[jtravis711]

Bought a performance motor Chevy 383 solid lifter roller cam, a couple of years ago and finally got in my '56 this week. Primed the motor on the stand, adjusted the valves. After setting up the motor in the car and firing it up, the valve train sounded a little to loud even for solid rollers. Removed one cover to reset the lash and found that I had only two lifters getting a dribble of oil. Checked the other side and found no oil being pumped up from the lifters. Had checked the plugs in the front (behind the timing gear) they were in, oil pressure at the back of motor is 60#. Need some help.

[scholman]

jtravis711,

I would say the engine sat around too long and the push rods and maybe the lifter oil holes have gotten glogged-up. I would take the rocker arms off and remove the push rods. Blow shop air through each on and then re-install them. Then spray some carb cleaner or brake cleaner down the push rods. Put the valve train back together setting the valve lash as you go. Start the engine and see if you loosened up the cloggs. Or take the intake off and pull each lifter from it's bore and clean the lifter and the push rods with shop air and carb cleaner.

Scholman

[cdminter59]

You will have to pull the timing chain cover and take the galley plugs out. Also there are three on the back of the block. You are checking for thrash, pieces of RTV, etc. Blow them out with air hose. The plugs are 1/4" pipe plugs. I would start on the back first if you find some thrash or silicone behind the plugs I would hook up the drill and see if you have oil flowto the lifters. Never use teflon tape on the threads use the teflon paste. This includes fittings from your guages too.

[Mr. P-Body]

Is it a "small base circle" cam?

The oil band on lifters tends to be too "low" when a small circle cam is used. The "fix" is to use Pontiac/Olds lifters (Comp #859-16). The oil band is a little more than 1/8" higher.

FWIW

Jim

[jtravis711]

Thanks guys for your help, took the top end down and ended up removing and cleaning the oil filter adapter, spinning the oil pump back up and got oil flowing everywhere.

[malc]

Originally Posted by jtravis711

Thanks guys for your help, took the top end down and ended up removing and cleaning the oil filter adapter, spinning the oil pump back up and got oil flowing everywhere.

This had me tearing my hair out.
Ended up refitting my oil cooler setup completely and installing a new pump before I found it.