The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop More oiling issues in 235

A short recap: I was told by the PO that when this rebuilt '59 235 was installed 30 years ago it had no oil pressure so they never used the truck(51 3100).After I got everything put back together and cleaned up I ran it and had no oil pressure problems.At the very first the lifters(hyd)were noisy but they quieted right down after awhile.The 0-30 gauge reads high on the 30 most of the time. I recently installed a bypass oil filter and changed the oil for the second time in 200 miles. The lifters are making noise again. They rap for a few minutes at startup after sitting for a few hours. Gradually the rapping smooths out and finally disappears.I drive the truck all day with no rapping. Two days ago I decided on a fairly long trip down some winding country roads. I came to some pretty steep hills and while climbing a particularly long steep grade the motor started to skip and lose power. I downshifted but the motor finally died. I managed to roll the truck off the road a bit to a fairly level spot.When I tried to start it up again it wouldn't run.After resting a bit I tried again and it fired but the rapping was scary so I shut it down. After a half hour I tried again and it ran better and finally stopped rapping so I drove it home. When it was rapping bad the pressure reading was low.Now everything is back to how it was before attempting the hills. Starts with light rapping then smooths out. Pressure readings are good.
I ordered a gasket for the pan and I'm going to start inspecting the pump. I've read a few posts here on the subject and will be looking at the drive on the distributor,the pickup screen and anything that looks unusual.
I'd appreciate any thoughts to help me figure out what is wrong.---Jack

Yes, remove the pan and check the pick up very carefully.

Here is another thought. There were different oil pans and oil pickup units for different 235 engines. It is possible the pan in your engine may have been replaced with one from a different year leaving the original pump and pickup in place. If this is the case, I think there is a possibility the combination might not be compatible and therefore not working well. Take a look at this image: http://s1154.photobucket.com/user/JonGoodman/media/oilpans19561959.jpg.html?filters[user]=125067356&filters[recent]=1&sort=1&o=0 You can't appreciate it from the angle, however the black pan (1959) has a reservoir which sits lower to the ground than the 1956 (red) pan and the volume and shape of the two reservoirs is completely different. There may be other styles I haven't seen yet also. At any rate, I'd want to measure the pickup height and the depth of the pan to see what I had. Good luck.
Jon

Try this link: http://tinyurl.com/kz8easg
Jon

I dropped the pan today. Been worrying all week about what I would find. When I saw it I said "it can't be that easy".but it is. It seems that the bottom of the pan got dented and the screen got pushed up to where it just barely picked up oil.When going uphill it was sucking air.I pounded out the bottom of the pan,repositioned the screen and put it back together.Tomorrow I'll take it for a drive but I believe I found the problem.
Now to get the front end tightened up.---Jack