I have a totally stock 324 V8 motor in my 1955 olds super 88.
There is a small copper line that comes up from the oil filter adapter, hits a T and runs over to feed oil under the valve covers.
Has anyone ever seen anything like this and can I just remove it. The copper lines leak oil all over the top of my motor right near the distributor.

Pictures of lines and valve covers attached.

Thanks,
Gus

 

It is an after-market top oiler kit. They were common/popular back in the day. Yes, it should be able to be removed without doing harm.

My recollection is that the line(s) went through the valve covers. If that is correct, those holes would need to plugged after the removal.

 

That is what it sounds like to me also. You might want to remove and plug the oil line but there probably a reason why this was done in the first place. If mine I would pull the valve covers off and see if you are getting oil to the rockers. Is your oil pressure running in the normal range?

324's don't sling oil around like a sbc so don't expect the fire wall to get soaked also if the engine was apart quite often the galley plug that oils the distributor gets forgotten on reassembly This will give you a low oil pressure reading and this may be a back yard attempt to fix this condition..... Just a guess from afar.... Tedd

 

I have never seen one of these on an Olds. I am sure they are a stop gap solution to rockers that are not oiling. Similar kits were popular on Y-Block Fords after they had some miles on them.

 

It can be removed, but it is likely that it was put there to aid oiling of the rockers. After it is removed, you may notice oil starvation at one or more rockers. This can be remedied by renewing or modifying the current rocker shafts (assuming that there is no shortfall in the oil feed coming through the cylinder head). Also reconnect the oil pressure gauge if you want it to operate.

 

That copper line is smashed so flat, I can't imagine its making much of a difference anyway.

 

I removed the copper lines. No difference yet.