Engine and Transmission Tech

Can someone post the tips and tricks to oiling through the pushrods on the Aluminum Buick/ Rover V-8...

Especially like to know part numbers and differences on lifters, Hydraulic, Solid, and solid roller..
Thanks Tony

I'll post my setup. I'm not sure it will help but here goes:

I used TA Performance solid lifters for the 350. TA_1410B. They are a bit expensive but have an oil hole for the cam lobe. Nice. Then I got Comp Cams 5/16" Hi-Tech hollow rods. The Harland Sharpe rockers had an oil hole in the push rod cup that went right to the bushing/rocker shaft. I'm pretty sure the stock rockers have this hole too so just the lifters and pushrods would work. It could be that it's only the push rods that need to be different...

Then I blocked off the oiling to the rockers with the shims I needed to make up the difference in lift and valve length.

So the answer is to order Buick 350 lifter and they interchange?

I feel like I can say yes to that. I checked my paperwork. Looks like they are in the 455 too. They just slipped right in the Rover lifter bores.

Anybody know if the stock rockers have the oil hole through the cup to the shaft? I'm pretty sure they do.

Nick,

Yes the standard rockers have an oilway from the shaft end to the cup, with tubular pushrods with holes in the balls you are just reversing the oil direction and the oil way from the head is blocked as is no longer required.

Kevin.

Thanks.. this is handy to know..

OK, I'm confused. We're talking about reversing oil flow to come UP the pushrods rather than DOWN the pushrods and blocking off the oil galleys to the heads. If we do this, what is the source of this oil? From my reading of the oiling diagram, the only oil that gets to the cam/lifters comes from the head galley and simply drips down to feed these components. Now if we block this galley off it seems to me that the cam/lifters get NO oil at all.

In my case, it's relevant since I'm building a 3.5/4.0 Rover and it happens to have hollow pushrods (through chance, not necessarily choice). When I primed the oil pump I got good OP, and great flow through the head galleys, but practically no visible flow to the rockers/pushrods. After many sleepless nights, now I'm thinking, is it possible that I was actually getting good flow to the rockers but not seeing it due to the fact that the drip was occurring internal to the pushrods rather than externally where I could visually verify it? The intake manifold is on so I can't see the lifters. I doubt if the cam/lifters care how they get oiled as long as they get oiled. I certainly don't care. In any case, why would I want to block off the oil passage to the heads? If I do block off the heads passages where does that oil then come from? Do I need different lifters than stock?

PLEEEAAASSE! I need the sleep!

Tom

Tom, You need to study the oil feed lay-out, Lotus 907 post/"Kevin" on 11/10. "All" oil produced by the pump, goes first to left lifter galley/mains and then crosses-over to right lifter galley.From cam bearing galley goes pressure feed to decks for lube to rocker stands/shafts.When pressure lubing through sbc/350 bu. lifters, through pushrods and into rockers, lube through decks is not needed.Hope this helps-get some sleep. We got a lot to accomplish next year! roverman.

Thanks Art, I think I'm finally getting it (lack of sleep is getting to me). However, it appears that reverse flow oiling will work only with solid lifters - am I right? If so, any harm in leaving the hollow pushrods in place with hydraulic lifters?

Tom

Tom, All sbc's and 350 sbb's, lube through the mech. and hyd. lifters. New subject: You have a Rover powered 914? How bout some pic's? "Maybe" Curtis will allow ,since it "is" a British V8 ? I'm working towards my first Rover/914 swap, using Toy. MR 2-turbo t-axle. Currently putting a Sube/Audi 5spd.in one. Even "Rover", built a V8 mid engine car. Pity they didn't produce it. roverman.

I hope someone is monitoring this board, I realize I am responding to a very old message, I am hoping someone will see my post and reply.

I recently redid the heads due to blown gasket, I went ahead and replaced the lifters, rocker shaft, rocker arms, push rods and liters, after I got it all back together the oil light comes one when the truck is just idleing, otherwise it is fine.

The oil light never came on before the blown head gasket problem.

Now I am thinking that the problem is my old push rods were hallow and the old & new rocker arms have holes for the oil where the push rod sits, however the new push rods I put in were solid, would this the the curprit of my low oil pressure? I replaced the oil pump when I first noticed the oil pressure problem, but it didnt help.

Thanks in advance for replying.
Joey

Since you replaced the lifters it may be that the band or recess on the lifter body is exposed allowing oil to escape. Other than that it should all be pressurized and work fine I think.

Jim

"Nearly" all sbc based/.842" dia. lifters have a pressure feed hole in center of lifter,(push rod socket). What engine is this ? If your valve train is designed to oil throught the push rod holes, and you put "solid", this can destroy the valve train ! Did new head gasket block an oil feed hole ? Good Luck, roverman.