Rockers not getting oil

WIMPERTJO

MEMBER
1983 CHEVROLET SILVERADO
7.4L
V8
4WD
AUTOMATIC
100,000 MILES

Hi guys,

The super heroes who guided me to rebuilding my 454 gen IV. Thanks so much for that.
Now I am getting ready for the first start up and so I am making sure the air is out of the oil system and the everything is lubricated.
I have a thing you put on your drill to run the oil pump without running the engine.
I run it for ever, (the oil runs through the oil filter I checked), but no oil is coming up to the rockers. Non of them.
Push rods, rockers etc are all new, lubed up with your red stuff you use.
The pump starts turning pretty tough after a while, but perhaps that's just building up oil pressure.
Please help before I ruin my newly built engine

5 Replies

ASEMASTER6371

MECHANIC
52,797 POSTS

Good morning,

How fast does the drill go?

It needs to run fast to build up pressure. The rockers are fed by the push rods. They get there oil from the cam bearings that feed the lifters.

When you installed the cam bearings, did you line up the holes for the oil?

Roy

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Thursday, June 18th, 2020 AT 9:27 AM

WIMPERTJO

MEMBER
4 POSTS

Hi Roy,

The bearings were put in in the machine shop, so I imagine (and hope) that they did that.
I do get oil in the place where the Hydrolic lifters are (sorry I'm a foreigner so I don't know what that is called). But I didn't run the drill at full speed, will try that.
Is the any way to find out if the holes of the cam bearings are lined up without taking every thing apart again (I think I know the answer)?

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Thursday, June 18th, 2020 AT 11:40 AM

ASEMASTER6371

MECHANIC
52,797 POSTS

No, there is not.

Try priming it again. You need to get oil to the rockers.

I used an electric drill rather than an air drill. It spins faster for pushing the oil.

Roy

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Thursday, June 18th, 2020 AT 11:45 AM

WIMPERTJO