I have a 1960 394 cu in engine that I recently got back from the machine shop. The engine went together well, after oil priming the engine, it started right up and things seem to be going well. After the engine warmed up I started to get a squeak which I tracked down to the rockers not getting adequate oil. I have loosened the rocker shaft posts and remove the spark plugs and spun the engine with the starter, I get oil coming out of the head from under the rocker shaft post on each side. After I tighten things down again I still do not get any oil out of the rockers. I started the engine after oiling the valve train with oil from an oil can, and I cannot see any oil coming out from the rocker arms. After a while it starts to squeak again. I get 40 lb of oil pressure at a fast ideal and 20+ lb at slow idea. I have checked for the plug at the end of the oil galley under the distributor and it is in place.

I have considered getting 4 hollow push rods and place one on each corner of the engine to increase oil flow.

I am wondering if the head gasket is a problem as the head gasket I used may only have had a hole for the oil to pass though rather than a elongated opening in the gasket. Please refer to the pictures. I used a Best Gasket, overhaul set, from Fusick and unfortunately cannot remember how the head gasket was. The pictures I have included are a picture of the block before it went to the shop and you can see the original gasket had an elongated hole. I have a picture of the gasket that I just received from Fusick (I order one because I thought I needed to take the heads off to resolve this problem which I am trying to avoid.) The gasket from Fusick only has a small hole for the oil to pass. If the gasket that I did installed have just a small hole, my question is will this restrict the oil flow, I am thinking as you tighten down the head, the gasket material will pucker up some and make the problem worse. I also looked on line at an overhaul gasket set from Best gasket but a different suppler and the pictures on line show the elongated holes. So I am not sure what the head gaskets were like that I installed. Has anyone used a Best Gasket overhaul set and did it have elongated holes? Has anyone knowingly installed a gasket with just a small hole and not an elongated hole, if so did it restrict oil flow?

I did my best to explain myself, hopefully it was good enough. I also posted this to an old thread that I started for this car, transmission thread.

What else could I do to resolve this problem, maybe I am looking in the wrong places to resolve this?

Thanks

Ray

Bottom of the head showing the oil passage

The block before it went to the shop showing that the original gasket had an elongated hole.

Gasket that I just recieved that shows the small hole for the oil and that there is not an elongated hole.

 

If your getting oil out of the head under the rocker shaft assy, I would say its in your rocker assy. Is the rocker shaft assy assembled and mounted correctly to pass oil from the head to the rockers?

 

 

I had the rocker assembly a part and cleanup. I did not take out the pin or the plugs on the ends of the shaft so I am thinking I could not screw up the re assembly of the rocker arms. I also put everything back in the original positions. Since this problem developed I had the rocker assembly off as an assembly and I bench tested by forcing oil into the oil port of the one post from the bottom and the oil flowed to all the proper places. Thus I am thinking that this shaft and rocker arms are OK. Ross Racing Engines thinks that I should send them the rocker arm assemblies and they would work them over ($120 plus shipping and parts that may be needed) and that would solve my problem. I am not sure. I am concerned that the problem is low oil flow, I am only guessing. I am just trying to think this through before spending money and time.

Ray

 

Ray, scroll down to the bottom and read some from "Related Topics" about the 394. Look on the threads for the oil path. You are not getting oil to the rocker arms. You may still need to pull a plug on the rocker arm shaft and clean out. Pay attention to detail, it might be something simple. Good luck.

 

The rocker assemblies are on the same side of the engine as they were originally. It appears that the oil holes match up. I did get the heads on the wrong sides, just made a mistake and put the left on the right side and tighten down the head bolts before I noticed, I had them mark and thought I had triple checked but I had the engine facing the opposite direction of the car the rest is history. Bone head. The heads look identical same casting number and all the ports appear the same.

Ray

 

It has been many, many years since I saw an early Olds rocker arm set up. I am sure that Charlie Jones and a few others would be a great source of info. I am wondering if the oil hole into the rocker arm shaft aligns with the hole in the rocker arm stand. Something makes me think it could be off 180 degrees and blocking oil flow to the rocker arms.

 

So with this discovery, does the problem still exist or has it been corrected/resolved?

 

I know exactly what you are talking about as the oil port in the head is off to one side of center of where the post mounts and the oil port in the post is on the same side of center.
So everything seems to line up.



Ray

 

Be sure the holes in the rocker arm shaft are facing down. Don't ask me how I know. Let's just say I payed a lot to earn this lesson.

 

Another problem / mistake that happens is that whoever rebuilds and cleans your block may have not replaced the galley plugs with a 40 thousand hole. That plug oils the distributor gear. If they leave them out all together there will be very low oil pressure at the upper end, if they use solid chevy plugs the distributor will run dry at the lower gear. I have seen it happen all ways....... Tedd

 

I did take the distributor out and with an endoscope I could see a pipe plug that was installed. It was at about 2:00 o clock if you are looking down into the distributor opening and you consider the front of the engine 12:00. The plug looks like a regular pipe plug and I am guessing there is no hole to oil the distributor gear, not good.. The plug looks new and a wrench would be needed to install it.
Is there more than one plug in this area?, I hope I am looking at the right plug.

Ray

 

I was wrong about the 2:00 position I should have said 10:00 o clock position if looking down into the distributor hole and 12:00 is the front of the engine.

Ray

 

You should be able to remove the galley plug from the distributor hole , not easy but doable. I believe the lower galley plug is solid so it should be OK. Just a thought, I'm wondering if you have issues with getting the top galley plug out if a L shaped awl could be used to punch a hole in the plug It doesn't need to be a exact measurement as long as it drips a little oil, too big would be a problem though..... Tedd

 

I will try it.

Thanks for everything.

Ray

 

Is there anyone that has installed a Best Gasket, head gasket with only a small holes instead of an elongated hole? The concern is the low oil flow as I have discussed earlier in this thread. I know I have asked this in a different way before but I just want to get as much information from the people that know this engine the best. This forum is invaluable to me and can save people like me money, time and get a better result.
Thanks

Ray.

 

Rule of thumb best I can remember from 1/2 a century ago is your gasket should match your head.I know back in the hot rod days when we swapped heads from 303 to 324 or later first generation engines we did this. I would be suspect of that gasket. My advice would be to contact Tony at Ross Racing Engines and take his advice he works on these engines on a daily basics..... Tedd ....https://rossracingengines.oursafeserver.com/

 

Thanks

Ray