Valve Train Oil Flow

[Boaf 32]

Fellow LCer's,

Developed a tapping noise in my valve train, so reset the lash to no avail. I did notice that the oil flow out of one of the valves was really flowing very fast. Faster than all the others. Some of them are trickles. so hence my question:

1. How does the oil flow from the pump up into the valve train (rockers)? Is it through a single port and distributed down the rocker bar (bar meaning where all the rockers are attached to)?
2. If the ports are blocked, how have others cleaned them? Remove the bolts and pull the train and clean the holes?
3. Now the biggie, if the distribution of oil is clogged inside the rocker bar, how can that be flushed out?

Thanks gents.

Boaf

 

[Catfish28]

Tons of info here-

2F Oil Pressure range & where to measure it

I have yet to find, after about 30 minutes of searching, what the FSM recommends for oil pressure. I've found no schematic of the oiling system. The only FSM portion that I haven't looked in is the Emissions manual. I put a direct mechanical gauge in the port where the sender was and I get 4...

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[Boaf 32]

Tons of info here-

2F Oil Pressure range & where to measure it

I have yet to find, after about 30 minutes of searching, what the FSM recommends for oil pressure. I've found no schematic of the oiling system. The only FSM portion that I haven't looked in is the Emissions manual. I put a direct mechanical gauge in the port where the sender was and I get 4...

forum.ih8mud.com

Thanks @Catfish28. I will most likely pull the valve train this weekend and clean it. Something tells me there is a clog in distribution. This is helpful diagram.

Boaf

 

[Steamer]

I removed and dis-assembled my rocker assembly to thoroughly clean each part separately. The rockers themselves have very small oil holes and were quite clogged. Two holes for each rocker. I used torch tip cleaners, fishing leader wire, penetrating oil and compressed air to get them all cleaned out. Just be careful to keep track of how it goes back together.

My rocker shaft had significant wear where the rockers sat, so I replaced the shaft and installed new rocker bushings.

My 74 F.5 has the oil system like the 2F. I believe your 72 rocker assembly is oil fed externally via a tube but I believe the rocker assembly is basically the same design.

 

[Boaf 32]

I removed and dis-assembled my rocker assembly to thoroughly clean each part separately. The rockers themselves have very small oil holes and were quite clogged. Two holes for each rocker. I used torch tip cleaners, fishing leader wire, penetrating oil and compressed air to get them all cleaned out. Just be careful to keep track of how it goes back together.

My rocker shaft had significant wear where the rockers sat, so I replaced the shaft and installed new rocker bushings.

My 74 F.5 has the oil system like the 2F. I believe your 72 rocker assembly is oil fed externally via a tube but I believe the rocker assembly is basically the same design.

Thanks Steamer, I will be cleaning this weekend (hopefully).

 

[Boaf 32]

I removed and dis-assembled my rocker assembly to thoroughly clean each part separately. The rockers themselves have very small oil holes and were quite clogged. Two holes for each rocker. I used torch tip cleaners, fishing leader wire, penetrating oil and compressed air to get them all cleaned out. Just be careful to keep track of how it goes back together.

My rocker shaft had significant wear where the rockers sat, so I replaced the shaft and installed new rocker bushings.

My 74 F.5 has the oil system like the 2F. I believe your 72 rocker assembly is oil fed externally via a tube but I believe the rocker assembly is basically the same design.

@Steamer , you say 2 holes for each rocker? I see the one over the Valve Spring side. Is there one over the push rod side? I'll see it when I remove it this weekend, but curious.

Boaf

 

[Steamer]

Yup! Oil comes each end of each rocker. When it's all flowing good you'll see the oil running down the push rods. It's been awhile but I think the push rod side hole is on the bottom of the rocker.

 

[Boaf 32]

Thank you sir!!!

 

[middlecalf]

@Steamer if you run the engine with the valve cover off, I'm assuming you can see if oil is coming out of those ports?

 

[Boaf 32]

@Steamer if you run the engine with the valve cover off, I'm assuming you can see if oil is coming out of those ports?

Yes, there is one (number 2) that is flowing really well and the others are OK. Number 5 is eh. It seems that the front half is flowing OK, 4-6 is just average....maybe below.

Most of the video's I've seen for setting valves have low flow during idle. Almost no flow at all. Wondering if that is normal. Cleaning needs to occur, without a doubt. Maybe a paper clip can clean out the rockers. hope so...

 

[JohnnyC]

Low flow at idle is very common

No flow is not too great especially if it looks dry

 

[Steamer]

When I got mine back together, adjusted and cranked up with the valve cover off, it was late at night in a friend’s shop/barn and I had a quartz flood light up close shining on it. The lighting made the oil glisten and it was when I first learned that the push rods rotate as they go up & down. The oil flowing down the push rods spiraled as they rotated. Maybe it was just the excitement of getting it back running along with the type of lighting and of course all the beer, but it was fascinating to watch. Wish I could have got a video of it. Slow motion with music would’ve been cool.

Something like this. "FLOW"

 

[Boaf 32]

When I got mine back together, adjusted and cranked up with the valve cover off, it was late at night in a friend’s shop/barn and I had a quartz flood light up close shining on it. The lighting made the oil glisten and it was when I first learned that the push rods rotate as they go up & down. The oil flowing down the push rods spiraled as they rotated. Maybe it was just the excitement of getting it back running along with the type of lighting and of course all the beer, but it was fascinating to watch. Wish I could have got a video of it. Slow motion with music would’ve been cool.

Something like this. "FLOW"

Nice, serenity now

 

[Boaf 32]

Cleaning the rocker assembly complete. was not super bad, just some minor dirt from 47 years. Oil flow is still not spectacular at idle but acceptable compared to the videos I've seen with the valve cover off at idle speed. It's fine when racing the motor.

Now the question:

1. Valve lash all set to spec 008 Intake and 014 Exhaust.
2. Pulled the push rods out and rolled them and they are straight (Number 5 cylinder)
3. Have a knock on number 5 (pulled plug wire and it goes away mostly)
4. Knock is in the valve train, and "appears" to be in the rocker arm bushing.

Does anyone sell an Intake and an exhaust rocker arm bushing? SOR only has Intake and buying used rocker arm may give me the same noise (comes with the bushing). Any machine shops out there or fellow LCer's with new old stock?

Thanks,

Boaf

 

[Living in the Past]

I would sure it's not a rod bearing.

 

[Dizzy]

There must be some of those in my crawlspace from a 60-project that came free when I bought a head off of an '82. They were stored in the shop's loft, so the rocker arm assemblies were covered in cat hair when I received them.

 

[Steamer]

Did you disassemble the rocker assembly, or clean it while it was all together? If you had it apart you would have noticed any slop or excessive wear. Assembled with the spring tension on the rockers it may have not been apparent.
Don't know for sure but I don't see how pulling a spark plug wire would have an effect on a bad rocker bushing. I like Living in the Past's thought.
You could put pressure on the suspected rocker with something like a hammer handle and see if you can get a noise change.

Bummer about the bushing availability.

 

[Boaf 32]

Did you disassemble the rocker assembly, or clean it while it was all together? If you had it apart you would have noticed any slop or excessive wear. Assembled with the spring tension on the rockers it may have not been apparent.
Don't know for sure but I don't see how pulling a spark plug wire would have an effect on a bad rocker bushing. I like Living in the Past's thought.
You could put pressure on the suspected rocker with something like a hammer handle and see if you can get a noise change.

Bummer about the bushing availability.

I will check to see if I can change the noise. Definitely coming from the valve train, and not rod bearing.

Yep, pulled it off and disassembled. I did not notice any slop, but that doesn't mean it is not there. Danke'

Boaf

 

[Steamer]

The "Hose to the Ear" method helps narrow down noise locations quite well also.

 

[Boaf 32]

The "Hose to the Ear" method helps narrow down noise locations quite well also.

Yep,thanks. I have a Mechanics stethoscope, but not with me...