Chevy 235 NO OIL TO THE ROCKERS!

The what conversion did you do? Because as the oil filters were isntalled from the factory and the aftermarket kit there is nowhere near 100% of the oil going through, not unless you did some super secret oil filter installation. If you did it as the factory you don't get that big of a filteration...

 

Tom told me that theres some place you can drill on the block to make a modification to get your engine to take full advantage of external oil filtration. The trick is that this has to be done when you're building the engine because you'll end up with shavings in the case during the installation.

I'm not sure what all is involved, but if that's what he did, he'll get most of the engine oil through his filtration system.

Stacey

 

Zman, I'll try to explain as best I can.
You know where the oil pump tube bolts to the block?
We blocked off that main oil passage.
We drilled and tapped a 3/4" hole where the old system came out of the block, this directs all of the oil through a remote oil filter.
Another 3/4" hole was tapped in the block where the old system went back in, the oil returns there and continues on.
I know it's not a very good explanation, I can think and picture it in my head but can't relay the info worth a shit.

Take a look at this pic, you can see where the oil lines are.
I have some better pics at home, I'll post a couple tonite.

 

Only 10% of the oil goes through the filter, true, but eventually all of the oil gets filtered because the 10% mixes with the 90% of unfiltered and eventually it all cycles through. It's not like that first 10% is the only oil to ever pass through the filter and stays completely separate. Good luck on whatever you decide to do, I'd probably run the filter.

 

Here's a link to the Inliner's site.

There is a good tech article on full flow conversions.

http://www.inliners.org/

 

Ahh yes, but then this needs to be done when the engine is torn down...

 

Holy crap! This was a great link... as it looks like my engine was already tapped and upgraded to full flow according to the diagram on that link. We couldn't figure out what that hole was next to the factory return hole at the front of the engine. But based on this description and the diagram, it looks like the hole was tapped per the article.

This actually makes sense because Langdon's did the bottom end and the engine included a spin on filter that we ended up forgetting to pick up from the guy we got it from. Once we remembered it and went back to get it, he had already thrown it away.

I'm going to the garage tonight and will hopefully have good results after troubleshooting the oiling problem. I even have a spin on kit here in the office that I can put on using the upgraded hole.

Stacey

 

Sounds like your lil problem might be solved!
Keep us posted.

 

lots of the old 235s had that external oiling tube installed.it works fine,and its easy to do.when i was a kid i screwed around with 235s.and i don't remember that bolt with a hole in it..maybe thats why alot of the engines had the external tube on them! they were the ones that had been fixed! hahaa! randy

 

Ahhhh, never mind.

 

If your block has been set up for the full filter trick, do you have a filter and hoses. installed? If not the oil is not getting past the plug that should be between the two holes in the oil gallery. Jay

 

Well,

We looked over everything again last night and decided that since we didn't know for sure what the hole was (the cross section diagram confused us) that we'd do the easiest and least complicated method of getting the oil to the rockers and ran a copper line from the pressurized hole on the drivers side, to the hole on the head on the passenger side. It looks fine and works like a charm

When we removed the head bolt (the "one that was supposed to maybe be where the oiling bolt would go") there was no oil coming up from that location when we ran the drill. So it looks like Langdon was in fact right about that bolt hole not being an oil path. We had already adjusted all the valves and such, so the thought of taking the rockers off to check for a gasket blockage was more hassle than we felt like dealing with.

The happy ending is that within 30 seconds of running the drill with the new setup, the oil was flowing great just like it was supposed to all along. And that my friends, is all I really cared about to begin with!

Sunday we're officially FIRING HER UP !

Stacey

 

Not to rain on the parade, I'm totally NOT familiar with the oil path in this engine,
BUT if the main oil passage is blocked to accept full volume filtering...will the front main bearings get oil with the passage blocked off like that...and no additional oil path? (Filter assembly)

I'd want to know that before I ran the engine. You might only have half the problem fixed...the visible half.

Could you just use pipe thread barb fittings to replace the pipe plugs where the oil filter originally hooked up and simply run a bypass line with no filter housing just to be sure no restriction is present?
If there is no blockage in the passage, the bypass would be redundent but harmless...from what I can see anyway!
I'm no guru with these engines or anything but you MIGHT still have an issue and I'd like to see it clairified before you do damage!!!

Best of luck!

 

DON'T FIRE IT UP YET!
Listen to Hackerbill.
If I'm understanding this correctly with your current plumbing configuration you're only oiling the rockers.
The rest of the engine won't be getting oil!
Have hooked up the spin on filter system?
On a full flow conversion, the internal oil gallery that feeds the main oil gallery is plugged off. This forces 100% of the oil out the lower hole, through the filter and back into the engine through the upper hole, this is the main gallery that runs the length of the motor.
Do you have an oil pressure gauge hooked up?
How about posting a couple pics of how things are plumbed right now.

 

Oh god... not more trouble.

I'm starting to hate this car. I just wish that SOMETHING would go right I should have been able to start this beast weeks ago and it just keeps getting dragged out.

I can't take pictures until tomorrow.

If anyone wants to PM me a phone number to help me understand what's going on with this mess, I'll call you.

Stacey

 

Ok guys, I'm still freaking out a little...

How do I fix this new problem? What do I need to do? How to I know for sure if the conversion has in fact been done?

Stacey

 

this is a common fault on the 235 Stacey... the fix is as post take pipe via oil gauge round to small plug at side of head on passenger side of head...

Your be up and running

John
Jef city MO
52 3/4 ton chevy

 

Erm.....If you're still trying to figure this problem out....after more than 3 years while....I'll eat my shoe.

 

Action Girl,

For starters, what is the exact year of your block?

Are you running solids or hydraulics?

Can you post a picture of the drivers side of the block so we can see if it has been modified?

The year of the head isn't relevant.

Running an oil line from the drivers side to the pass. side of the head isn't the right way to handle this.

'57 and earlier blocks had an oil line behind the side cover that took oil from the rear cam bearing and sent it to the top end.
'58 and newer didn't use the line, but plugged both tapped holes. I have seen where guys forgot to put in those plugs and couldn't gt oil to the top.
If the block is '57 or earlier and you are using hydraulics, it better have had them to begin with or the lifter bores won't be cross drilled for hydros.

When retrfitting '58 and newer blocks into earlier cars, some shops would plug the oil hole at the top of the block and install a drilled head bolt. The purpose was to reduce the amount of oil going to the top of the head when trying to use the '57 and earlier rockers arms on the '58 and newer blocks.
Since you report pulling the head bolt and still aren't getting any oil, I'd say this isn't the issue.

If it was converted to full flow, the oil line fittings should be 3/8 or 1/2"NPT, not 1/8"NPT.

 

The 6 DIED in Dec 2005 due to a holed oil pan!
Actiongirl put in a small block.

This horse is as dead as it gets...

 

Hahaa!:d

 

Had the same problem when I installed a 235 short block from an auto parts firm. Went to Chevy dealer and he sold me THE head bolt. It was drilled down the middle (starting at threaded end) and then drilled through side of bolt (just above the threads) to intersect with the first drilled passage. The head bolt was installed in one of the bolt holes near the distributor side of engine and centered between 3 and 4 cylinder. Worked like a champ.

 

Keep in mind, the bolt is useless unless you plug the original passage at the top of the block. Otherwise, the oil will still take the path of least resistance, which would be up and around the head bolt, rather than through it.

 

I bet it needs the headbolt it wont hurt to use it. Oldwolf

 

I bet you fuckers can't read a calender or a clock...

this thread is years old,,, YEARS!

 

Yes an old post...........
What Snarl says........there are only 3 head bolts for a 235-261 engine.The long ones,the short ones,and the "special" drilled bolt when using a 54-58 head on a 59-62 block.Chevy never made a slotted bolt,it's not listed in any GM parts catalog.

 

Ha Ha

 

ther is 3 thing's that might be the problim #1 the by-pas valve spring in your oil pump might be bad and not letting the presher build up enuf to get to the rocker's#2in the 1954 model 235 cid motor ther is a oil toob that run's from the rer main to the center of the motor in under the lifter cover side plait you will need to remove the dist-and the coil so you can remove the side cover on the motor to check out the toob it might not have ben instald#3 the rer main berring might have spun in the main cap you will need to drop the pan and crank-shaft to check it out.if you want i can send you a photo of the oil toob inserted in the motor.if you send me your e-mail adders
my contact e-mail is comet1977@yahoo.com PS.Iam restoring a 1954 210 sedan right now and ran in to the same problim yesterday and that is how i came up with what might be rong with your's my problim was the toob had not ben put in place

 

Jesus Tap dancing Christ. I hate to sound like a 5th grade teacher but..
Punctuation PLEASE!