The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 1950 car 216 oil flow problem Please help!

started restore 50 chev coupe 216 motor. After driving about 30 miles, running good, oil pressure went to 0 just as I pulled in drive. Had been oiling well. Drained the oil (2nd time) while hot and got some old cork remnants. Has remote oil filter and so suspected a blockage. Checked the filter, housing, lines, tee fitting, oil pressure line, line from rockers, rocker tube, pulled pan & cleaned (not very dirty), replaced oil pump & blew all lines down below. STILL NO OIL FLOW UP TOP!& NO PRESSURE. How does oil distribution valve work that is on side of motor? Oil is pumping out of spring loaded cap when i pry it up but no oil flow out each of the other 2 holes?

The oil line that runs through the block diagonally from valve stem area to the oil distributor may be plugged or broken. Follow the manual if you decide to remove it because it could become more damaged as there is a soldered joint on the valve side. Try blowing some compressed air through it.

I have blown air thru it and it seems clear. Does the line connect to the spring loaded valve. Also, should oil flow between the 2 holes when the cover is on the distributor valve (it has a raised portion of the cover like oil should flow there?

The "spring loaded valve" opens under pressure and allows oil to flow into the cavity that is sealed by the outer plate. The oil flows in to the two holes. The rear hole feeds the U shaped line that connects to the line that goes through the block. The larger hole to the front feeds the plumbing in the pan that sprays into the rod dippers. Many 216s will register near zero oil pressure at idle but show some at a higher RPM.

So at idle should the valve be open letting oil flow into the cavity thus thru the holes because it doesnt open but has pressure behind it?

That is a good question. The official explanation says that the valve opens as pressure builds up and the rod sprayers emit a stream of oil at the dippers. It must allow some at low pressure to keep the dipper trays supplied.

You were saying before that you had zero oil pressure. If you have zero pressure above idle that there is a problem and it won't run for long like that. Sometimes if the distributor is not bottomed all the way, the oil pump will not turn. With the distributor removed you can drive the pump with a drill and see if you have pressure.

Yes I checked the distributor seating. It is pumping because I have pressure behind the oil distributor valve seat. Maybe the valve is bad? The spring seems fine. Could there be a blockage behind the valve body?

Oh sorry, with the new pump and driving it with a drill still no pressure. Where can I blow backwards on the motor to come out the maind feed line to the pump (maybe its blocked there)?

If the gauge doesn't register, then maybe it is bad. If you have no oil flow with the drill then there is something wrong somewhere. I don't think that you would have a complete blockage.

Ok air blasted every oil passage! when I blasted air into pickup screen main passage hole, air was leaking where pipe fits into the side and goes to the oil pump. That oil pipe just fits loosely into the side housing of the oil pickup housing mounted on the main intermediate bearing. Could it be losing pressure there enuf not to pump up into engine?

Yes, that's it. The pump would much rather suck air than cold, viscous oil, and never primes. That joint must be absolutely air-tight.

If I am not mistaken, that joint should be permanently fused together.

Thanks fellas. It may explain the abrupt loss in pressure. Maybe as the 30+ years of crud was burned off around it, then it seperated causing the loss in pressure. We shall see.

Yep good to go!! The problem was the tube going from the oil pickup into the oil pump. It just sits in there and it was sucking air apparently and couldnt prime to pump up to rockers.

What should spring tension be for that spring , as I also find that mine opens up , with very little oil pressure, does anyone have specs for this valve, or where one could get one . And shop manual out that that is free to look this type of problem. Or to buy one .

If you're asking about the spring on the oil distribution valve under the sheet metal cover on the driver's side of the block, it's supposed to open and allow oil to flow to the cylinder head once the lower end of the engine gets at least 15 PSI. That's designed to keep most of the lubrication in the bottom end of the engine as the rocker arms only need a small trickle to keep them lubed. The relief valve in the oil pump usually opens at 30 PSI and dumps the excess back into the inlet side of the pump.
Jerry