Need some advice for priming oil system on a 331 hemi '55. Anyone know how I can tell when the oil feed holes are lined up for the rocker shafts. I think there are 2 positions, one for each side. I would like to have the rocker shafts full before I fire it if possible. If the rocker gear was off it would be easy. Thanking you in anticipation. This is a fresh engine and just ran the pump up with a drill. Plenty of oil pressure. 60psi.
I think the second stantion from the front is the oiler,if no one took the rocker ***embly apart you you should be ok.
The thing I find that works best is to crank the motor over with the starter (and plugs out) out while priming the motor. Once you see the oil oozing out around the rockers, you're good to go! ****on it up and let 'er rip. Easy cheesy! The chances of finding the sweet spot where the cam lines up is real tough.
What Scooter said...I did mine having a friend turn the engine manually while priming, but it took forever and a day! As has been said there is one cam position for each head to recieve "timed oiling".
Start the engine without the valve covers and keep a oil squirt can handy if you have concerns. You can also work something like STP into the rocker/shaft contact area. .
Best way is with the Positive Prime method. Make up a flexible line (1/4" oil/fuel hose) and put swaged ends on it, plumb it from a car or truck with good oil pressure: connect it to the 'donor' vehicle at the oil pressure gauge port, then to a tee (1/4" pipe) at the Hemi's oil port where the pressure sender is. Start the donor vehicle, read the pressure gauge on the hemi. Turn the hemi over by starter or manual cranking. When you see the rockers are oiling, shut off the donor vehicle. Check oil levels in both engines: Hemi should be over full, donor possibly a quart low, depending on how long you let it run. (shouldn't be too 'low' as the hemi is 'cold'...) Or take your chances and just start it! (does this sound smart?)
WOW, lot's of effort to pre-oil one. You can tell when the oil holes to the top end are lined up just by the sound of the drill motor you're using to prime the engine. Build oil pressure using a drill to spin the oil pump. After you see pressure on the gauge, slow the drill down a bit and keep a steady drill speed, then have a buddy slowly turn the motor over with a breaker bar on the crank. When one of the oiling holes in the cam lines up, you'll hear the drill motor change pitch, and the indicated pressure will drop some. Stop turning the crank until you see oil ooze out of one side of the valvetrain. Then turn the crank again until the other side lines up. I believe that a 360 degree turn of the crank will line up the other side (180 on the cam).
Thats what we did, a guy on each side with an oil can, and running the engine 2500 rpm. Still took a minute or two (seemed like forever!) to see the oil oozing out by the rockers, never did see much coming out. Guess they don't need much, got 500 miles on my '54 331 and it sounds great.
No, they don't spray oil everywhere like some others, and they don't need alot. In fact, those folks that open up the oil p***ages because that is the 'trick' in the last brand-x engine story, will find drain-back to be an very messy issue. .
Thanks for the replies, guys. As I said the engine is fresh, I pulled the rocker gear apart and cleaned it all, I put ***embly lube on every thing so it should be alright, but I was hoping to prime right up thru the rocker gear. I like ebb speed's reply, I was on my own so I could not rotate the engine. I will try that. Thanks to all who replied. What a great thread this hemi tech is!! Sorry I missed you, Scooter, at the anti donuts about a month ago, but I spoke to Kruiser and a few of the guys. Great bunch of guys.
Another option if you can't do the turning thing...is to pour oil into the rocker shafts & seal them with grease. The grease holds the oil in place until the pump pushes oil up there
Oh man! What a bummer! Sorry I missed you as well! Always cool to meet a new face I've interfaced with on here. Hope the breakfast crew didn't drive you away! As an FYI, I did the drill motor thing and the starter by myself. Just make sure you have some serious cables going from battery to starter and a convenient starter switch. Took about 60 LONG seconds with the drill turning the pump at a speed cable of bringing it up to about 60psi and the motor turning with the starter.
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