So I have a 56 with a 272 and I noticed no oil is going to the rockers.. at all.. Pulled the rockers off and cleared out the tubes, blew air in the holes in the head and I can hear it blowing through. Put it all back together and still nothing. So I pulled the heads and as far as I can tell its all clear. Now I'm thinking about pulling the cam and taking a look. I don't get it. Any ideas or help would be great.

Is this a new development that has just started? Were the rockers getting oil in the past? Is it a fresh rebuild and is neither side getting oil? Give us more info and maybe we can provide some options.

Rono

  Ron Lane,  Meridian, ID

I just bought the car but from the looks of the dried up oil under the valve covers Id say its been this way for a little bit. Not a rebuild. Both sides are dry and not getting oil at all.

Did you check to see if your getting oil when the rocker shafts are off? Little late with heads off. Try spinning it with the heads off to see if your getting oil out of the passage. Could be you rocker shafts are plugged.

"The Master Cylinder"

Enjoying life at the beach in SOCAL

Does the oil pump create decent pressure? If so, the center cam bearing may have spun enough to close off the oil passage to upstairs.

Any idea what kind of oil pressure the engine has? If there is no gauge and just a light, then install a gauge and see what if present. I suspect the oil pressure is low but it could also be a center cam bearing issue where the bearing material has worn or pressed down to the point that it is closing up the groove in the camshaft thus shutting off the oil flow to the topend. Spun cam bearings in these engines are extremely rare but being installed incorrectly is not.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

I have an oil gauge and it reads about 80. I pulled the line off the pump and started it and it has plenty of pressure. Ill try turning the crank to see if oil comes out somewhere. I thought about replacing the cam while I was this far but to do the bearings dont I need to take it apart from the bottom to get to the bearings?

What line did you take off the pump?? did you do this before your problem .. If the seal is no good you could now be sucking air, if its the main pickup tube put a new rubber grommet on it but dont over tighten . Did you take the dizzy out and spin the oil pump that way to see if you had oil? also dont mix the rocker shafts because the oil holes dont line up = on oil..

Dont give up yet. When I first picked up my 56 from the import yard I drove it home after running it down the freeway and she started to smoke and stutter ..poor girl just made it home. I knew nothing of Y Blocks but thanks to Rick [Rick55] he came out and he showed me how to fix my problem, cleaned the rockers etc. Saved my engine, shes a little old maybe not full vacuum and leaks a bit but still keeps going no probs!

OH and dont forget pull the sump and clean your oil filter as that will be just as blocked as the rockers!!!



"Came too close to dying to stop living now!"

I took off the line that feeds to the oil gauge. I haven't taken anything off the pump and really looked into it because I just figured if it was shooting oil out the hole to the gauge then it would be working okay. I made sure that the rockers went back on the side they came off of and that the holes lined up. Even with the heads and everything off when I spin the crank I have no oil coming out of anywhere. Maybe ill pull the pump and clean out the filter really good. From the looks of things it's probably been a while since its been cleaned.

Did you make sure the rocker stands were right side up? Some have an oil hole that has to line up to the holes in the block. Did you try cranking it over with the rocker shafts off? That would tell you if its in the rockers or the heads/block. Chuck

Y's guys rule!
Looking for McCullouch VS57 brackets and parts. Also looking for 28 Chrysler series 72 parts. And early Hemi parts.

MoonShadow, 292 w/McCulloch, 28 Chrysler Roadster, 354 Hemi)
Manchester, New Hampshire