No oil in heads?

[bullet87]

Just put the motor back together. Started in up and made alot of noise in the heads on both sides. Pulled the breather off and the noise matched the rocker arms movement. I just pulled a valve cover and I dont see a drop of oil in them. How is this possible?

 

[notacarlo]

It can take a while for oil to make its way up there, that's why a good molly assembly lube is important. Another option is to prelube the motor before actually starting.

 

[rodman99999]

Your lifters didn't pump up(assuming you still have hydraulics). Prelube/assembly lube does nothing for that. Priming the oil pump and engine, with a drill and priming tool will. If you have a lot of clearance in your bearing journals, you could have low oil pressure too(just a possibility).

 

[bullet87]

I have alot of noise up there when the car is started. Like chatter, but louder. I cant move any of the pushrods up or down. Some feel more free than others. I did not change the cam, lifters, pushrods or rocker shafts. How can I adjust to get rid of the chatter, or is it a oiling problem?

 

["Turbo-T"]

This wasn't on a GN engine but a Chevy V8 I did....the machine shop didn't clean out a ball of silicone in the oil galley before reassembly, found out the hard way once we found no oil getting to the rockers.

 

[gnxtc2]

Take the valve covers off, remove the cam sensor and prime the motor with a SBC priming tool. While priming spin the crankshaft over a few time by hand. Once you see oil at the rocker tips, you're primed.

Billy T.
gnxtc2@aol.com

 

[Blown&Injected]

Take the valve covers off, remove the cam sensor and prime the motor with a SBC priming tool. While priming spin the crankshaft over a few time by hand. Once you see oil at the rocker tips, you're primed.

Billy T.
gnxtc2@aol.com

AGREED!!!!!!

 

[27Skulls]

This wasn't on a GN engine but a Chevy V8 I did....the machine shop didn't clean out a ball of silicone in the oil galley before reassembly, found out the hard way once we found no oil getting to the rockers.

Might be worth looking into: Warranty issue with the machine shop due to negligence!

 

["Turbo-T"]

Might be worth looking into: Warranty issue with the machine shop due to negligence!

Once they cleaned out the galley and replacing a few wiped bearings, it was all good. Sucky thing was having to tear it all back down after putting it together and getting it in. I was not in the mood to take it out and really wasn't in the mood to put it back in either. I've since sold the car and the engine and have moved away from that location. Just a word of warning to make sure your block is cleaned well before assembly. Live and learn.

 

[bullet87]

I have never heard of SBC priming tool. can you explain and what exactly I hook it to?

 

[rodman99999]

I have never heard of SBC priming tool. can you explain and what exactly I hook it to?

Most any auto supply shop will have a Chevy Oil Pump Priming Tool in stock. You remove the Cam Sensor and insert the primer, attached to a hand drill. This will run your oil pump, and prime your engine. Rotating the crank is good but not absolutely necessary. Looks like this: (http://paceperformance.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=25140)

 

[bullet87]

not around here they dont. So I ordered one, lets see how long it takes to get here. Could the lifters be bad? I never pulled them out when I replaced the piston rings, and they worked fine before.

 

[coach]

In a pinch you can use a long screw driver shaft or a SBC( small block chevy) oil pump shaft in a drill. The only difference is the sleeve to keep it aligned on the oil pump drive. A large screw driver has saved the day before, just do not run it to fast. You dont need a lot of speed, just a constant rotation.
Just helping. I know it sucks when having to wait.

Coach

 

[rodman99999]

not around here they dont. So I ordered one, lets see how long it takes to get here. Could the lifters be bad? I never pulled them out when I replaced the piston rings, and they worked fine before.

Chances are they(or some) collapsed/drained out while you had the engine apart, and if you didn't get any oil to the rockers(as you said), they didn't get enough to pump back up either.

 

[bullet87]

Ok spun priming tool in cam sensor hole for about 1 1/2 minutes. I dont see any oil on the rockers. Now what?

 

[rodman99999]

While the engine was apart; was the oil pump removed, disassembled or modded? If so- Who did the work?

 

[bullet87]

oil pump not removed. I did the work

 

[27Skulls]

Ok spun priming tool in cam sensor hole for about 1 1/2 minutes. I dont see any oil on the rockers. Now what?

Remove the oil pump cover plate, pack the gears with vasoline, re-assemble, then try priming again.:smile:

 

[coach]

Few ?'s.
Do you have an oil pressure gauge?
How far down did you tear the motor? Bare block?
If so, did you remove the plugs in the oil passages by the cam?
If so, did you peen the plugs after install?
This happens all the time, guys put new plugs in and forget to peen them and when started the oil pressure pushes them out. If this happens, you now have a 1/2 oil passage lubing your timing chain and nothing in your top end. No oil pressure either.
If you did not remove the plugs, this is not your issue, but I just thought I would mention it. It has come up on several other forums I belong to in the past.

Hope you find it,
Coach

 

[rodman99999]

Vaseline prime works. That's my procedure too. Did you have the crank turned, rods sized or both? If so- what clearances on the mains and rods? Too big and all your oil pressure bleeds into the pan. Some shops don't know you can't clearance a Buick like a Chevy.