I have a 312 56 mercury 58000 original miles. Vehicle sat for 20 plus years I have since got the engine running,New Fuel pump Gass tank Oil Pump(original holley 4000 worked fine)..the problem is!! is there any way to unclog my oil spouts on the ends of the rocker arms?? some one said remove them and use a coat hanger..I have tried oil cleaners, Trans fluid I have 50/60 lbs of oil presure!! I have manually lubed the rockers with Lucas oil treatment..HELP should I remove the Rockers and Clean something and then ReTorque the rockers..Any Help appreciated..I love this Yblock.I'm in the process of 3x2 holley intake conversion.!!

 

I'm a little confused about what the difficulty is. Are the rockers not getting oil?

The tubes on the ends of the rockers are for oil overflow. As designed from the factory, the rockers shafts are not pressurized, they simply fill with oil, then the oil spills out of the tubes. Some rodders would pinch those tubes to help pressurize the oil shafts. I don't know whether that's a good idea or not. Those 'spill' tubes help direct oil to the timing chain and the distributor, so it's probably best to allow some oil flow from them.

 

Pcmenten has once again steered you right!! Okay were it me, i would remove the rocker arms completely, check the oil feed holes that are in the head!!! This is where the oil pushes through the hole in the rocker shaft and the rocker get oil through small holes in the rocker shaft and the valves get oil from a squirt hole in the rocker and the overflow tube simply drains the excess oil through a pushrod hole to fall onto the camshaft and lifter area, but try using an air hose and put some serious pressure through the holes in the engine heads!! Janet

 

So...The oil is actually sent up to the Rockers (Tubes) via the camshaft thru holes in the heads or I guess journals. So...I need to remove the rockers (tubes) and Blast air # ?? 150# thru these (this ) more than one hole on the heads. I will have to find the correct #on the Rockers Bolts when I replace them. I will do this Today!! Thanks Again!!

 

there is just one hole in the head.

 

Can i give you some advice, and save you some trouble that many do? Before removing your rockers and shaft, go to a parts store and buy some plastic tie straps, and tie them on the pushrods right under the rockers, time and time again, on these Yblocks people remove the rocker shaft and the pushrods fall into the hole, and then they have to take the intake manifold off and the valley pan, this way you won't have that problem, also be sure when you put the rocker shaft back on, don't forget to line the oil hole in the head with the hole in the rocker shaft. I woouldn't worry about the torque, just tighten in sequence and use reasonable tightness, those bolts are just a common sense issue like that of putting in starter bolts, also it's possible that your rocker shaft isn't lined up with that hole in the head as well.....Janet

 

Thanks a Million...Janet I'm indebted to you (Click Here to find out why email addresses are removed from posts.)Feel free to email me 4prosales Your very knowledgeable!!!

 

No oil to the rockers was a common Y BLOCK problem !! Sludged up passages,
but the worst is spun cam bearings. If your cam bearings have spun your in for
either a tear down or installing an outside oiler kit. At the FORD garage I worked at this was a common thing years ago.
GOOD LUCK HOTWRENCH

 

thats an interesting thing.i heard of spun cam bearings all my life on y blocks but never seen one.john mummert never seen one.

 

Hotwrench is correct, i saw many many many overhead oiler on Yblocks in the 60's. My 57 Ford station wagon had them when i bought it back in 1969, but i never had a problem so i let it be. I probably could have fixed it, if i had known what i have learned over the years. The engine had been rebuilt by the previous owner, i wouldn't be at all surprised if it was as simple as the rocker shaft being bolted upside down, if the hole isn't lined up theres no way those can get upper oil, and people many times would just throw them on and overlook this. It is also true as the previous user stated that spun cam bearings or even spun crank bearings can cause this, but most of the time these engines run very noisy!! Most Yblocks i have encountered this turned out to not be the problem though, i usually found it to be simple issues as i stated above, sometimes another thing can happen, people don't know it but one can use the wrong oil filter, I use motorcraft or autolite parts and oil filters on my two Yblock vehicles and have no upper oiling problem, oil filters have a feed back hole, and many Ford people i have known would be using AC filters in the early 70's, the result was an engine that would get oil cold because the pressure would be higher, then no oil when the engine got hot because oil pressure would drop and coul not get through the pressure regulated hole that was designed for Chevy small block V8!! Also when changing oil, it's a smart thing to fill an oil filter with oil before installing it, this way you get more immediate oil and it's good in the way it helps a weaker oil pump.....Janet

 

At one time there were several companys selling overhead oiler kits . Also there were kits out to try to open the oil passages. The most successful of these was nothing more than a piece of 1/4 plate that bolted on to the head over the oil hole . It had a hole in the center that was tapped 1/8 pipe. You could hook you air hose up @ try to blow the clog out or you could use a high pressure grease gun. Most times if it was going to open it was the grease gun that did it. What
they had us do at the dealership was too start the engine without the rockers on the side we were working on too make sure it was open @ so as not to pump a bunch of junk into the rocker arms. Some times it worked sometimes not
I hope this helps!! HOTWRENCH

 

WOW thanks for all the information. I have included this in my Favorites for future refrences. I will do sunday and see what happens. I neeed to make sure the Tube Hole is lined up with the bolt down bracket (3 holes 2 outside bolts center is oil hole?). There are 4 sets of 3 hole brackets.How would I know which is the Oil hole. There is only one hole on the base of the rockers >? You guys are Great(Gals)!! Thanks
James<<>>

 

If the problem is a spun bearing would that not stop the oil flow to both heads, not just one? My 292 is only oiling the drivers side.

 

it has something to do with cam bearing moved and covered up oil passage,there is a way to tap into were oil passage comes out of block and run 2 tubes up and into top of rockers,i had to do that back in 1982 on my 292,