The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 216 oil pressure without a pump???

I've often heard about the 'splash system', 'oil dippers', etc. when talking about the old 216's. I've never looked inside of one of these motors before, surely there is an oil pump of some type, if not how does it generate the little oil pressure that it has? I have one old truck with this motor but have never had to take it apart. Thanks, James

Oh yes indeed there is an oil pump. The splash and drip refers to the rod and main bearings but the rocker arm assembly gets oil from the pump.

The main bearings and the cam bearings get pressure lubrication via the oil pump. The rockers are also supplied by a pressure feed. The rod bearings work on a dipper system in which the dipper supply comes from the oil pump.

truckernix is correct about the "full-pressure" lubrication of cam and main bearings, the rocker arm assembly, and the timing gears). The "dipper" system for rod bearing lubrication is not really a "splash-oil" system (as many people now call it) - see below.

Quiz:

Does the "dipper" system actually collect oil as the dippers move through the oil near the bottom of the pan?

Or, do the dippers receive oil that is sprayed into them by an array of tubes that are fed by the oil pump?

Or, does the "dipper" system rely on a combination of the above?

The answer is : All of The Above (see the lubrication section in this Shop Manual).

Our description in the 50's was Chev had a solid crank and GMC had a hollow crank. That's why GMC's were more prone to rear main seal leaking. There was more oil there.