Need a BBC Guru - 454 pushrod oiling question

[Scorpion1110]

I am rebuilding the 454 that was in my '74 Chevy Camper Special- had a wiped cam so decided to go through the whole motor.

I finished setting the valves today, set up a mechanical oil pressure gauge and primed the oil pump. Gauge reads 60psi after 10-15 seconds priming the pump.

So here is the problem, virtually no oil is coming out the pushrods to the rockers. When I put them in I dabbed both ends with Comp cams lube. You can see several where it has just started to push the lube out.

Quick web research seems to suggest that this is normal on a 396 or 454- but you guys know all.

On a small block it should shoot out the holes pretty good at 60psi, but seems a BBC its just a dribble.

Is this normal?

Thanks, Scorp

[coolracing]

One major problem I have seen whith chevys that most people overlook is the oil galley's! Most of the time when a chevy murders a lobe on a camshaft the galley's will get the material from that previous camshaft or the galley had been plugged with engine grime from use over the years and will wipe out the camshaft. 9 out of 10 times when a person does a cam swap on these engines they do clean the debris from the galleys and in return you have problems... Not saying this is your problem but something to keep in mind!

[Scorpion1110]

I had the block boiled out and had the machine shop do the cam bearings and plugs. I read on line that its normal for BBCs not to spray out the pushrods.

Normal for light drips at 60psi?

Scorp

[TS1955]

Hey Scorp, are they all the same? Or does a couple oil more than others?

TS1955

[Scorpion1110]

I dabbed the tips with Comp Cams break in lube. Pressure is starting to bump it out. Some are slightly oiling, others aren't yet.

Scorp

[markdunlap]

Keep priming and roll the engine over to different positions every 5 minutes. It takes a while. If the drivers side oils and the passenger side doesn't, look at the distributor height. It forms parts of the passenger side galley for oil to go thru.

If all else fails try pressure priming form a tank. You can also start the engine with the valve covers off and verify every rocker oils. Messy, but it works.

Don't forget to use an additive that has Zinc concentrate to protect the lifter/ cam surfaces during break in if it is a flat tappet cam. Todays oil doesn't have any.

[TheYellaBrick]

And REMEMBER, NO ORANGE FILTERS !

:P :P

[Scorpion1110]

Thanks Mark.

I called my machine shop and they told me that when they pre-oil a BBC sometimes it can take up to 30 minutes. He said to rotate the engine and prime it until just a dribble of oil comes out of the rocker.

I am going to pull the push-rods. Clean out the CC heavy lube and readjust the valves using regular oil on the tips.

Thanks!

Scorp

[Harbone]

The lifters just dont push that much oil up through the rods when priming, they need a much higher RPM to get to the rockers.

[482]

Also, I had a priming tool that apparently blocked oil passage when the lower part of it would get out of alignment where it fit in the distributor hole.
I primed and primed and rotated and rotated with a 1/2" drill, Nothing!!

Changed tool and that thing immediately pumped oil everywhere.

The first tool had a little c-clip on it letting the shaft move up while trying to prime.

The new one had a pin through it so it could not move.

Just a thought!

[fast75vega]

Also, I had a priming tool that apparently blocked oil passage when the lower part of it would get out of alignment where it fit in the distributor hole.
I primed and primed and rotated and rotated with a 1/2" drill, Nothing!!

Changed tool and that thing immediately pumped oil everywhere.

The first tool had a little c-clip on it letting the shaft move up while trying to prime.

The new one had a pin through it so it could not move.

Just a thought!


thats why i just use and old stock dist and cut the top off and then put the shaft back in and tack weld a washer around the shaft to keep it from falling out and you only need to chuck it up to a 1/2" drill and prime away. i made mine years ago and still got em :) as well as the valve covers cut out for adjusting the rockers and checking for proper oiling

[zipper06]

Also, I had a priming tool that apparently blocked oil passage when the lower part of it would get out of alignment where it fit in the distributor hole.
I primed and primed and rotated and rotated with a 1/2" drill, Nothing!!

Changed tool and that thing immediately pumped oil everywhere.

The first tool had a little c-clip on it letting the shaft move up while trying to prime.

The new one had a pin through it so it could not move.

Just a thought!


Damn fast75vega, you are OLD, that's old school tech, and nothing ever works better. 482 is right some of the priming tools/bodies block part of the oiling galley's, but still oil the rods and mains. Hell used to have a set of sm/blk heads sawed in parts so i could check the valve to piston clearance before assembling the running heads, i had sawed them just outside the valve guides on both int. and exh.

Zip.

thats why i just use and old stock dist and cut the top off and then put the shaft back in and tack weld a washer around the shaft to keep it from falling out and you only need to chuck it up to a 1/2" drill and prime away. i made mine years ago and still got em :) as well as the valve covers cut out for adjusting the rockers and checking for proper oiling

[fast75vega]

Also, I had a priming tool that apparently blocked oil passage when the lower part of it would get out of alignment where it fit in the distributor hole.
I primed and primed and rotated and rotated with a 1/2" drill, Nothing!!

Changed tool and that thing immediately pumped oil everywhere.

The first tool had a little c-clip on it letting the shaft move up while trying to prime.

The new one had a pin through it so it could not move.

Just a thought!



Damn fast75vega, you are OLD, that's old school tech, and nothing ever works better. 482 is right some of the priming tools/bodies block part of the oiling galley's, but still oil the rods and mains. Hell used to have a set of sm/blk heads sawed in parts so i could check the valve to piston clearance before assembling the running heads, i had sawed them just outside the valve guides on both int. and exh.

Zip.

thats why i just use and old stock dist and cut the top off and then put the shaft back in and tack weld a washer around the shaft to keep it from falling out and you only need to chuck it up to a 1/2" drill and prime away. i made mine years ago and still got em :) as well as the valve covers cut out for adjusting the rockers and checking for proper oiling

im not that that old brother... a few years from 40 :) i grew up working on race cars...picked up alot from you old timers :) my dad and his friends all dragged race on and off the track. they ran for cars back then and cash! plus alot of my uncles and other friends did dirt racing and i always helped out

[lively]

a :lol: :lol: :lol: few years from WHICH SIDE OF 40???? :lol: :lol:

[fast75vega]

a :lol: :lol: :lol: few years from WHICH SIDE OF 40???? :lol: :lol:

the under side of 40... thank god :wink:

[482]

The old distributor thang is what I ended up using for priming. Had one for years, don't know how I ended up with the other piece of crap tool. Lesson learned!!

[Scorpion1110]

Thanks for all the help!!

I pulled the rockers and pushrods, removed the heavy lube from the passages and reinstalled and reset valves. Rotated the engine and primed the pump and the rockers started to lube sequentially as I spun the motor. The comp cams lube was just not letting the oil trickle past. Though on start up all would have been well as it disolved.

Lesson learned. I am buttoning up the intake tonite and then it goes back in the Green Monster this weekend, and yes I added an additive with ZDDP for cam break-in.

Scorp