Thread: Oil problem on 390FE

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Just to clear things this is a exsisting running engine that ran well with the adjustables? And you do have the necked down bolt in the correct holes? The oil feed hole is in the cupped bolt hole and you'll see the oil hole inside the cup. Even tho you've cleaned the shafts are you certain they are clean inside and not gummed up? Have you tried just swapping the non adj rockers onto the assy's your adjustables were on? They are both the same with only the rocker arm itself different. Also note the non adj rocker has a 1.73 ratio vs the adj at 1.76. So you'll lose some lift. Crane sells a replacement adjuster with a lock nut for like $60. I'm sure there are still sets in stock at Jegs or Summit. You do need to retap the rockers for the Crane adjusters but that's easy. The aluminum stands can be tight to get on the shafts sometimes. Also the some of the early and aftermarket stands don't have enough of the bottom opened up to let enough oil thru. Later Ford aluminum stands have more of a squarish opening on the bottom that let more oil in. Holes in the rocker shafts point towards the bottom. There are also a few different kinds of oem Ford shafts with different hole count and spacing. Just take a good look at everything and I'm sure you'll spot something.

hey guys,

I wrote a reply a while ago but doest look like its been posted, anyway no bother. Yes there is oil in the pan about 50psi on the gauge. It has to be the shafts on the non adjustable rockers. I took one bank apart and then conducted an experiment
-placed oil drain back pan on
-bolted down single post to oil gallery hole with necked down bolt
-wound motor over and oil flowed out
A friend told me they used felt in the shafts to restrict oil flow and evenly disperse it but I cant see any.. I will have the shaft CLEANED really well this time.
I will let you how it goes.

On another note, Adjustable rockers. Should I collapse the lifter on adjustment or just turn the lock nut till it makes contact with the lifter and then another half turn?