lot, once I get the Dorman plugs installed.
Glad other people are tearing into their Olds engines too! With a little patience you'll be up and running in no time. Just make sure you have a camera ready when that happens! We love start-up videos
I am still waiting on the new dorman plugs from Summit Racing. It seems with Summit, most stuff comes overnight,or it takes forever if it is not in stock in the Nevada location. When I do get the plugs I intend to fabricate something to allow me to push the plugs in with my press instead of beating them in with a hammer and punch. Then I will power up the oil pump again and check for oiling and leaks.
Found my Dorman plugs at my local auto parts shop (not auto boutique). Use a flat punch or an old deep set socket that is slightly smaller than the innter diameter of the plug and make sure your drive it in just past the holes that hold the pin that backs up the washers an springs.
I always keep those plugs on the shelf...... As well as anything else stock or speed for 49-64 Oldsmobiles Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
Well, I got my Dorman plugs today. It is a good thing that they came in a pack of 10. I am ashamed to tell you how many I ruined before I figured out how to do it. Being rather small in diameter they have no particular tendency to go in straight. The first ones I tried to install turned crooked. The other mistake I made was trying to push them in with a blunt end punch ( using my press) that fit in the middle of the plug. That did not work either. I finally ground a small champher on the mouth of the shaft using a dremel tool. Then I loaded the plug with some assembly lube. The real secret is to push the plug in using the edges of the plug, not from the middle. I found a small socket, 11/32" that fit the diameter almost perfectly. Using that and making sure the plug stayed straight, it went in. I hope this helps someone else who needs to install these little buggers.
I'm having oiling trouble now in 2019. Rebuilt my 55 324 over the past several months, but did not replace the oil pump since it was holding between 30 and 45 PSI even when at full temp. While it was on the stand and without intake or valley cover, I poured in 5 quarts of oil. Made a tool to spin the oil pump but never got any oil pressure (I was using a remote gauge), but could see a really good oil flow from back to front and out of the fuel pump mounting hole in the timing cover. I cranked it this morning and see that the pressure finally came to a bit less that 15 and there was plenty of lifter noise. Of course, I only ran it for a few seconds before switching it off. I've looked several times at the oil flow from pump through filter to rear main, to right side gallery and to left gallery. I cannot figure out why there was such a great oil flow when the engine was on the stand, but have no pressure. I'm 6 years past your post, so hopefully you're still on this sight. Thanks
Did you send the block out for hot tanking or machining? I ask only for one reason, to find out if an engine shop, or you, took out any oil gallery plugs and forgot to put one back in... see why in the next posts below: There is a plug with an oil orifice hole to spit oil on the timing chain. Did you make sure that one was put back in? I have no idea how much oil you saw through that fuel pump hole, so that is why I ask about that plug possibly missing if there was massive oil flow showing in there. This almost makes me think there is a big oil leak internally, as you seem to have little or no oil pressure for the lifters, and the cold engine with cold oil, should put out at least 40psi in 10-15 seconds after starting the engine up. It is the low reading cold that makes me think there must be a large internal oil leak...like a missing plug perhaps? I'm no expert by any means, so maybe some Olds Rocket guys can help out with more suggestions that I can so far. .
Like Frank said, I would be concerned about a lot of oil flowing out of that fuel pump hole...….can you expand on that a bit? Did you install new cam bearings while apart?
This is where we miss the advice from Don_Wow and Yorgatron. GOATROPER02 is a very knowledgable Olds guy. These are great engines, done right.
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