56 - no oil to heads revisited

[Edward M.]

OK, just pulled the engine apart to see what was going on.

1. Cam has the correct slot on the rear.
2. Rear cam bearing has two holes
3. Rear cam bearing is installed so that holes line up properly in the block.
4. Using the original 872 distributor (also tried a 56 847 distributor)

OK, so why isn't this thing getting oil to the heads?

Notice the gouging in the rear cam bearing.

[Michael A.]

Re: 56 - no oil to heads revisited

Are you using the correct distributor?

[Edward M.]

Re: 56 - no oil to heads revisited

Yep, see post above that I just modified

[John H.]

Re: 56 - no oil to heads revisited

Ed -

The score lines on the bearing in the middle photo above (made by the edges of the flat on the cam) indicate that the hole in the bearing that feeds the groove with the lifter gallery feed holes is outside the sweep area of the flat, thus that hole isn't getting any oil. Looks like the cam bearing needs to move about 1/8" rearward in its bore in order to expose BOTH holes in the bearing to oil pressure when the flat comes by.

[Edward M.]

Re: 56 - no oil to heads revisited

OK, it gets better. I put the cam back in, filled all the lifters with oil (one doesn't seen to want to fiil), then used my oiling tool (with a flat where it needs it).

The driver's side is oiling the heads fine (except for that one bad lifter). The passenger side has no oil at all. Nothing, nada.

I'm guessing the oil gallery to the passenger side head is clogged.

I'm thinking that I need to pull the rear cam bearing and put some compressed air to the passenger side gallery.

[Edward M.]

Re: 56 - no oil to heads revisited

I am using an old distributor from a late model engine as an oiling tool. I ground a flat on the side of it to match the flat on a 56 distributor.

One person seems to think this may be why I only getting oil to one head.

Thoughts?

[Clem Z.]

Re: 56 - no oil to heads revisited

I am using an old distributor from a late model engine as an oiling tool. I ground a flat on the side of it to match the flat on a 56 distributor.

One person seems to think this may be why I only getting oil to one head.

Thoughts?

that would allow the oil to just flow back down into the oil pan without getting to the lifters because the oil takes the path of least resistance and would lower the amount of oil available to the lifter gallery

[Edward M.]

Re: 56 - no oil to heads revisited

OK, may have found the problem.

I made an oiling tool out of an old 56 847 distributor that I had laying around.

I put it in, orienting it like I had the original distributor, with the tag facing straight ahead. I spun the drill and got no oil to either head. I rotated the distributor counter clockwise a bit and oil started shooting out of the rear push rods on both heads. The rest of the push rods caught up soon.

I did notice that the push rods at the front of the engine don't get as much oil as the rear push rods.

The one bad lifter turned out to be the oil hole in the side was not drilled all the way through. I drilled it through as an academic exercise and it then filled with oil just fine from an oil can. I also had three of the lifters come apart.

I'm going to replace the lifters. I think the rear cam bearing and cam are OK at this point.

I need to check the orientation of the original distributor and see what it looked like. It may have not be oriented properly.

[Steve H.]

Re: 56 - no oil to heads revisited

Edward,
I had the same problem with my 56 using the original distributor with the flat spot. Only the drivers side head was oiling. I turned the distributor 90 degrees and no more problem. The oil tube should be on the passenger side.

Steve