# No oil getting to rockers



## bobby326 (Dec 13, 2009)

I just bought a 65 tempest with no motor. I had a 67 326 from my lemans. I took the cam, lifter and pushrods out because i was going to use them on a different motor which i ended up buying new stuff. The cam lifter and pushrods were out of the motor for about 3 years but i labled were they came from. So i reinstalled the cam, timing chain ( dot to dot) lifters, pushrods with new rollor rockers. Started the motor up and i took a while for oil to reach the rockers and only like two or three rockers were getting oil. Had the motor running on and off for a few minutes and still no oilon some of the rockers. Could it be because i had the lifters out for so long there not letting oil pass through to the pushrods. Any ideas or experience would be appriciated:banghead:


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## PontiacJim (Dec 29, 2012)

Hard to answer your question as it could be any one of a number of things. Fresh oil? Oil level is good? New oil filter? Did you prime the oil system before you fired it up. This is what is needed any time an engine sits for an extended amount of time -same as you would a new engine too. You need an oil pressure gauge installed to give you some clue of your oil pump pressure -could be an oil pump problem. Could be a stuck oil pump by-pass. New oil filter? Rocker arms torqued to factory specs?

Seems odd if it was working 3 years ago, that something would not work using all the old, labelled parts. I don't think the lifters would gum up enough to cause no oil just from sitting, but who knows. You had to re-install the distributor, is it seated correctly and engaging the oil pump shaft? You may want to pull the distrib. and use an electric drill to prime the oil pump/oil system and see if the drill will spin the pump enough to give you oil pressure to the rockers rather than run the engine and do some damages -it is possible that that may have already happened.

So again, difficult problem to diagnose from the forum. The oil pump *could* be your problem or not, but this will mean engine removal to change out -and if the engine is pulled, I would then inspect a few bearings to make sure they were OK. Check the torque on your rocker arm nuts. Fit an oil pressure gauge to the engine. Install new oil filter. Prime the engine to see if you can get oil flowing to the rockers. Then, cross your fingers and start engine. Watch oil pressure gauge. If no pressure -pump problem. If you have pressure, but low, could be your oil pump by-pass valve is stuck or not working which gives some oil pressure, but not enough for your lifters. If you have correct oil pressure at the gauge and no oil at the rockers, then there could be blockage in the lifter galley (most unlikely, but could be) or your lifters may indeed be gummed up and stuck from dried oil. Might run a thin wire down each pushrod oil hole to make sure no blockage in them as well.

Hope that gives you a few ideas.:thumbsup:


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## bobby326 (Dec 13, 2009)

Oil pressure gauge says 60 at idle and 70 at 2000. Took all rockers off and relashed them one full turn passed zero lash. Got 6 out of 8 rockers getting oil. Took for ride around block them poped off valve covers and started the engine and only one rocker getting oil again. Got fed up with trying this and trying that so just ordered new cam and lifters. Should b here by tue so ill install tue night. Ill let you know what outcome is. Thanks jim for advice


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## bullet20cc (Apr 4, 2009)

*No oil*

I have several old blocks and they have sat a long time. They are gummed up really bad and so are the oil passages. You need to have the block cleaned on and old engine.


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## goatsnvairs (Sep 12, 2014)

bullet20cc said:


> I have several old blocks and they have sat a long time. They are gummed up really bad and so are the oil passages. You need to have the block cleaned on and old engine.


.......and be sure the oil galley plugs are back in. I did this once on a rebuild, had the blocked tanked and cleaned and the shop did not put the galley plugs back in or give them to me. I didn't notice it and put the motor back in and no oil pressure. Disaster.


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## bobby326 (Dec 13, 2009)

This engine is not a rebiuld. I had it running in my car three years ago then took cam out to put in another motor. So i put cam and lifters back in motor and no oil getting to rockers. Put in new comp cam, lifters and rockers and primed engine and same thing no oil. Using straight 30 with comp break in oil. Been priming for over 20 minutes and one rocker on pass side gets oil and two on drivers side gets oil speratickly. Turning over by hand 1/4 turns while priming. Dont know whats wrong or what im doing wrong. :banghead:


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## PontiacJim (Dec 29, 2012)

bobby326 said:


> This engine is not a rebiuld. I had it running in my car three years ago then took cam out to put in another motor. So i put cam and lifters back in motor and no oil getting to rockers. Put in new comp cam, lifters and rockers and primed engine and same thing no oil. Using straight 30 with comp break in oil. Been priming for over 20 minutes and one rocker on pass side gets oil and two on drivers side gets oil speratickly. Turning over by hand 1/4 turns while priming. Dont know whats wrong or what im doing wrong. :banghead:


Maybe pull the lifters out of the bores and see if the oil is flowing freely? Pontiac oiling system http://www.butlerperformance.com/techDoc/oiling.jpg Are you 100% sure your lifters are for a Pontiac and not Chevy? http://www.butlerperformance.com/techDoc/PontLifters.pdf Are you sure you have enough pre-load on the lifters? http://www.butlerperformance.com/techDoc/VALASH.pdf 

If the oil pump bypass valve is stuck open or blocked open, you will also have the same symptoms, oil pressure to the bottom end, but little to no oil pressure at the rockers -this was my experience when my oil pump bypass valve was hung open by a small piece of rubber, and eventually the oil pressure dropped and wore out all bearings.


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## bobby326 (Dec 13, 2009)

The box the lifters came in said pontiac/oldsmobile #852. I hooked up a second oil gauge next to the distributor on top of the block and it reads 55 lbs also so there oil flowing through the block. Ill see if i can check the oil filter bypass. Ill see if i can pop off the filter houseing and see if i see anything in there


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