The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 235 Oil line question

Hello,
Can someone tell me what is going on with this little oil line that goes from the side of the head, back toward the rear, around the back, and down to the lower feed rail (dont know if this is the technical name for it)? I have seen pictures with and without this oil line.
Also, I kind of remember my grandfather telling me about the "crimped" supply tube sticking straight up by the rocker arms, but would like to hear reasoning on this as well.
Last night I looked up the casting numbers on the block and found it to be a 1961.

hopefully the picture links will work

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByJWVJFbAjpES0JKTFpjdWdwRnc/view?ts=56aba698

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByJWVJFbAjpEZW5idEpaTUtEaUE/view?ts=56aba735

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByJWVJFbAjpET05PRm9iNlJ2T2s/view?ts=56aba73e

Thanks!

Your links all say that permission is required to view them. However, based on the description, what you have is a situation of an added in line that was installed aftermarket. Usually, those lines are put in to bypass a blocked passage that feeds oil to the rockers. While it really doesn't hurt anything, it's unnecessary if the passages are clear to allow for proper oil flow.

I'd be curious to hear more about this also. My 58 has a similar oil line going to the head based on your description. I remember reading something somewhere about a head bolt that blocks an oil passage if a certain mismatched year of head and block are used together. The correct head bolt to use has a grove that allows oil to get to the head and if the wrong one is used it blocks that passage. So I was thinking maybe on my setup and perhaps other peoples, a previous owner did this bypass oil line to "fix" the mix match head/block no oil thing. I have not gotten around to figuring that out yet on my truck. I'd like to hear what those who know have to say.

Here lets try these...

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByJWVJFbAjpES0JKTFpjdWdwRnc/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByJWVJFbAjpEZW5idEpaTUtEaUE/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByJWVJFbAjpET05PRm9iNlJ2T2s/view?usp=sharing

Thanks for the replies

Interesting,
thanks for the information.
I will see if I can identify the head information this weekend. I'd just as soon not have that extra oil line if I did not have too. but I bet you are right in your assessment!

This is a common fix done by people in a hurry. The cause of it is a blocked internal oil line. Rather than fixing what is broke, they use an alternative route for the oil to reach the head. In a pinch is works fine and people often purchase their trucks thinking that is normal. It's not normal and can be fixed, but it works when its preferred to disassembling parts of the engine to get to the problem.

The only engines that have an "oil line" through the block are pre-1954 splash oiler 216's and 235's with the oil distributor on the driver's side of the block. Later model engines have drilled passages in the block which can also clog up and restrict oil flow to the head.

One possible quick fix is to remove the center head bolt on the passenger's side and insert a snug-fitting wooden dowel into the hole after filling the hole with oil. Then smack the top of the dowel HARD with a BFH. Sometimes the hydraulic pressure created by the hammer lick will purge the crud out of the oil passages and restore the flow. I have fixed several slow or no oil flow engines that way.
Jerry

Thanks all for the input! I may just remove the bolt and see if it has a hole in it. If it does not, I may just drill it or replace it with one that is pre drilled so I can get rid of the extra oil line.
I am assuming that a person can just remove and replace the one bolt without having to retorque the rest us them on these engines?

Are you using '58 or earlier rocker arms and shafts on your '61 block? If not, you do not need that drilled head bolt. That bolt was only used for miss-matched engine assemblies. Your oil blockage needs to be found and cleared.
Carl

Carl
I just looked up my head casting number and it is indeed from an earlier model. A 1956.
Thanks

The same head casting code was used from 1956-1963 (3836848).

What is your block casting code?
What are your block and head casting dates?

http://www.1954advance-design.com/Web%20images/casting-code-photos/codes-ser-nums.html

Also, (as Carl asked) what is the year of the rocker arm assembly, and, maybe more importantly, the style/year of the rocker arm connector/oil-tube ( shown here )? These this get swapped around over the years (unfortunately).

Thanks for the link,
that was going to be my next question on identification!
I will try to look at this evening.
I may try to get a better picture than the one I attached earlier to see if that may help
Mark

The codes on the head are:
CON9
3836848

L 5 7 (December 5 1957 Correct?)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByJWVJFbAjpESXh1NW5OdGJEc2s/view?usp=sharing

Here are a couple photos of the rocker arms - does this provide a definitive answer to the year on them?

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByJWVJFbAjpETmJUa010Qlo2MTQ/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByJWVJFbAjpEQWVEdHBCUmVRdFk/view?usp=sharing



The block casting code:
3769716

Date code:
C 28 O (March 28 1960?)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByJWVJFbAjpEeHRRcGpzSkxpZlk/view?usp=sharing

Thanks

See if you can read the part number on one of the rocker arms. That should lead you to what year your arms are from.
Carl

It important to determine the year of your oil connector and how that connector connects to the oil supply that comes up through the head to the rocker arms.

This page has photos of different kinds of oil connectors.

Your connector looks like the the 1959-1963 connector?

The connector is only one of the clues.
The position of the groove inside each rocker is just as important.
Here is a link to my blog showing all the differences.

Thanks guys,
I looked over lunch and discovered several different number stamped on them.
25,40,38 on the face facing the front of the engine.
Then on one of them I saw an 8 on the opposite side.
I believe that i have the 54 -57 arms/oiling tube as the tube looks "field modified"
I am just going to take the front rocker arm off and look at it maybe this weekend.
Thanks for all the information
Mark

Ok,
I pulled the forward rocker off and the oiling groove is in the center of the rocker.
So, correct me if I am wrong, to get rid of the exterior oil line, I will have to have a drilled head bolt along with the oil restricting bushing mentioned in Pre'68 Dave's web page.
Thanks

I would either leave it the way it is or remove the external line and see how much oil you get at the rockers.
A 1960 block with centered groove rockers and a pinched off rocker connector should give you to much oil to the top.
Being that someone added the external line makes me think that something is plugged in the original oil path, or the wrong lifters were used.
To much oil to the top end has not been seen to cause much of a problem, mainly hard to keep the valve cover from leaking.