The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop No oil to top end

I have a freshly rebuilt '54 235 with a '55 848 head on it. I'm not getting any oil up to the rockers. Where should I look first? Can I install an oil line from the plug in the center of the passenger side of the head to the outlet of the oil filter? Thanks in advance

I'm not familiar with that engine's oiling system but one thing comes to mind. Are you firing the engine up & checking oil flow or are you turning the engine over using the starter & watching for oil flow? My 216 feeds oil fairly quickly when running but takes 15 to 20 seconds for oil to appear at the head if I use the starter only. Just a thought.

Assuming everthing is hooked up correctly you may need to "prime" the oil pump.
1. Remove the distributor
2. Peer into the casting where the distributor was, & you will see the slotted drive end of the oil pump.
3. Find something like a shank from a flat-head screw driver that will fit into that slot and is long enough to extend out past the casting.
4. Attach the shank to your electric drill
5. Use the drill & shank to drive the fuel pump
If everything is hooked up correctly, you should see oil driving through the rockers.

The oil flow starts at the rear cam bearing,goes through a tube to the center of the block,the tube is hidden by the lifter compartment cover.Then it flows into a block drillway,makes a 90 degree turn upward to the block deck surface.A small triangular opening in the head gasket directs the oil into the passenger side milddle head bolt drilling in the head.The oil then travels upwards a 1/2 inch past the non threaded part of the head bolt,then makes a 45 degree bend to one side and continues up to the head surface.That's where the oil is picked up by the rocker supply tube.
Non really mentioned clearly in GM repair manuals;there's a .062 restriction in the oil line,it varies in location.On many blocks it can be located under the 1/8 inch plug under the block center right.Can also be found under the center right side plug on some heads.Some call it a metered oil supply.The restriction can be located anywhere,just so long as it there .
Contary to wifes tales,at no point does the oil past by the center head bolt threads.
Crank the pump with a drill as mentioned above,or run the engine,if no oil,check the pipe under the side cover for sludge,or perhaps the pipe was left off. Use compressed air to check the flow from point to point.

I've already fired this engine and it gets no oil up top, so I shut it down. I'll have to trace out the oil path. Thanks for the info.

Southtowns-My 55-235 has a copper line, run from the drivers side oil feeder for an add on oil filter to the passenger side head, in the middle. It's got a 3 way brass fitting. One end screws into the block, one goes to the copper line to head, and one goes to the oil pressure guage. Hope this helps
resto44

TIP Time:
buy a cheap old distributor off ebay and cut it apart. strip all the guts and cut the 'bowl' (where the points set) area away. get it down to a simple shaft and shaft housing. grind the gear teeth off the gear. now you can use it as an oil pump primer using a drill to rotate the oil pump drive B-4 re-installing the dist to fire the engine up.

Resto44,
it sounds like you have quite the shadetree modification. Can you show us a photo?

Southstown27,
Do you have any oil pressure at all? I had a similar problem where the the distributor was not in all the way. There's an adjustable collar that has a set screw at the bottowm of the distributor that can prevent the distributor from seating into the oil pump. My 235 would actually start up and run but not pump any oil. I'm embarassed to say it took me a while to figure it out.

An old pushrod with 2 flats ground on it and the other end chopped off makes an excellent oil pump driver. With a cordless drill the rockers should start dripping within 1/2 minute. My guess is the pipe is plugged between the rear camshaft bearing and the fitting at the top center of the lifter gallery. Take off the pipe and stuff a wire thru it until all the sludge is out or install a new pipe. You can remove the 1/16" npt pipe plug from the side of the head and run a line from the oil gallery(where the pressure sender mounts)directly to the head if you want but I believe the metering is more accurate using the internal pipe as designed. A kit is even made for that purpose but the best way is clean/replace the internal pipe. I think the oiler kit is for those who don't want to bother with removing the pushrod cover.

Well, the oil line inside the lifter cover was MIA... That would probably explain it. I'm making one up right now. Thanks for the help.

The fitting the tube attaches to at the rear is also a restrictor fitting. It should have a 1/16" hole through it. I have extras if you need one.