Help with first start

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Pull the rocker shaft off, and spin the oil pump with the drill see if your getting oil up to that point. Then if you are, you need to mess with the shaft. if not the blockage is lower down in the system.
oil-1.jpg


Just in case, you know that your oil pressure gauge will only move if your key is on.
 
Dynosoar said:
Pull the rocker shaft off, and spin the oil pump with the drill see if your getting oil up to that point. Then if you are, you need to mess with the shaft. if not the blockage is lower down in the system.
oil-1.jpg


Just in case, you know that your oil pressure gauge will only move if your key is on.
Click to expand...
yeah that is what I'm doing right now. I've removed the rocker shaft and spun the pump but don't see anything. Someone somewhere had mentioned the cam being in a certain position, and others seem to say that doesn't matter. I've rocked it into several positions turning the crank and then turning the pump but no success.

Yes I was checking the gauge without the key on at first then realized it probably doesn't work that way. But still I haven't seen that pressure gauge go up much if at all. When I did at one point turn the 40 on and have it running for a short time, the gauge wasn't really going up very much either. Could the sending unit be bad? I do seem to be getting pressure so this is why I'm confused about this.
 
It can take a few minutes to get oil up to the rocker shaft. The camshaft either must be spinning or positioned just right to allow oil up to the rocker.
Oil pumps rarely wear out, oil pressure gauges fail more often.
Put a lot of 12 volt into it (extra battery or jumper box) and spin that engine for a while.
 
You can pull the sender out and see if you get oil pissing out of there when you spin the pump. I have found the drill makes a difference too. I always use a bid 1/2" drill motor and put it on full speed. Stay on it you will get it. It is possible your cam bearings are not lined up but that would have been a problem that would have shown itself before the top end rebuild. Also keep the drill spinning for a solid minute, it is hard to move the viscous liquid (oil) against gravity.
 
Prime with the drill, then use the starter motor to spin the engine. Crank for 10-15 seconds, give it a break and repeat for several iterations.
 
Pighead said:
It can take a few minutes to get oil up to the rocker shaft. The camshaft either must be spinning or positioned just right to allow oil up to the rocker.
Oil pumps rarely wear out, oil pressure gauges fail more often.
Put a lot of 12 volt into it (extra battery or jumper box) and spin that engine for a while.
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See you say that, but then others say like immediately they'll start seeing oil up at the top. I feel like I've done it for a little while, but admittedly I have stopped thinking there was no hope and I was defeated. lol Oh one other thing and reason I haven't gone too long was I burned my Makita cordless drill motor.:mad: I've since bought a cheap Ryobi corded one to try but it also gets pretty hot too.

Dynosoar said:
You can pull the sender out and see if you get oil pissing out of there when you spin the pump. I have found the drill makes a difference too. I always use a bid 1/2" drill motor and put it on full speed. Stay on it you will get it. It is possible your cam bearings are not lined up but that would have been a problem that would have shown itself before the top end rebuild. Also keep the drill spinning for a solid minute, it is hard to move the viscous liquid (oil) against gravity.

Prime with the drill, then use the starter motor to spin the engine. Crank for 10-15 seconds, give it a break and repeat for several iterations.
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So are you guys saying I should turn it with the drill for a while then throw in the distributor and rocker arms and start it and run it for a little bit?

Initially when I was running it, I was not getting any oil at rockers. Since then I haven't tried starting it again because I am expecting to manually be able to make it come out from the oil galley. I really want to see that coming out before trying start it because I figure if I can manually do it then I'll know for sure there is no problem.

Thanks for the responses though, I really appreciate the help.
 
No. Throw the dist. back in with the rocker shaft off and just crank it. Do not start the engine, it wont start anyway with the rocker shaft off. Then see if the oil is making up to the head. The idea here is that the cam is probably out of position, and not allowing the oil to get to the head. If the engine is cranking (spinning) it will allow the oil to find its way into the oil passage leading to the head.

If you were closer I would just come by and help, but Reno is a few hours too far.
 
Dynosoar said:
No. Throw the dist. back in with the rocker shaft off and just crank it. Do not start the engine, it wont start anyway with the rocker shaft off. Then see if the oil is making up to the head. The idea here is that the cam is probably out of position, and not allowing the oil to get to the head. If the engine is cranking (spinning) it will allow the oil to find its way into the oil passage leading to the head.

If you were closer I would just come by and help, but Reno is a few hours too far.
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If you do this be sure the spark plug s are removed.
 
At least disconnect the coil. With the rocker shaft off it wont start.
 
Ok that will be my next step then. Coil disconnected, distributor back in, it doesn't matter timing and all that at this time right? I'm just worried about spinning it and getting the oil up the hole. Turn the ignition for a little bit and see if I'm getting oil. All this is after I have already primed it with the drill correct?

yeah a little too far for hoping over to help, but I appreciate the sentiment. It is encouragement where much has already been lost if nothing else.
 
If you still have the rocker assembly off Take a stiff speed cable or bailing wire and go in the oil port in the head and see that you can go past the head gasket that will tell you if your head gasket is on correct and not blocking the oil port.
 
mrboatman said:
If you still have the rocker assembly off Take a stiff speed cable or bailing wire and go in the oil port in the head and see that you can go past the head gasket that will tell you if your head gasket is on correct and not blocking the oil port.
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Will do. It has a 90 degree turn down there but with something perhaps soft enough I should be good.
 
It does go straight pass the head about an inch just enough to verify that the head gasket is clear
 
Let us know what you find 🤞
 
Yes. Just spin the engine with the starter motor. Might as well take the Spark plugs out, the motor will spin easier.
 
My cordless drill has like no rpm. The distributor should be doing like 250 to 375 rpm.

There are little indentations for the mounting studs on the rocker shaft that align the oiler hole with the oil hole on the proper 2F support block. I noticed that the PO on one of my rocker assemblies jammed the assembly in a random position and made a new indentation.
 
Ok I have something good to report finally...

I had the rail off, tried to stick some bailing wire down the oil galley, but it would not bend easily and couldn't make it down much at all so I gave up on that.
Next I did exactly what we talked about, spun the drill for a little bit maybe 30-45 seconds.
Then I put the distributor in, pulled the spark plugs and had my wife turn the ignition over for a little bit. After maybe 10 seconds or less, I see the oil coming out from the oil galley.

I was so excited! I'm not crazy and it worked like it should!

After that I went into the truck, turned it over again, and looked at the pressure gauge which quickly steadily climbed. So I have pressure!

Now I felt comfortable reinstalling the rocker assembly so I did that. I was ready to try it again to just make sure the oil comes out the rockers, but by then the battery died and I couldn't. But I'm pretty sure it should all work now . As soon as the battery is charged again, I'll make sure before I button it all up that it's coming from the rockers.

Thank you all again for all the help and tips. I would not have been able to get to this point without a lot of help from you all. This is why this is the best community ever. If this thing will fire up after someone like me working on this, then these 2f motors can be worked on by anyone.
 
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