No oil to left side rocker assembly?

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ALBA73

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I have recently just rebuilt my 318 after losing a lifter and cam lobe and was almost at the stage of dropping the engine into my car when I thought :-k...maybe I will stick a filter and some oil in it and prime the system while the engine is still on the stand so...prime prime prime, turn turn turn and the right side rocker assembly was gushing like an oily dream but the left side was as dry as the proverbial bone!

I removed the rockers an tried to feel my way into the oil passage with some wire but it was completely blocked about one inch inside and no amount of prodding and turning made any difference so...off with its head. I could get into the passage from the bottom but again not all the way so out came the drill. Just as I started drilling a large plug of rusty dusty STUFF gave way and was laying in a small pile on the bench, HOORAH! I thought, could this might have even been the cause of my original problem???
I quickly reinstalled the head and rocker assembly but guess what? still no freakin oil.

New Engine Pics_1067.jpg

Using my trusty wire I can reach into both the holes in the cam shaft through the oil passage on the fourth journal as I rotate the engine but something is still not connecting.

my machine shop guy assures me that the bearings were all installed as they should have and he asked me to blow compressed air through everything just in case there was a small blockage anywhere but...nothing.

I guess my question is... is there anything else I can try or am I missing something before I remove all the timing gear and cam again to take a look at the bearings?

I am no expert here but just a casual enthusiast who loves every minute of it and finding another problem is just another way of hopefully learning something new.

THANK YOU!

Bobby.

New Engine Pics_1067.jpg
 
As you have already surmised from removing the head, this ain't an unimportant issue. What "I" would do at this point would be to remove the camshaft and double check home boy's cam bearing install. Make SURE the wire will go all the way into the camshaft bore. Also, you didn't give a follow up on the head. Did gettin that glob out unclog the head? First and foremost though, I would inspect the rocker shaft before removing the cam. Might have another glob there. There's another glob somewhere. I'd be tearin the whole thing back apart if it was mine. A glob can be the ruination of a beautiful thing. Better to do it now........know what I mean Vern?
 
As you have already surmised from removing the head, this ain't an unimportant issue. What "I" would do at this point would be to remove the camshaft and double check home boy's cam bearing install. Make SURE the wire will go all the way into the camshaft bore. Also, you didn't give a follow up on the head. Did gettin that glob out unclog the head? First and foremost though, I would inspect the rocker shaft before removing the cam. Might have another glob there. There's another glob somewhere. I'd be tearin the whole thing back apart if it was mine. A glob can be the ruination of a beautiful thing. Better to do it now........know what I mean Vern?

Ma Brudda StrokerScamp, you are quick to my rescue once again!

Confirmed...head is now clean and green and and the rocker shaft is the same. My wire was reaching into each of the two holes in the cam as I rotated the engine so I AM afraid that what you are telling me is probably the truth but...I WANTED AN EASY WAY! l:eek:l!!
 
Hi alba73,please check your piston orentation,the valve notches should be at the top,towards the intake,oiling isn`t the only problem your gonna have,I thought I was seeing things,nope the pistons are upside down,for sure.
 
Cam bearing installation is REAL REAL simple. There is a nice tool made by Lisle that is universal and makse it so a chimp could do it. I've always thought that machine shops were ridiculous with what they charge for cam bearing and freeze plug installation. You can pick up that tool for a touch over a hundred bucks. It can pay for itself in no time if you install some for friends. I always charge 20 bucks. Machine shops charge up to a hundred. Ridiculous.

Here's the tool I have:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Univ...-NEW-/220650504043?pt=Motors_Automotive_Tools

They are nice.
 
Good luck Bobby. You'll find it. Damn good thing you checked before start up. Please let us know what happened.

Thatswhatamtalkinabout! I am fairly new at this so i tend to be slightly over cautious and take things slowly and try to understand what I am doing. I will save the speed for later...when I can thrash the crap out of this stupid thing for giving me all this hassle LOL!
 
Please don`t thrash it till you fix your pistons,they are upside down,I didn`t know if you caught that,
 
btw ,nice detail work on the engine all painted nice,looks good,I like 318`s
 
Yep, I've seen stuff built like that before.

Piston340install.jpg


Change the pistons out before you start it.
 
Cam bearing installation is REAL REAL simple. There is a nice tool made by Lisle that is universal and makse it so a chimp could do it. I've always thought that machine shops were ridiculous with what they charge for cam bearing and freeze plug installation. You can pick up that tool for a touch over a hundred bucks. It can pay for itself in no time if you install some for friends. I always charge 20 bucks. Machine shops charge up to a hundred. Ridiculous.

Here's the tool I have:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Univ...-NEW-/220650504043?pt=Motors_Automotive_Tools

They are nice.

careful about chimps man or P.E.T.A. will get your
http://buzz.yahoo.com/buzzlog/93924?fp=1
 
Bobby, when you get "all" the pistons to not crash the valves, maybe you can a. have oil in the pan, and b. crank engine over with starter, (spark plugs removed). This way you can monitor oil pressure and trace that problem oil port. Of course you checked that the "hole" in the head gasket, lines up with oil port, NON magnum gasket ? Good Luck, ateam.
 
did you install pistons or did your shop do it becuase if your shop did it i would suggest checking everything they did [ some folks smoke their lunch] good luck to you
 
Hi alba73,please check your piston orentation,the valve notches should be at the top,towards the intake,oiling isn`t the only problem your gonna have,I thought I was seeing things,nope the pistons are upside down,for sure.
Yes they are in upside down. Good eye there Commando. It could have been catastrophic. Mike

engine 037.jpg
 
btw ,nice detail work on the engine all painted nice,looks good,I like 318`s

MAN...FOR REAL? I am so delighted that you caught that although I would swear that they came out that way. I was trying to find a picture taken during breakdown and have not come across it yet. I think I might have to sign up as a gold member now because this thread alone has saved me a lot more than $35 LOL!

Thank you my friend!
 
Bobby, when you get "all" the pistons to not crash the valves, maybe you can a. have oil in the pan, and b. crank engine over with starter, (spark plugs removed). This way you can monitor oil pressure and trace that problem oil port. Of course you checked that the "hole" in the head gasket, lines up with oil port, NON magnum gasket ? Good Luck, ateam.

Hole in gasket was the first thing that I checked and everything lined up just fine. I am going to tear into it this week and get those pistons installed correctly and take a look at the cam bearings while I am at it, maybe I will find my problem there.

Thank you for your help!
 
btw ,nice detail work on the engine all painted nice,looks good,I like 318`s

Thanks commando!, I do enjoy that kind of thing and although it takes a little more time I do think that detail matters.

Now all I have to do is get it running and I am sure with help from people like you it may actually happen, thanks again.
 
Yep, I've seen stuff built like that before.

Piston340install.jpg


Change the pistons out before you start it.

I intend to get after it this week although as I said in an earlier post, I am almost positive that they were like that. Is it even possible that it would have ran like that?
 
Cam bearing installation is REAL REAL simple. There is a nice tool made by Lisle that is universal and makse it so a chimp could do it. I've always thought that machine shops were ridiculous with what they charge for cam bearing and freeze plug installation. You can pick up that tool for a touch over a hundred bucks. It can pay for itself in no time if you install some for friends. I always charge 20 bucks. Machine shops charge up to a hundred. Ridiculous.

Here's the tool I have:



http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Univ...-NEW-/220650504043?pt=Motors_Automotive_Tools

They are nice.

If it comes down to it and it looks like the bearing is my problem then this is the way I will go. TNX!
 
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