Technical Small block Ford - no oil to rocker arms

I'm helping an older gentleman with his 1964 Ranchero. He picked it up earlier this year - The engine is a 289 2bbl from a 1968 full size car (the Ranchero was born with a 260 but it's long gone...). Bob bought the car on the understanding the engine was good, but the car was not a runner. I redid the brakes, and based on the condition of the master cylinder & wheel cylinders, I'd guess the thing has been off the road at least a decade or more.

I've got the distributor out & valve covers off, and I'm trying to pre-lube the engine. I'm not getting oil to 5 of the rocker arms - #1 nothing to either rocker, #2 nothing to the exhaust, #5 nothing to the intake and #6 nothing to the intake. I've spun the drill (counterclockwise) for at least 3 minutes - good flow to all the rest of the rockers but none to those 5. I've turned the motor over by hand a few times, made no difference. I pulled one of the rocker arms & pushrod to confirm they aren't plugged - they are clean. Note the engine turns over easily by hand and all the rocker arms move, valves open/close.

Anyone who knows more about small block Fords than I do ( which admittedly is a low bar...) have any thoughts?

 

Were you constantly turning the motor over while priming or were you turning 90 degrees at a time, and then priming some more, for several complete revolutions?

 

90 degrees at a time. I haven't uses the starter to spin the motor yet.

 

You recon the oil pump screen could be plugged with broken valve stem seals,pieces of plastic timing gear and sludge

 

I don't think the screen is plugged, I get good oil flow to the other rocker arms.

 

I have seen some that just took longer to get oil,,,,almost like they were air locked or something .
It’s usually one or two rockers,,,but it can be half a dozen .
After ten minutes or so,,,usually they all come around .

Tommy

 

I agree with desoto29Hemi - it can take a lot longer than anticipated

 

I'll bet if you go ahead and start it, the rockers will soon oil. I'd squirt some on them to keep them happy 'til the oil flows since they've sat a while.

 

That might not quite work. The lifter needs to be in the right range of movement to get oil into it. The best way I find is to have one person constantly prime it and another very slowly turn the engine by hand.

To be honest though as it’s not got a new cam I’d just spin it on the starter till the oil pressure light goes off then start it.

 

Pull the pushrods to confirm oil is flowing through the lifters. If not, pull the timing cover and inspect the oil galley plugs for a missing plug or a leak that would cause low pressure/volume.