Thread: Lubrication problem

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Two things common on those engines

The oil passage to the rockers plug up in that short horizonal area where it goes sideways toward the bolt in the hollow rocker stand

Those engines had the rubber umbrella valve stem seals and they when they got old and brittle they would crumble up in zillions of rubber bits and eventually get down into the pan and plug the pickup screen---there generally is evidence along the edge of the head under the valve cover and/or you can see that the seals aren't on all the valvestems
These were one of the first engines to get fit with PC type seals on the engine

Jerry

I dont have a fix Denny and the pro's here will help with that but thru some research i found some oil mods that this guy says helps a 390 or fe by means . Just searching because i too have a 390 that will need refurbished . This guy shows some good mods to create the best oil flow . The link to his oil mods is on the left once open click on pages they will enlarge .. Once enlarged you can save them and print out later .

http://home.comcast.net/~gtscode/gtscode/

Denny looks like some vintage paper also . I figured you or someone may be able to add to it with more tech also.

Wow, I'm getting quite an education on this fe lube system. I'm going to do my best to get to "wrenchin" today, I'll let you guys know what I come up with. Again, thank you all for all of the technical information.

Denny did a search for paul found no site but i did find him at a ford forum so im close

Well, I pulled the bolts on the rocker shaft and blew compressed air down through the oil passages. I then hooked up a 0-100 psi gauge at the oil filter adapter. Zero psi at idle. Changed out the gauge to verify. Zero psi at idle. I do get oil pressure as I increase the rpm. It goes as high as 80 psi and I eventually get oil from the rockers and the engine smooths out and the lifters quiet down. As soon as I let her idle the lifters get noisy and back to zero oil pressure. Next move is to drop the pan and see what is going on with the screen and the pump. Are there end clearances I can check on the pump gears? When I do get a new pump should I consider a high volume or a high pressure pump? I've seen them advertised high volume, and I've seen them high pressure, whats the difference. It seems like a high volume would have the potential of high pressure. I read that the 427 has a bypass spring set at 100 psi. Does anyone know what the normal setting is on the 390? I was surprised to see the pressure go as high as 80 today. Could that be my spring pressure?

Originally Posted by swcash

Well, I pulled the on the rocker shaft and blew compressed air down through the oil passages. I then hooked up a 0-100 psi gauge at the oil filter adapter. Zero psi at idle. Changed out the gauge to verify. Zero psi at idle. I do get oil pressure as I increase the rpm. It goes as high as 80 psi and I eventually get oil from the rockers and the engine smooths out and the lifters quiet down. As soon as I let her idle the lifters get noisy and back to zero oil pressure. Next move is to drop the pan and see what is going on with the screen and the pump. Are there end clearances I can check on the pump gears? When I do get a new pump should I consider a high volume or a high pressure pump? I've seen them advertised high volume, and I've seen them high pressure, whats the difference. It seems like a high volume would have the potential of high pressure. I read that the 427 has a bypass spring set at 100 psi. Does anyone know what the normal setting is on the 390? I was surprised to see the pressure go as high as 80 today. Could that be my spring pressure?

With those miles, best thing to do is just replace the pump with and OEM rated volume and pressure pump. In an old engine, a hi volume pump will put too much oil in the top of the engine and too slow to drain back without some rework on the oil returns. Hi pressure isn't necessary on a stock engine, would do more harm then good. Pull the pump, take the pickup tube off and clean it thoroughly, reinstall it on the new pump.

Dave is right, just pick up a good quality stock oil pump and use that. Anything we say now is pure conjecture, you won't know what you really have til you pull the pan and look inside. You say the valve covers are clean, but the pan is the lowest point in the motor and sludge and crud always accumulate there.

Unless you have already done damage, I'm betting you find a clogged pickup and a weak pump and changing/ fixing those items helps. Post some pictures of the inside of the pan and all when you pull it down. We are curious.

Don