Top end Oil Issues

[MattsFords]

Hello. I'm new to the site. I inherited two old Fords when my father passed away a few years ago. I recently replaced the oil pump in the 66 - 428. I did it in the car, or should I say under the car. I primed it with a drill to a point where the oil pressure guage showed pressure about the middle of the guage. My issue is I am not getting any oil to the rocker arms, push rods and lifters. I started the car for a minute and the guage registers pressure. I do not have any lower end noise. I then removed and cleaned the rocker arm shafts. I replaced the distributor, oil pump shaft, push rods and lifters at the same time I did the oil pump. Any thoughts on why I'm not getting oil to the top end of the engine or how to fix it? Thanks,

[vacreeper]

I am not sure if this will help as it sounds like you removed the valve assemblies after you did not get any oil up top. On the other hand this is all that comes to mind. FE engines require a specific arrangement of the valve assembly to ensure proper oiling. Check to make sure that the following items are installed as stated. First of all the rocker arm shafts have a definite orientation. Most shafts have a notch on one end. The right shaft should have the notch at the bottom front. The left shaft should have the notch at the bottom rear. If your shafts have a groove at the oil hole then this groove should point toward the inside of the engine. In addition, the rocker arm stands must be aligned with the oil holes in the head. If your stands have square holes for the bolt then all is well. If they are the split iron type then there will be a notch cut alongside the bolt hole. If this is the case make sure that 3rd stand from the front on the right side and the 2nd from the front on the left side lines up with the oil holes in the head. Let me know if this helps. Steve

[redstangbob]

Assuming you have hydraulic lifters, you really won't see them oiling much and the push rods don't have oil in them. To double check myself I'd pull both valve covers and rocker shafts, then use your drill to prime it again and note if you get good oil through the hole in the head (it should really shoot). As Steve mentioned the shafts, stands and the hold down bolts have a certain orientation, those all need to be checked. The problem with the FE block is usually too much oil lost through the rockers, not the other way around. No oil coming up through the head is one a symptom of failed cam bearings, or a problem with the head gasket. Good luck, Bob C

[MattsFords]

Thanks for all the recommendations. I pulled the rocker arm shafts off and doubled checked the orientation. (I got it right.) I continued as suggested and ran the primer with a drill with the rocker assebly removed - no oil coming through the heads. So, I will follow the old addage - "last thing fixed, first thing checked" and go back under the car. I will check and/or replace the pump again. If this doesn't work, it sound like I will have to pull the engine and do some bearings and gaskets. I'll post the outcome, but it may take me a few days. The engine does have the square holes in the stands and hydraulic lifters.

[MattsFords]

So I think I've resolved the problem. I pulled the pan and dropped the oil pump and found the gasket between the pickup tube/screen and pump dislodged. I install the pickup tube/screen last, and as I can not see the bottom half of the mount and bolt, I am feeling my way with my hands when doing this. I took my time and made sure the gasket was set correctly, buttoned up the lower end and ran the drill run primer with the rocket assembly still off and now I have oil "gushing" through the heads again. I hope to reinstall all the top end this weekend and start it up, but I feel confident it's working now that oil is coming through the heads. THANKS for the advise and pointing me in the right direction.