Top End Not Getting Oil (360 LA)

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Peter J Boncella

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I jumped my starter relay to spin the engine over with the starter to prime my oil systems, and after a while I didn't see any oil getting to my rockers. I know I have oil pressure because I forgot to put in the sensor and got oil all over my floor. Do I just need to keep spinning it over some more? what are some common issues that I should check for? thanks
 
Did you just put this together? If so, do you have the rocker shafts oriented correctly?
 
Did you just put this together? If so, do you have the rocker arms oriented correctly?
I did just put it together What do you mean oriented correctly? the oil holes on the shaft are pointed down. Is there like a left and right or something? This is the first motor i've built so im a newbie
 
The notch on the end of the "older" la rocker arm shaft go to the left and down as you are standing at the side of the engine.
 
In addition to the above, the oil to the top end ONLY happens as the cam briefly aligns it's oil holes with the passages in the block coming up to the heads. if you did not crank it enough, the oil won't have time to get there. Easiest way is to prime pump with a drill, and slowly turn engine with wrench until you get oil holes aligned/ oil up top. SOMEWHERE on this board, folks have published rotational degrees of crank at which this happens

If you can NOT prime pump with a drill and shaft, I would REMOVE the rockers and plugs so that you are not impacting the lifters with high pressure springs and crank on the starter until you get oil up top
 
Is there like a left and right or something?

There is a notch on one end of each shaft. That notch needs to be forward toward core support and facing down on the driver side. The notch needs to be in the rear toward the firewall and facing down on the passenger side.

Check there and report back.
 
shaftheasd shot.jpg


This is a shaft that uses the oiling holes for the adjustable rocker arms. However the hydraulic rocker arm shaft has the same notch in it that you see in this picture. On the driver side it is at the front and down and on the passenger side is at the rearend and down.
 
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67Dart's post is right on.
If your good on all that, and STILL aren't getting oil up there, the cam bearing may not have been aligned properly:eek:.
If you're at least getting pressure in the system, that's good because (I think) it means there wasn't a plug that got missed somewhere.
 
On a small block:
Turn the motor to 90* before top dead center coming up on #1 compression. The pass. side rockers should get oil.
Turn the motor to 20* after top dead center just past #6 compression. The drivers side rockers should get oil.
This might help regarding cam position for top end oil flow
 
So you are priming a new engine by turning it over with the starter instead of with a drill and a priming shaft. Ohhhh Boy.
 
No nothing is screwed up if you used assembly lube. You just want pressurized oil to the bearings ASAP as well as the camshaft but that assembly lube will keep everything gliding for a number of dry rotations. It aint going anywhere....you can check cam bearing alignment with a bamboo skewer down the oiling pedestal of the head: put it in there until it hits something and then slowly turn turn the crank. Eventually (up to 2 turns) the camshaft oil port will align with the bearing hole for timed oil and you'll feel the skewer catch the cam hole. Skewer wont scratch the camshaft.
 
No nothing is screwed up if you used assembly lube. You just want pressurized oil to the bearings ASAP as well as the camshaft but that assembly lube will keep everything gliding for a number of dry rotations. It aint going anywhere....you can check cam bearing alignment with a bamboo skewer down the oiling pedestal of the head: put it in there until it hits something and then slowly turn turn the crank. Eventually (up to 2 turns) the camshaft oil port will align with the bearing hole for timed oil and you'll feel the skewer catch the cam hole. Skewer wont scratch the camshaft.
Turn the crank by socket & handle so don't shear skewer off. If must use starter, use remote starter button to have good control.
 
So you are priming a new engine by turning it over with the starter instead of with a drill and a priming shaft. Ohhhh Boy.

That's what it appears and I agree, that's a terrible thing to do.

To the OP, you really need to get the Mopar priming tool and prime the engine using that.
 
If he has a magnum camshaft core in an LA... not going to get anything up top.
 
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