# oiling system help



## Muttley (Jan 22, 2021)

Hi all,

Good news: Got the car running again !

Not so good news: it has a pretty wicked tick.

So I have a 1969 428 with a 66 tri power carb setup on it. 

I bought the car running (but not well) and proceeded to go to work on the engine over the winter.

Everything I did worked out just fine, but when I started it up I noticed some valvetrain noise from the passenger side. After investigation it looks like the passenger side valve train is not getting enough oil. It has a manual oil pressure gauge plumbed in from the oil filter housing in the engine bay and it's showing 50 ish PSI cold but when it gets warm it drops to <10 PSI at idle but comes up with RPM. 

Can anyone thing of any reason that one side of the motor wouldn't be getting enough oil ? I would think if it was a dead oil pump it would be the whole top end wouldn't it ? I was thinking collapsed lifter maybe ?

I don't know the history on the motor, I was told that it was a fresh rebuild that was done and running and then sat for many years. As for what's actually inside it ? I really have no idea if it's stock or not.

Any advice would be very much appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Here are some pictures:

1. Passenger side









2. Drivers side


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## O52 (Jan 27, 2019)

During the rebuild they probably forgot to replace the rear passenger side oil gallery plug.


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## Muttley (Jan 22, 2021)

Not exactly what I wanted to hear ... I’m guessing that’s not accessible with the engine in the car?


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## O52 (Jan 27, 2019)

No it's not.
But if you pull the distributor and aim your phone just right, you can see if its there or not.


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## Muttley (Jan 22, 2021)

O52 said:


> No it's not.
> But if you pull the distributor and aim your phone just right, you can see if its there or not.
> 
> View attachment 141244
> ...


Ok, that's good to know .. my next plan is to change the oil, pull the distributor and spin it with a drill and see what happens. So when I pull the distributor I'll look for that plug. Is it on the forward (towards the front of the engine) side ? I'm trying to see if it's an oil pump problem or not.

Thanks!


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## O52 (Jan 27, 2019)

Plug is to the front.


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## PontiacJim (Dec 29, 2012)

You also have a cup plug that is often replaced at the front of the engine behind the cam timing gear. It is at the opposite end oil galley from the red arrow. If either type plug has been inserted too far, it can block/restrict the oil flow going to the rockers on that side. Just another thing to consider.

It is also possible some trash got stuck in the oil pumps check valve and is holding it open. You can have good oil pressure when cold, but drops way down when hot. Not common, but can happen.


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## Old Man Taylor (May 9, 2011)

I've done it without removing the engine, but I will never do it that way again. It was a real pain.


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## Muttley (Jan 22, 2021)

Hey all,

I pulled the distributor and spun the oil pump with a drill. I managed to get 60 PSI and confirmed oil coming out of the drivers side push rod holes, I got none out of the passenger side at all. 
I then looked down the distributor hole with my phone an took a few pictures. To me it looks like no plug, I plan on borrowing a friends boroscope to get an actual confirmation before I pull the motor to replace that plug. 

Thoughts ?


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## Bluedog (Aug 8, 2018)

I can’t see from the pictures if the plug is there or not. I will tell you that when someone I know didn’t put that plug in,(cough cough) they got zero oil pressure. 
If you’re getting 60 psi, I would lean toward one of the two small plugs behind the timing case popping out.


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