pre oiling top end of 440 motor

[R413]

Timing mark on balancer. I see you don’t have the balancer on in the photo

 

[stage3]

Timing mark on balancer. I see you don’t have the balancer on in the photo

its on, thats the only rocker pic i have..this is it right now. o.k. i will start there tomorrow. i guess worse scenario is pop off the rocker assemblys, pull up lifters and leave in the valley, and pull cam out and eyeball that bearing. . by unbolting the cam gear it comes right out with no further dissassembly.. thanks.

 

[stage3]

I'd pull off the rockers and poke a wire down the oil hole. Could be the head gasket has no oil hole, cam bearing installed wrong.

did that, wire goes all the way down,i will rotate it some more tomorrow and if it comes to it, pull the cam out and look at the bearing, fairly easy with the full cover gear drive,just a few bolts . but i hope not, motor was going back in on thursday..

 

[BeepBeepRR]

 

[33 IMP]

Hate to say it, but my long distance guess is..... bad cam bearing install.

 

[wvmarv]

View attachment 1144588

View attachment 1144585

Pink = oil.......That's what she said. Bwahaaaaaaaaaaaa !!!.....

 

[steve340]

Is the rocker shaft around the wrong way? I remember something about that somewhere??

 

[padam]

Is the rocker shaft around the wrong way? I remember something about that somewhere??

I have done this before, and I think it still gets oil up top, just doesn't distribute quite right.
Not 100% sure though.

 

[747mopar]

I've never had to put any effort into getting oil to the top, crank it slowly while priming the pump.. that's all it takes. As has been mentioned try it with the shafts off just to eliminate that possibility. I've never had to investigate as mine always oiled but the wire trick sounds logical provided the passage doesn't have sharp turns or overlapping bores to prevent the wire from feeding freely? If it passes freely I would think you could take note of the depth at which it stops and determine if it's the head gasket or cam bearing?

At any rate you've demonstrated the need to perform this check to everyone. Good save, that would have been a costly one!

 

[IQ52]

#6 TDC oils one side and #8 TDC oils the other.

 

[stage3]

found the problem...Crane did not drill the cam for rocker oiling ! bearings r perfectly aligned. but the wire stopped at the solid cam journal...after 2 years now i get to deal with crane. summit says they have a 1 year parts warranty,,i hope the lack of holes in there New cam sways them..

 

[steve340]

Just machine a shallow groove in the cam journal that aligns with the hole in the cam bearing. I made one easily with the lathe. Don't make it to wide or deep.
While it is apart thread the head for a restrictor - you may not need it.

 

[33 IMP]

Just machine a shallow groove in the cam journal that aligns with the hole in the cam bearing. I made one easily with the lathe. Don't make it to wide or deep.
While it is apart thread the head for a restrictor - you may not need it.

Been there, done that, on a later cam for a 55 265, and a 65, 396.
On the other hand, i cant think of a more obvious manufacturing defect. Call crane (its a crane cam, right?)

 

[stage3]

Been there, done that, on a later cam for a 55 265, and a 65, 396.
On the other hand, i cant think of a more obvious manufacturing defect. Call crane (its a crane cam, right?)

yes its a crane,,will call them tomorrow and see what happens now that summit has emailed the original docs...

 

[padam]

Just machine a shallow groove in the cam journal that aligns with the hole in the cam bearing. I made one easily with the lathe. Don't make it to wide or deep.
While it is apart thread the head for a restrictor - you may not need it.

Wouldn't you get way too much oil?
I guess that's why you'd need the restrictor.

 

[Nate S]

Wouldn't you get way too much oil?
I guess that's why you'd need the restrictor.

I’d probably have it drilled with carbide or conventional EDM. Who wants to mess around with a restrictor? Of course a replacement cam would be best.

 

[steve340]

I read about grooving the journals for continuous oiling in a book by Larry Shepard.
The guy seems to know his stuff.
I put far less of a groove in mine than he suggests you can in the book and have no excess oil problems. The groove I put in is 20 thousands wide and 10 thousands deep.
The camshaft has the standard holes plus the small groove.
I decided too go continuous oiling as I have Hughes rockers and wanted to be sure they were adequately lubricated.
I worked on it is better a little to much oil than not enough.
I did not fit an oil restrictor but I feel if you make the groove to big you might need to.
The engine has done 5000 miles - no sign of any undue wear to the rocker system.
I am going from a flat tappet hydraulic to a solid lifter and I intend to groove that too.

 

[Nate S]

I’m quite sure the groove is fine for the rockers. Pressure in the oiling system is directly related to how fast it can leak out. Just like loose bearings or fully grooved mains require more pump or more viscosity, this mod may too.

 

[Daves69]

I read about grooving the journals for continuous oiling.....

Evidently Crane offers the service......... for a specific setup ...........

 

[stage3]

crane cams went out of business a year ago !! hows that for a giant F.U. and i'm left holding a non finished cam. calls r being redirected to lunati who said they wont touch the cam as far as adding the oiling holes. cant blame them. summit ended up giving me what discount they could on a replacement from howards. anyone want a new cam almost done ! half price !