The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Oil line at rocker shaft on a 235

I've been going over my new engine to get a feel for it before I try firing it off. This engine has been sitting for quite a while, but it isn't stuck and seems to be in pretty good shape. I pulled the valve cover to inspect things and adjust the valves and noticed that the oil line coming out of the head was broken right up at the top of the bend. This is a '55-'57 235. The line comes up, is brazed to a sleeve on the rocker shaft, continues on and makes a 180 degree turn to point back at an oil drain gallery in the head. It is broken right at the top of the bend where it looks like there was a small hole drilled on the under side. Other than a couple rockers seeing some extra oil, is this a problem that needs to be taken care of right away?

Also, I imagine this has solid lifters, but I want to check first. I didn't think to check when I had the valve cover off earlier, but would it be possible to push on one of the pushrods to see if it depresses or not? If not, then they should be solids. Otherwise I will just pull off the side cover.

There have been a couple things that I have noticed, so maybe I will pull the engine and give it a "proper" inspection.

Aaron

Not tryin to scare the hell out of ya.....BUT. I would pull the side cover to check the lifters. There's no telling what the last guy(s) did to a motor. Just bad personal experience, was having trouble getting valves adjusted right, finally pulled the cover and found a PO had put three solid lifters in there with the rest of the hydraulics. Needless to say i'm in the middle of a cam/lifters/pushrods replacement now.

I think you'll have to pull the pushrod cover. I have hydraulics and couldn't feel any travel.

I know that the lifter pumps up when running, so I'm guessing it drains dry when stopped. Perhaps a brand new lifter might lift by the internal spring tension alone, dunno.

I'm just rebuilt the head on my 216 and it sounds the same as your 235. I replaced the oil line you are referring to just to be safe. Since it's the only oil your rocker arms see, assuming solid lifters, I would definitely replace the line before running the engine. If you need any help, email me.

I suppose you are all right. I know I would feel a whole lot more confident if I really gave it a good inspection inside. There's no tellin' what I could find in there.

Aaron

Isn't this a kit to fix the problem: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...egory=34202&item=2483255025&rd=1

If you are talking about the 3/16 inch tube that comes up through the head, through the brass fitting that connects the rocker shafts, and then bends and points back down to the head, I have LOTS of experience with this. I had my head rebuilt and the machine shop had rebuilt lots of 235s over the years. The guy that did the work has been doing them since the 60's. I asked him if he knew where I could get the original rocker arm shaft "oiler" assembly, and he said to leave it as is. The original design had the tube come up from the brass fitting and then bend down to just above the head. The end was slightly crimped with a center hole so that oil would spray onto the head and flow back down to the pan resevoir. However, since the old engines had partial oil filtering the little hole in the end of the tube pointing to the head would clog. As a result, oil pressure would build up and the pressure would be relieved by more flow out around where the rocker arms mount on the shaft. This was viewed by many as actually a good thing, so many garages actually cut the tube after it came out of the brass piece and folded it over permanently closing it. The oil still ran out at the rocker arms and still ran down to the pan. The only downside was slightly higher oil pressure. Again, some shops would only crimp the tube part of the way to address this "problem". Anyway, I cleaned up my old one, made sure that oil would flow to the rockers, and moved on. He runs fine.

P.S. Another way to reduce the oil pressure, per the guy that rebuit my head, err... engine head, was that some garages actually ground a flat spot on the rocker arm shaft the length of the shaft to ease the flow of oil out onto the head.

Hope I've helped!

The later 235/261's had the line crimped after the rocker shaft feed, I also think the later heads are supposed to have a oil restrictor to limit oil to the rockers.
After all these years, parts get mixed up, nothing to worry about, just crimp or braze the line closed like said above.