minorv8 Jukka Harkola (268 posts) Registered: 04/08/2009 06:50AM Main British Car: Morris Minor Rover V8 |
Rocker oiling question
My new engine has Wildcat heads that use SBC components. My setup includes Comp Cams studs, rockers, pushrods and solid lifters. So, typical SBC stuff. Oiling as per Chevy thru pushrods, these heads do not have Rover type oil passages.
Now, I set the lash cold and started the engine to verify that I get oil to all rockers. The issue is that I get a LOT of oil from #2 exhaust valve rocker. I only ran it for a short time. I then put the rocker rover back on and checked the LH bank rockers. There is oil feed thru all rockers at presumely typical rate. I took a short video but I need to upload it somewhere, AFAIK this site does not allow them. So, #2 exhaust is closest to the oil pump and possibly sees the highest pressure. Does this sound normal or should I be concerned ? |
MGBV8 Carl Floyd Kingsport, TN (4511 posts) Registered: 10/23/2007 11:32PM Main British Car: 1979 MGB Buick 215 |
Re: Rocker oiling question
"I took a short video but I need to upload it somewhere, AFAIK this site does not allow them."
You will need to have it hosted somewhere like YouTube then link to it. |
minorv8 Jukka Harkola (268 posts) Registered: 04/08/2009 06:50AM Main British Car: Morris Minor Rover V8 |
Re: Rocker oiling question
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Re: Rocker oiling question
That is a crazy amount of oil surely? I don't know what to suggest to fix but less oil comes off twin cam heads than that...
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/28/2021 09:28AM by turbodave. |
minorv8 Jukka Harkola (268 posts) Registered: 04/08/2009 06:50AM Main British Car: Morris Minor Rover V8 |
Re: Rocker oiling question
Yes, does not make you feel like running the engine at high revs for an extended time...
I ran this block previously with hydraulic cam and Merlin heads, no issues whatsoever. Now this. And I have not even got the car out of the garage yet this summer. I guess I'd better consentrate on sailing with the wife ! |
MGBV8 Carl Floyd Kingsport, TN (4511 posts) Registered: 10/23/2007 11:32PM Main British Car: 1979 MGB Buick 215 |
Re: Rocker oiling question
Could not get that to work with MS Edge. Had to switch to Chrome to view it.
What does the other bank look like? I would suspect that something is different about that lifter. Bigger hole? Interesting info about Crower solid lifters. [drivn.com] |
mgb260 Jim Nichols Sequim,WA (2461 posts) Registered: 02/29/2008 08:29PM Main British Car: 1973 MGB roadster 260 Ford V8 |
Re: Rocker oiling question
Probably less clearance between rocker and shaft on that one? Or that lifter is suspect?
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/28/2021 11:25AM by mgb260. |
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minorv8 Jukka Harkola (268 posts) Registered: 04/08/2009 06:50AM Main British Car: Morris Minor Rover V8 |
Re: Rocker oiling question
Carl, LH bank looks normal.
Jim, stud mounted rockers so no shaft at all. Lifters are brand new. I might swap some rockers around just for fun. At least it eliminates rockers from the puzzle. While I am at it I will make some sort of shield to prevent the oil from splashing all over the place. I need to see what the rest of RH bank rockers look like. |
DiDueColpi Fred Key West coast - Canada (1365 posts) Registered: 05/14/2010 03:06AM Main British Car: I really thought that I'd be an action figure by now! |
Re: Rocker oiling question
That has to be a lifter issue. Nothing else in the system regulates the oil flow to the rocker.
I would suspect a piece of trash stuck in the lifter valving or an assembly issue. I would pull that lifter and take it apart to check. Or just replace it. Don't swap them around once the engine has run. |
minorv8 Jukka Harkola (268 posts) Registered: 04/08/2009 06:50AM Main British Car: Morris Minor Rover V8 |
Re: Rocker oiling question
So, appropriately motivated I removed the plenum and managed to get the #2 lifters out. Took the offending exhaust lifter apart and found a plunger and circlip and the body of course. I then took the intake lifter apart and fond a plunger, circlip and the valve plate. What the hell ?
Problem found ? The valve plate sits solidly in the exhaust lifter body and will not move. So, either there is a heavy corrosion protection or it is rusted in situ. Nice ! Brand new Comp Cams lifters... So, next that plate needs to come out. It is now taking a penetrant bath, hopefully it will start behaving. Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/29/2021 06:55AM by minorv8. |
BlownMGB-V8 Jim Blackwood 9406 Gunpowder Rd., Florence, KY 41042 (6468 posts) Registered: 10/23/2007 12:59PM Main British Car: 1971 MGB Blown,Injected,Intercooled Buick 340/AA80E/JagIRS |
Re: Rocker oiling question
Try the ultrasonic cleaner on it maybe?
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DiDueColpi Fred Key West coast - Canada (1365 posts) Registered: 05/14/2010 03:06AM Main British Car: I really thought that I'd be an action figure by now! |
Re: Rocker oiling question
It's called a piddle valve, appropriately.
It also means that that lifter would collapse when you revved the engine up. Boiling it in some penetrant might set it free. cheers Fred |
minorv8 Jukka Harkola (268 posts) Registered: 04/08/2009 06:50AM Main British Car: Morris Minor Rover V8 |
Re: Rocker oiling question
Ok, an update. I managed to get the valve free. Cleaned it, put the lifter back together and assembled the plenum. It's definitely better but still flows more oil than the others. The lifters are a bit suspect, #8 intake does not flow any oil whereas #8 exhaust does. So, it looks like this set has been sitting on the shelf for ages and every lifter would require disassembly and cleaning.
Art, warranty ? Sure, I bought this set 18 months ago. Typical warranty here is 12 months and the speed shop may have had this set for ages. So, forget it. Nowadays everyone are fitting roller cams and not so surprisingly my speed shop does not have any sets in stock. Estimated delivery date is beginning of August. I will take my chances and warm the engine up to running temp. I'll check the hot lash and also check if all the lifters are operating normally. If not, then the car goes back into garage and I'll leave it alone. |
DiDueColpi Fred Key West coast - Canada (1365 posts) Registered: 05/14/2010 03:06AM Main British Car: I really thought that I'd be an action figure by now! |
Re: Rocker oiling question
Sorry I completely missed the solid lifter part.
Almost always these days they are hydraulics with a spacer stuck in them. That means they were" touched" by human hands after manufacturing. Take them all apart, clean and confirm proper assembly. And run them. A few heat cycles will probably clear up any issues. If you ignore the collapsing comment I promise I'll use my glasses next time! Cheers Fred P.S. been using Vizards Oil Extreme additives on his recommendation for several years now. Have had "zero" flat tappet failures. None, nothing, zip, nada! I don't even consider ZDDP additives anymore. |
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minorv8 Jukka Harkola (268 posts) Registered: 04/08/2009 06:50AM Main British Car: Morris Minor Rover V8 |
Re: Rocker oiling question
No worries Fred, I keep missing stuff all the time. I actually ordered new glasses yesterday to minimize the amount of missed stuff :-) Mentally you feel like a youngster but one´s date of birth tells otherwise.
These lifters are more or less proper solid ones, I guess you can´t have any less parts if the top end is oiled through the lifters. Apparently Covid affects the parts availabilty as well, I did some searching just for fun and quite a lot of stuff is currently "out of stock". |
minorv8 Jukka Harkola (268 posts) Registered: 04/08/2009 06:50AM Main British Car: Morris Minor Rover V8 |
Re: Rocker oiling question
Just to show what I am mesing with, this is what my yesterday´s activities looked like. The heads are Wildcats from ACR in UK, basically very similar to TA heads. I did consider buying TA´s (and maybe should have, these heads have not been a simple upgrade) but chose these in bare configuration. These require a separate cover for lifter valley like TA´s which in theory is good for access.
In my case, I bought the matching manifolds for carbs/throttle bodies but their shape does not allow the removal of the valley cover. I did not want to use carbs ot throttle bodies for various reasons (our local law and requirements among them) so I fabricated a plenum on top of the manifolds. In this case, I got lucky since I could access the offending lifter by simply removing the plenum, unbolting the valley cover and move it back as much as space allowed (1,5"). By using a magnet I could reach the #2 cylinder lifters. To access any other lifters requires more disassembly: draining the coolant, removing one of the manifolds and some other minor details. |