The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop No Oil to Rockers in new rebuild

I have a freshly rebuilt late 235 (casting says 58-62, with 848 head). I have no oil to the rockers but oil pressure pegs. I bought the truck as a partially completed project from the widow, so have no history.
I have been reading the archives here and a few other places and think I may have diagnosed my problem.
The truck has solid lifters, the early milk jug style. I think these are wrong for my motor and blocking the oil passage?
Any thoughts before I order a set of late 235 solid lifters and try that? I assume I will need longer pushrods?

Hi Brian, also theres the "special" head bolt that lets oil up to the rocker assembly. Its drilled up thru the body of the bolt, and theres a small hole out the side.
Im not sure what years they were used,but i went around in circles with the same prob. quite a few years back.
Its the bolt where the rocker oiler tube sticks down into the head.

Brian,

You are correct about the style-change in the mechanical lifters:

Shop Manual reference 1

Note: the "EARLY DESIGN" in the photo above refers to 1958, the first year that there were oil passages in the block and head, to provide oil to the valve mechanism.

Prior to 1958, "Lubrication to the valve mechanism is supplied by a drilled passage from the rear camshaft bearing to a pipe located under the push rod cover to a fitting at the top of the cylinder block. The oil then flows through a passage drilled in the cylinder block and head to the valve mechanism oil connector pipe between the two hollow rocker arm shafts, then distributed to all rocker arm bearings. A bleeder hole in each rocker arm supplies oil for lubrication of the valve stems and push rod sockets."

Shop Manual reference 2

Maybe someone with a Master Parts Book that covers through at least 1958 will post the length for the push rods.

Thanks for taking the time to respond Martin and Tim. I did read about the drilled bolt but that basically was to be used if you were using an early head on a later block. I pulled the bolt and fired the engine (manually lubed the rockers) and still had no oil pressure at the bolt. A side note, there is an external hole into the head here too on all heads that is normally plugged. Mine had no plug in it and never leaked there either. So I know it never got oil up that high.

Here is Pre 68 Dave's post about a special drilled head-bolt with an oil passage to the rocker arms.

https://www.stovebolt.com/ubbthread...79&topic=0&Search=true#Post23388

"From 1938-62, only two head-bolt part-numbers are listed for 216, 235 and 261. Long and short except for a special drilled bolt, used when a 59-62 block is used with earlier top end* to reduce the oil flow to the rockers.

Note: Use with drilled bolt
Plug # 37 64 579
Install in block oil port near right center head bolt.
(This plug blocks the original oil path and sends it through the drilled head bolt)

* The cylinder head did not change but the rockers did."

tim, can you link the pic of the old and new style lifter i used for my 58-235 along with my other pics i sent you with the oil passages in the block and head?

Mike,

I have those files archived in my office. It may be a few days until I can get to them.

I ran a Bypass line to the head until The new lifters arrive. Runs good. Drove it. Pictures soon.

do the lifters have some sort of a groove around them to allow oil flow from the lifter galley to the head?

No the lifters do not have a recess, that is my problem I believe. I am ordering new ones and hopefully that will solve my problem.

not a good idea to put new lifters on an old cam. could cause premature wear on the lobes and lifters.

OK, first understand that I do not know jack about internal engine parts. However, an Internet search of FAQs on cam websites and posts on old vehicle discussion boards provides a consensus opinion that is succinctly presented in this post on chevytalk.org :

"For hydraulic flat tappet/mechanical flat tappet:

New lifter on a old cam is OK (as long as the lobes are still OK) - you just have to go through the 20 minute/1500-2000 rpm break-in procedure again. This wears in the lifter to the cam.

Old lifter with new cam is NOT OK - the new cam will accelerate the wear on the old lifters, causing them to fail.

Old lifter/old cam is OK, as long as they were worn in together and the lifters go back in exactly the same place on the cam.
"

While perhaps not desirable, if the old cams lobes are in good shape, new lifters may be installed as long as the normal lifter/cam break-in procedure is used.

Now, let the free-for-all discussion continue.

All good information that I appreciate. My motor is fresh but I bough it this way so have no real idea what is inside (old , new cam). But I think it wouldn't hurt to pull the mans and find out since I am this far into it.

I'd like to see this bypass line if you could post a picture that would be great.

I would like to see a picture of the 'bypass' as well.

My 55-57 block (3837004) has a by-pass casting around the head bolt that connects the oil line from the rear cam bearing through and up to the top of the block. My head 1959 (3835913) has no provision for the oil to get to the rockers. The head-bolt hole is not connected to this by-pass so the drilled head bolt will not work here. Ho do I get the oil to the rocker tube? Block the hole in the top of the block and drill doen through the head bolt hole into the by-pass?

ron

Ok, I pulled the head and discovered I used the wrong head gasket. Must have been a 216 gasket and it has a gap where the line comes out of the block. Installed the correct gasket and now everything woks correctly.