pre-oiling questions

[Boiler Ben]

I am getting close to adding oil and pre-oiling the engine prior to installing the intake manifold.  I have a couple questions about what to expect.

1) It looks like oil could drip from the rocker arms and maybe enter the intake side of the heads.  I haven't seen discussion on this before.  Do you mask this off somehow?

2) I have the heads tapped for restrictors but have not put the restrictors in yet.  I saw somewhere that the decision about whether or not to use restrictors can be made after seeing what happens during pre-oiling.  But I am not sure what to be looking for.  I do know that my bearing clearances may be a bit tighter than some people use.  And I have a HV standard pressure pump.  And this is a street engine, not a race car.

Any advice?

[blykins]

1.  It could.  It could also run down the drains, run down the head gasket, then along the bottom side of the heads.  It's a necessary evil though.  Just be careful and keep some shop towels handy.

2.  Plan on restricting.  Never seen one that didn't need it. 

[pbf777]

.......................... keep some shop towels handy.

     Yeah, those cylinder head drain passages that emanate at each end of the head intake face, if without a barrier, are going to empty oil on the floor!   

And this is a street engine, not a race car.

     If it's "just-a-street-car", be somewhat less aggressive on the oil restricting intent, just let it 'flow', it is your friend here.  And note that what one might witness in something of a pre-oiling process, isn't necessarily what might be taking place in an actual engine running scenario, at the variable possible speeds.   

     Scott.

[Rory428]

Why not install the intake manifold before you prime the oiling system?

[blykins]

It's not too uncommon to find issues while priming.  Either a lifter isn't doing what it should, a restrictor is doing too much/not enough, etc.  I always prime with the intake off for reasons such as that.  Saves a set of intake gaskets and an hour of clean-up. 

I primed the pump on a SBF once while it was on the stand.  Hit the drill and the amount of oil coming out of one rocker arm was unprecedented LOL.  They were Ford Racing OEM style hydraulic roller lifters and someone had left the metering disc out of the lifter.  Luckily, the intake was off and it was a quick and easy fix. 

[badcatt]

One time I was working on a SBF for a friend. It a fresh rebuild by somebody else, complete and in the car. It dumped oil out the rear of the block. They had forgot to install the plugs. I pulled it out took it down to a long block and installed plugs where needed and out it back together. Then found that all the rockers were over tightened.

[Boiler Ben]

I pre oiled the engine this weekend without the intake manifold and without restrictors. The pressure built to 95 psi (after getting a new heavy duty drill from Harbor Freight).  I noticed oil pooling on top of each of the lifters. Is that all I should be looking for there or should I look for some oil seeping around the lifter bores?

On the rockers, the passenger side flowed a lot of oil, more in the middle than on the ends but it looked like each rocker was getting oil. On the drivers side, there was oil, but much less.  And 7 & 8 seemed pretty dry.  Oil was spilling over on the passenger side, starting to leak down into spark plugs, so I stopped.  Not sure if I would have eventually seen more oil on the drivers side or not.

Ideas for what to try or look for next?

[blykins]

I pre oiled the engine this weekend without the intake manifold and without restrictors. The pressure built to 95 psi (after getting a new heavy duty drill from Harbor Freight).  I noticed oil pooling on top of each of the lifters. Is that all I should be looking for there or should I look for some oil seeping around the lifter bores?

On the rockers, the passenger side flowed a lot of oil, more in the middle than on the ends but it looked like each rocker was getting oil. On the drivers side, there was oil, but much less.  And 7 & 8 seemed pretty dry.  Oil was spilling over on the passenger side, starting to leak down into spark plugs, so I stopped.  Not sure if I would have eventually seen more oil on the drivers side or not.

Ideas for what to try or look for next?

Well, you need rocker arm restrictors for sure.  Never seen an engine where they weren't needed. 

Is this a hydraulic cam?  Are you oiling through pushrods or through the heads?

[Boiler Ben]

This is a hydraulic roller cam.  Oiling through the heads and pushrods are not installed.

I can put in restrictors.  I’ve heard it can add 5 psi?  100 psi sounds pretty high.  Certainly getting enough flow on one side without them. But haven’t seen enough oil on the other side yet.

[blykins]

If you're oiling through the heads, there are things on each side of the engine that can prohibit oil flow, including the head bolts. 

Definitely restrict. 

What oil are you running?  95-100 psi is more than what I usually see.  With an M57HV pump, I usually see about 80-85.

[Boiler Ben]

I am using Schaefers Micron Moly SAE 30.  I have a HV, standard pressure pump. Main bearing clearances ~0.0020”. Temp in my garage was maybe 50F.

[pbf777]

I pre oiled the engine......................., the passenger side flowed a lot of oil, more in the middle than on the ends but..............On the drivers side, there was oil, but much less.  And 7 & 8 seemed pretty dry....................

Ideas for what to try or look for next?

      Remember:   

  note that what one might witness in something of a pre-oiling process, isn't necessarily what might be taking place in an actual engine running scenario,.................     

      But yes, it's a nice start in garnering an impression.   

      Scott.

[Boiler Ben]

I do remember. I thought I was ready. I successfully blocked the oil at the corners. But I couldn’t protect the waterfall on the sides. But just the one side though.

Scott - your comment about being less aggressive with restricting was why I tried without restricting first.  They’ll be easy enough to add now but I’m wondering about the high oil pressure and not enough flow on the drivers side right now.

[blykins]

I do remember. I thought I was ready. I successfully blocked the oil at the corners. But I couldn’t protect the waterfall on the sides. But just the one side though.

Scott - your comment about being less aggressive with restricting was why I tried without restricting first.  They’ll be easy enough to add now but I’m wondering about the high oil pressure and not enough flow on the drivers side right now.

SAE 30 oil is thick.  I wouldn't recommend it at all for a break-in oil for a hydraulic roller engine.  Oils such as a 5W-30, 10W-30, etc., essentially have dual personalities.  They behave one way when it's cold and behave another when it's hot.  Your cold SAE30 oil is probably to blame for the high pressure.  If it were me, I'd ditch it and throw some Valvoline VR1 10W-30 non-synthetic in there, Driven 10W30, etc. 

Put the restrictors in.  Seriously, there's never been one single FE that I've not used restrictors in from the time I started building engines until now.  There's no need to flood the entire top end with oil, even with factory rockers.  The HV pump exacerbates this.  Put the restrictors in.  Put the restrictors in.  If it's a bushed rocker or factory rocker, you can restrict down to .070"-.080".  My longest running street engines are there.  If it's a needle bearing rocker, you can go a hair tighter.

Once you've put the restrictors in  try it again, lay some shop towels in the troughs of the heads, then prime again and see what you get out of the other side. 

[Boiler Ben]

I’ll do it. Restrictors will go in. The ones I have measure 0.084”.  The rockers are bushed. From Precision Oil Pump. I honed them until they rotated freely.

I’ll post the results but it’ll likely be a few days before I get to it.