Famine67

iTrader: (3)

Hey all,

I’ve started my 416 LS3 based solid lifter stroker engine. I’m getting oil pressure but when I remove the valve covers I’ve noticed that half of the rockers on each side are dry. On the driver’s side the 1 and 7 cylinder rockers are both flowing oil. On the passenger side 4 and 6 are getting oil. Rockers for for 2, 3, 5, and 8 are dry. So that’s the inners on the driver side and the outers on the passenger side.

I’ve checked the rockers and pushrods for obstructions and don’t see anything. Looking down the pushrod hole I see that the lifters have their cups full of oil.

Specs are as follows:
Fresh Manley stroker Kit in a stock block
Melling 10296 high volume oil pump
Morel 5452 link bar solid lifters
Jesel sportsman roller rockers
8.150 pushrods no oil restrictors.
Elgin cam for solid roller LS

Ive run the engine for about 10 minutes in short 3 minute or less bursts. Revved to about 2-3K. Seeing 45psi at 1000rpm. Oil seemed to be getting warm enough to melt assembly lube.

The engine sat for a year before running. I’m wondering if the red and tacky assembly lube I used on the pushrod ends could’ve clogged the lifters.

Any ideas? I’d like to avoid having to pull the motor out of the car to take off the heads.

Darth_V8r

iTrader: (4)

That sounds like DOD. In the firing order 1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3. I think if I am not mistaken when dod kicks in, it is 1-7-6-4.

Possibly the risers in the valley were not plugged? Or you are trying to run dod and need the 10355 pump?

Famine67

iTrader: (3)

Not trying to run DOD. I’m using a standard L92 valley cover with O-rings. The DOD towers were not plugged. I think you’re onto something. The DOD cylinders are the only ones getting oil. The oil pump could be overpowering those O ring seals up top. It’s an older cover I recycled from a previous build.

Whats the best short term solution to plugging these holes with the engine still in the car? Would like to avoid tapping the holes and getting aluminum in my oil galley. I know the rivet tool exists. Would RTV work?

Darth_V8r

iTrader: (4)

I honestly do not know. Epoxy would stand a better chance than etc I would think. I would end up stuff the valley full of towels and tapping.

Famine67

iTrader: (3)

Got some 1/8 NPT plugs and will update later. Thanks.

Famine67

iTrader: (3)

I plugged the DOD holes. I have increased pressure now, oil is shooting straight out the rockers and over the fender but the rockers in question still aren’t getting oil. Not even a small bleed.

I tried putting extra oil and 0.040 restricting pushrods in the cylinders that were getting oil. Still no dice. Maybe half the rockers are clogged with something? Seems unlikely but I’m out of ideas.

Darth_V8r

iTrader: (4)

Yeah that is really weird. I will ask around on my end see if anyone has heard of this.

Famine67

iTrader: (3)

Thank you very much. I’m using a GTO oil pan and I deleted the pressure relief valve at the back of the pan using Improved Racing’s plug. Can’t see how this would cause problems but I’m trying to figure out how the DOD system could be affecting this, as it’s the only thing that seems to correspond with the oiling pattern. How on earth is oil in the galley “skipping” the middle 4 lifters...?!

Darth_V8r

iTrader: (4)

OK, recommendation -- swap pushrods from functioning to non-functioning. Verify crud in the DOD system did not plug the pushrods.

The important part is to see if the pushrods from a non-functioning cylinder start to work on a functioning cylinder.

Edit -- pluging the relief should be helpful not harmful. https://ls1tech.com/forums/generatio...re-relief.html

Edit-Edit- Recommendation - verify in the tune DOD has been disabled.

Darth_V8r

iTrader: (4)

OK--- Another couple guys came back with "LS sometimes takes a bit to get oil up top" especially since the motor sat for a while, etc.

Suggestion is this -- make sure the pushrods are not plugged. Blow through them if you need to. if plugged, there's the answer. if not, reinstall, and use a syringe to fill the pushrods to overflowing. Then start the motor. Let it run until at least the thermostat opens up. Direct quote - "Let the assembly lube do its job".

I know I'd be nervous as hell with that last part myself, but just passing along what I heard. I do think blowing out the pushrods and syringe-filling sounds promising. He was saying that the assembly lube had gotten really gummy inside the pushrods from an engine sitting after assembly. The AFM thing may be a fantastic coincidence or they may get more oil from the block so they flowed first. Symptoms were exactly like yours. Great oil pressure, but only half the rockers getting oil.

This question is from me -- did you prime the engine oil in any fashion? What's your valve lash set to?

Twin_Turbo

iTrader: (9)

Use 8mm sealing rivets to close off the holes. Lingenfelters sells them if you cant source them locally. Summit has them.also

Famine67

iTrader: (3)

I tried swapping rockers/pushrods to no effect. The oil flowed through the same cylinder rockers. I’ve also blown air through the pushrods.

Sent an email to tuner regarding DOD. Is there another valve somewhere that could be affecting this? I thought DOD stuff was completely absent from this engine.

Engine was primed with a pressure tank and with Vaseline in the pump. I was seeing oil seep from half of the rockers, but not the others. Lash is set to 0.014” for each cylinder. I tried 0.025 but saw no change in oiling.

I guess I’ll try running the car until it’s solidly up to temp. I just hope I don’t ruin my valvetrain.

Im thinking half the lifters may be clogged. I put a long wand on an air compressor and tried to spray air through the top orifice. The good lifters seemed to flow air but the bad ones would not. I put Red and tacky on the lifter rollers and pushrod ends when I assembled the engine a year ago. Maybe that gummed up the lifters.

Darth_V8r

iTrader: (4)

I agree - that stuff might have just gummed them up a bit --

I would follow the suggestion to syringe fill the pushrods with oil. Might even be that doing that and letting them sit will help.

Only other stuff is in the valley and you swapped that out

Famine67

iTrader: (3)

Tried syringing pushrods full of oil. The good cylinders accept extra oil no problem. The bad ones had pressure fighting me. Compressed air through the pushrod on a good cylinder squirts oil out of the rest of the galley. Very little air gets through the others. Something is basically sealing those lifters.

I crossed my fingers and tried running the car up to temperature. This is with oil restricting pushrods in the “good” cylinders. Let the water temp hit 220 before I called it. Valvetrain was making some noise. I revved to about 3K to encourage oil flow. Popped the valve covers off and turned the engine over with the starter. No improvements.

At this point it’s either a strange set of clogged lifters or I think the lifter bores may be too tight. I’ve read that most lifter brands run small but Morels tend to be larger diameter. These lifters never got a channel cut into them to assist with oiling. I feel like the shortblock builder should have checked the diameters of the bores/lifters, but it’s my problem now. I’ve been running 30wt oil this whole time but I doubt thinner oil will solve anything.

At this point I’ve tried just about everything I can think of. It looks like it’s time to remove the heads.

Darth_V8r

iTrader: (4)

Yeah there's really nothing else you can do. Sorry man

G Atsma

I have a feeling something will stick out like a sore thumb once the heads are off.

00pooterSS

iTrader: (40)

For future reference Texas Speed has plugs that you tap in with a hammer. So far those are my favorite.

And subscribing to this one, can't wait to see what the answer ends up being, but I suspect something funky with lifters.

grinder11

iTrader: (1)

Have you found a solution yet?

ddnspider

iTrader: (26)

Vasoline is a bad idea. I'd take the heads off regardless and pull all the lifters and soak/clean them with the pushrods.

grinder11

iTrader: (1)

I've never used vasoline, either. I made up an oil primer out of 4" diameter PVC, about 2' long. I put caps on each end, one glued on, one screwed on. Drill and tap the oil galley plug at the front of the engine on the drivers side (do this while plug is on the bench, in a vise or whatever, NOT in the engine block). You can buy a new one at the stealer cheap. Put a air quick disconnect at the screw on cap, and put a nipple on the bottom, glued on cap. I used fuel line from the PVC nipple to the drilled and tapped oil plug, after you install it in the oil port. Turn your air compressor regulator down to 35-40lbs pressure. Put 3 to 4 quarts of oil in your PVC cannister. Screw cap back on, and connect your air compressor via your quick disconnect. This is a good, cheap way to prime your LSx engine with oil. Just make sure you have no debris in your air line, and be sure you wipe out the inside of your PVC cannister, so nothing contaminates the oil your sending thru the engine. You should see oil come out of all 16 lifters. It really isn't difficult to make this primer, and it works. I'm wondering if you got some lifters that the oil hole wasn't drilled thru to the lifter cylinder/piston. If that was the case, you would think those afflicted lifters would collapse, causing a noticeable clicking and clacking. Please keep us posted. Best of luck to you....