Thread: 454 lack of oil on valve train - Suggestions

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Hi, need help for neighbor.

454 .030 bored
Forged pistons
melling high volume pump
all new bearings
Crane cam
Crane lifters, springs, pushrods
off brand 4v aluminum intake
New Holley 850 cfm
large sump oil pan
All installed in a boat.

Upon startup, blew oil filter off twice -80 psi on gauge
inspected oil pump and bypass valve rusted in place, cleaned
and pressure at 60psi.
Took to lake and inspection of rocker balls showed some blue
and some bluing on push rods. very little oil on valve train.

Pulled motor, used drill to run oil pump - tiny amount of oil coming
out of lifters, installed gauge at rear of block (60psi) installed gauge
at front of block by timing chain (52 psi) still not pushing oil to
valve train.

Where should we look? Possible volume problem? Stumped!
Please help.

Scooting

Given the rust on the pump, I'd pull the lifters and check them for rust, too, as well as checking all of the pushrods for clear path. This is picture of a GenIV BBC oil path diagram - OIL FLOW DIAGRAM Page1 - Super Chevy Forums at Super Chevy Magazine

Denny, Engine had sat for a year. Will take a look at the oil galleries and plugs. Thanks

Roger, Pulled lifters and push rods, all look fine. Tried new ones just in case - same result.
Thanks for the oil flow diagram.

Boat-----is motor installed forward or backwards-is motor a standard or reverse rotation

How's the angle when boat is floating both staedy at rest and on plane plus as accelerates to plane speed

What viscosity oil are they using and what temp operating at-lots of boats with coolers in cool water never get to temp

Originally Posted by Scooting

oil pump and bypass valve rusted in place

JMHO, but if the oil pump bypass rusted shut, you had water in the oil.
I'd bet you have rust in the oil passages going to the lifters and probably in more places than you think. I would pull a couple rod caps and spin the oil pump with a drill to make sure the crank is getting oil. And examine the rod bearings for possible scoring from rust particles, you may want to disassemble the motor and clean it out before any (if not already) damage occurs.

News - good or bad - This Afternoon, he pulled pan on block and oil pump pickup was rubbing on bottom of pan. Pan had a slight bent in depression. Measuring from block pan bolt on surface to bottom of pan and from the same surface to bottom of oil pump resulted in the same measurement. So pickup was flush with pan, not even a quarter inch off. This may be problem but there may be others as noted by suggestions.
Jerry, boat is mounted forward and is a standard rotation. I will ask about pan angles to see if he was also loosing the ability to be in the pool of oil. I will also ask oil viscity and running temp. Lakes he was in likely had a surface water temp of low to mid 70s. Prime lake is at 4,300 ft.
36 Sedan, when the engine sat it was with basically no oil. Only water could be from condensation. He disassembled engine and looked at all bearings and cleaned all parts. The only thing he did not do was to probe the oil galley lines.
Denny, the engine is likely from mid 70s. It has a 2 piece rear main seal and 2 bolt mains.

While I'm not disagreeing with the pickup to pan clearance being a problem, if you're seeing a constant 50 to 60psig oil pressure then the pump is getting suction and pushing oil. If the volume of oil flowing was dropping then the pressure would be dropping, too. I think you're dealing with a restriction, especially considering that

He disassembled engine and looked at all bearings and cleaned all parts.

which says he didn't have the block tanked by a shop, but simply took it apart, cleaned things up and put it back together with new parts if I'm understanding you right.

if the lifters are out spin the pump to check for oil movement in the lifter bores.

News- After banging on the pan, he achieved 1/2" clearance. Drill motor will now pump more oil to lifters. Working one side this morning and all but one lifter is producing a slow drip at the rockers. Took that lifter apart and cleaned it, no improvement. Substituted lifter and same result. Removing lifter and inserting finger, he can feel pressure in the oil line. Questions: With a drill running the pump, is a slow drip as good as it needs? Can the lifter bores be worn enough to let oil pass by? They do not appear to rock in the bore or have noticable side to side movement.

Jerry, using 15w-40 oil and running temp of 180.

Roger, block was hot tanked, bored, and cam bearings installed by best shop in town. It was assembled and sat for a year.

Shine, the lifters without push rods will produce a small slow puddle when running on drill power. It appears that oil will readly appear in the bores without a lifter installed. You can put your finger against the oil exit and feel pressure with the remainder of the lifters installed.

Originally Posted by Scooting

Roger, block was hot tanked, bored, and cam bearings installed by best shop in town. It was assembled and sat for a year.

If that's the case it's sounding more like a plug was left out that's letting the oil intended for the upper end bypass those passages. I'd go back to the assembly process and double check all oil galley plugs. I can't add anything of value here, so I'm done.

I don't claim to know anything about big blocks, I have a buddy who does, I just called him and he had a similar issue, motor was built no top end oil, gave up on the motor & sold the car with motor apart it was taken to a machine shop in KC and they rebuilt it, same problem, never got fixed. I asked what he thought it ended up being and he said some bbc take grooved cam bearings to lube the top end, or some aftermarket distributors castings block off the oil passage incorrectly not allowing oil to the top end, he firmly believe his issue was incorrect cam bearings, he said not all bbc need the grooved. Just the info relayed to me....

if it is out on a stand i would drain the oil and put carb cleaner in it and fire up the drill.

sorry, duplicate post.

Originally Posted by shine

if it is out on a stand i would drain the oil and put carb cleaner in it and fire up the drill.

With all due respect shine, I would do it with diesel fuel or kerosene, but not with carb cleaner. Have you read the label on carb cleaner?

Scooting, have you inspected the pushrods? Could have pipe cleaners stuffed in them to restrict flow. I never did it, but I have read of other guys doin' it.

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