Gravy Waves

So a couple months ago I bought a 1961 Oldsmobile dynamic 88 from a guy with a good amount of mechanical knowledge, but I think he was in a little over his head and liked to cut corners. There is a nasty lifter tick and he supplied me with a whole new set of hydraulic lifters when I bought the car, he said he just hadn't had the time to put them in yet.

I pulled the valve cover and the rocker shaft off the other day to discover that 2 of the rockers had some intense wear on them where they contact with the push rods and that was obviously causing the tick. I also noticed that the rocker arm shaft was rather worn in some areas. Then I noticed that there is no way for oil to reach the rocker arms or shaft because the push rods don't have the center hole for the oil to rise up through, which I figure is why all the wear it there. So I determined that either this guy or the guy he bought it from just slapped some rods in there that were the right length and went on his way.

Now here's where I'm a little confused I ordered a whole new set of 16 push rods for the 394 engine. Ball ended and shown having an oil channel through the center. What I received however does not have an oil channel. Did the company I ordered from mess up or am I missing something? Does the 394 use solid push rods? If so how is the oil supposed to reach the rocker arms?

Any help is appreciated, I haven't been able to find a solid source for information on this anywhere.

Oldsmaniac

If memory serves me where the supports for the rocker arm assemblies are bolted to the head there are holes that allows oil up into the rocker hollow shaft and from there to the rockers and pushrods tops?

Gravy Waves

Okay, that makes sense. I do recall seeing a hole under one of the supports, just the support didn't have a matching hole for it. Do you remember if there was an oil channel in the center of the push rods or not? That would help me confirm because it'd have to get oil either from said whole or oil pumped up through the rods.

Oldsmaniac

I cant remember, I am going by my 394 that I havent worked on in 10 years or so. I was having a problem getting oil up to the rockers and lifters due to the lack of an oil galley plug.

67 Cutlass Freak

I can help you. The push rods do not have holes. The rocker shaft is fed oil up through the head from one oil port. It is not uncommon for the rockers to be worn. When I bought mine it had two worn rockers. You'd swear it was a lifter noise. I have the service manual on disc, if you need any specific information. A slight amount of wear on the shaft is no big deal. Be aware that when you removed the shaft and supports, one long bolt going through each support is a head bolt. Shortly after I repaired mine I developed a head gasket leak from disturbing it. If you would like, I can post some pictures. I have a spare engine that is disassembled.

Gravy Waves

Okay, that does help a lot. Thank you and pictures are always useful. Hopefully I didn't mess up the head gasket, I didn't even think of that, but I plan to pull the whole damn thing out in the next few weeks to do a deep clean and rebuild of the engine bay and all of its contents.

67 Cutlass Freak

Well first of all, I have found out with these 394 BB motors, it's good to have spare parts laying around. When I picked up my '64 Dynamic 88 it had been sitting on a trailer for 15 years in a barn. It took a good tune up, carb overhaul and new fuel pump to get it fired up. Then it was one thing after the next to make it streetable. I picked up an extra set of shafts with rockers off Ebay for $40. The problem mine had was actually where the push rod contacted the ball socket part of the rocker.
I found a complete engine and transmission on Ebay for $49. I spent $120 on fuel to go get it. The engine was supposed to be a runner, but when I got there it was stuck, and had a bunch of broken rings. I stripped it and now it's just sitting on a stand all cleaned up. I'm probably going to rebuild it, but parts for these things are very expensive. I do have a few sources I can turn you on to.
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Okay here's a photo of the deck surface on the heads. The circled passage is what supplies oil to the rocker shaft.
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These photos show the rocker shaft and the second photo shows how the oil comes up through the pedestal then comes out of a small hole in the shat where it is grooved. I moved the rockers out of their normal position so you could see the passage. Then it flows out of the rocker onto the tip of the valve and the top of the push rod.
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If you need a couple rockers, I can probably help you. If you need any information from the service manual just PM me and we'll figure something out.

Gravy Waves

That's awesome, thank you. My problem is in the support then. There was no hole in it for the oil to pass up through to the shaft. They may have been put back on the shaft in the wrong order or something, I'll have to crack it back open to check. Fusick has rocker arms for about $15 a pop so I'll probably go through them unless I find something cheaper before I do the work. When I do get around to pulling the engine I have no idea what I may find so if you do know any good places to get parts on the cheap it would be much appreciated. Poor college student isn't the best thing to be while trying to restore a classic car. Definitely worth it though!

NAS Backyard

I'm trying to figure out the same problem, I have all new rockers and shafts on my 394 purchased already assembled from a reputable Olds guy and I'm not getting any oil out of any rocker tips. I figured out how to get oil to the shafts but you would think if there was a problem from the factory with rocker oiling someone making new shafts would have put some extra holes in them. I'm not starting this engine until everything is getting oil. And it looks like I will be figuring it out on my own. Not even the vendor has an answer for me. But I've only barely started doing research on the net. I have old sets to reference and it appears to be a design flaw. Also , the new replacement rockers have holes at both ends. When I run the drill on the oil pump shaft I'm getting 40 lbs plus pressure and it looks like oil is trying to come out the shaft end caps. There's 2 spots I marked on my balancer were oil gets to the rocker shaft. It took turning and drilling a 1/2" turn at a time to find the sweet spots but I found them. Any other info out there?

redoldsman

Be sure you have the dowel in the second (from the left) rocker arm stand into the shaft. It is the same one the oil comes in. If you don't have the dowel, the shaft will turn and the oil hole will not line up and you will not get any oil.

Olds Dad

Call Tony at Ross Racing Engines. He makes push rods with oil holes in them for the earlier motors (324 / 371) - Likely for the 394's too - talk to him though because you can't just replace all 16 with the oiling kind or you'll have oil everywhere - I think he recommends one in each corner (4 altogether).

There is no person more knowledgable on those engines than him.

59-59-59

Try this- spin the drill constantly ( not too fast) while someone else is ROTATATING the engine. I found out that the spinning camshaft is responsible for shoving oil up that hole up to the rocker arm shaft. And make sure those oil holes are not blocked up

NAS Backyard

I wasn't turning the drill 1/2" at a time I was turning the crank a 1/2" at a time to find where the oil comes up the shaft.

NAS Backyard

[QUOTE=Olds Dad;660532]Call Tony at Ross Racing Engines. He makes push rods with oil holes in them for the earlier motors (324 / 371) - Likely for the 394's too - talk to him though because you can't just replace all 16 with the oiling kind or you'll have oil everywhere - I think he recommends one in each corner (4 altogether).



The problem isn't getting oil UP to the shafts, The problem is getting oil to come out of the pushrod side of the rocker. The holes in the shaft only oil the rocker contact surface.

Tedd Thompson

X2 Toney is the man on first generation Olds motors, he has forgotten more than most have learned...http://rossracingengines.com/c/11/ol...early-catalog/.......