pre oiling top end of 440 motor

[stage3]

anybody know the correct positioning of the cam to pre oil both sides of the rocker assemblys ? almost burnt up my drill today trying to get oil up top before i install the motor..440 with trickflow heads, crane roller, RAS rocker gear. pulled 1 hold down over the oil passage and its bone dry, ran a small wire thru it all the way down to the cam no blockage. was pumping at 60 psi.. short block was profesinally assembled . Thanks.

 

[theman440]

Have somebody rotate the crank while you prime - that's what I do.

 

[gkent]

There is no single position, it alternates between banks. That's why you need to rotate the crank while priming.

 

[33 IMP]

Ive seen the answer to this..... but i dont remember it. Basically it was....put the engine firing x cylinder, the x bank oils, put it to fire y cylinder, oils y bank.
Best advice is what you already got, Rotate the engine slowly by hand while priming.

 

[gkent]

You'll find "X" and "Y" soon enough - by spinning it !!

 

[stage3]

There is no single position, it alternates between banks. That's why you need to rotate the crank while priming.

thats what we were doing, and after a couple of hours of no oil to the top i stopped before i burned up my drill. cam does have .0025 bearing clearance in it. wonder if that would affect things..

 

[R413]

If you been rotating the crank and have no oil up top then there is a problem.

Put on #1 compression stroke, rotate 1/4 turn clockwise. Now it will be Oiling left side. Turn 3/4 turn clockwise to timing mark. Now oiling right side. Now on #6 compression stroke. Engine is 180 degrees off so install distributor to #6 in this position.

this works perfectly if you follow these instructions, I have done it.

 

[R413]

Assuming your #4 cam bearing is oriented properly, maybe a stiff wire down the head and block passage until you can feel it drop down into the hole drilled in the cam journal?

How the hell are you going to feel that?

 

[33 IMP]

How the hell are you going to feel that?

The wire will butt up against the cam, till the holes line up. Then it will move down an inch or so.
By the way, your answer is the one i was looking for and couldnt remember.
Edit: if you cant get the wire to drop into the cam anywhere...... chances are the cam bearing ISNT installed right.

 

[R413]

It will butt up against the cam, till the holes line up.

Oh yes wire will enter the hole in the cam. Good idea, sorry for my confusion.

 

[Daves69]

 

[sam dupont]

Turn the crank VERY slowly. Is the pump turned clock wise or CCW?

 

[gkent]

If he has 60 lbs of pressure, he's turning it the right way !!

 

[stage3]

Turn the crank VERY slowly. Is the pump turned clock wise or CCW?

reverse the drill so that would CCw. it maintains 60lbs oil pressure while hunting for the cam holes..i dont remember it being this difficult in the past oiling up the top end.

 

[stage3]

Oh yes wire will enter the hole in the cam. Good idea, sorry for my confusion.

i ran a wire down all the way to the bearing/cam after position the rockers so there would not be any pressure on the oil hold down, gently. didn't want to scratch up any surfaces. did not rotate looking for holes.

 

[stage3]

If you been rotating the crank and have no oil up top then there is a problem.

Put on #1 compression stroke, rotate 1/4 turn clockwise. Oiling left side. Turn 3/4 turn clockwise to timing mark. Now oiling right side. Now on #6 compression stroke. Engine is 180 degrees off so install distributor to #6 in this position.

this works perfectly if you follow these instructions, I have done it.

so u r saying that as the #1 piston is coming up on firing stroke look for oil at this point. and then another 3/4 turn or so based upon the diagram below...

 

[gkent]

I'd pull off the rockers and poke a wire down the oil hole. Could be the head gasket has no oil hole, cam bearing installed wrong.

If it already has oil everywhere but the top end you can spin the pump by hand with a speed wrench while the shaft(s) is off to see if you get oil up there - don't do it with the drill though or you'll have oil everywhere if it flows!!

Also, be careful poking the wire down there. Spinning the cam will shear the wire off if its thin enough and you keep turning. Then you're really screwed !!

 

[R413]

so u r saying that as the #1 piston is coming up on firing stroke look for oil at this point. and then another 3/4 turn or so based upon the diagram below...

NO that’s wrong.
Put on #1 compression stroke, so the timing Mark is lined up, then turn crank 1/4 turn clockwise past that.


Sit down and relax, then read the instructions again.

 

[stage3]

Edit: if you cant get the wire to drop into the cam anywhere...... chances are the cam bearing ISNT installed right.

yeah, that has crossed my mind. but the shop is a reputable 1. race engines laying around all over the place. i cant rotate the cam without the hold down on when it starts compressing valve springs though, 525lbs open. i will continue tomorrow rotating in the suggested areas and hope it oils up, as someone else said, not all cams have the holes in the same spots and the oil holes r not all the same size either..my 1st crane cam other than CC. i hope i dont regret it.

 

[stage3]

so the timing Mark is lined up,

timing mark on the damper or the cam gears ?