Fellas me again...... Can I pull off a valve cover when i have the engine runnng to check the oiling going on here....w/out huge mess and it seems when I let my truck(390) idle a bit say 5 to 6 minutes I am starting to here the lifters and it scares me a bit as to oiling... typical 360/390 oiling prob or is it me being too cautious with my rebuild. I am still guessing with my oil sender but finally got frustrated enough to loosen the oil filter with motor running just to friggen prove to myself she was oiling and I had plenty yes plenty of pressure behind that high volume pump....as my driveway now shows..... Thanks DJ

 

hit up a pickapart for an extra set and cut the tops out.. great to have around when needed

 

dj53, what are "typical 360/390 oiling prob", as I haven't had one the last 34 years. Please explain as I need to learn.
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well ,typically fe's aren,t good oilers as in getting the oil thru the engine as I have heard?

 

They don't have any oiling problems in stock to near stock configuration. The only common issue is the top end gets more oil than it needs. A HV pump at idle will supply enough oil throughout the engine to keep it well lubed.

 

Hear say is like assume, people believe it, expand it with more false information of what they haven't a clue about.
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If memory serves me right, in the 70's I saw an older ford p/u that had metal lines running from the oil pan area up to and under the valve covers. I remember somone saying that was how they solved the oiling problem in those motors. Any one second that????

 

i have seen 351m and 400's setup like that and 292's but FE's never. FE's don't have a oiling problem. they have a issue with suppling too much. part of the reason they last so long is the amount of internal oiling these things have.

 

The early Falcons with 170 motors about cut rocker shafts in half due to oil starvation. There was a external pipe added for top end oil, this was in the late 60's.
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Heard the same thing...I believe the Clevelands had the tubes modded too...I thought it was that the gallies in the heads were too big which caused to much oil up top.....I thought I remember hearing something about Holley Carb jets being used in the heads to limit the oil up top....As well as an oil pan baffle or whatever its called there...

 

the holley jet trick is only for fe's. the clevland's did not use rocker shafts.

 

One thing I didn't read in your description. The oiling problem from what I understand is only a problem if you are high revving the motor. The sweet spot on a stock motor in my opinion is around 3300 rpms. Unless you plan on racing, I don't think it would be a problem. Anyone disagree?

 

Every once in a while I like to stand on it for top end, with 32.5" tires, 3.54 gears and 5,300 to 5,400 rpm's in 3rd (auto) the last thing I want is the pump sucking air or top end flooding and a gernaded motor. This is normal to me as I have a oiling system that has plenty of reserve not one on the ragged edge of going dry well below redline. Too much time hand massaging parts and money invested to cut corners on its life source. JMO's.
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well i agree with beemer nut misinformation has caused more grief with new to fe owners than anything else i also have been around the fe for 30 some odd years and have had little to no problem with them not getting enough oil anywhere just the contrary too much in the top end at high rpms lifter noise at warm idle is common if using non adjustable rockers and stock lifters especially if not preloaded right when rocker shaft was bolted down just my .02

 

I like the one where people state a HV pump will put massive undo wear on the dizzy / cam gear. With a wider 25% pump gear there will be a minumum amount of oil shear drag increase in the pump, if that's all it takes to snap pump drives and wear cam / dizzy gears to a point of failure that tells me the system was already on the ragged edge of failure to begin with. All HV does is go into bypass when the motor reaches its gallons per / hour just like a standard pump but will bypass a higher volume. If more oil vloume is needed to maintain pressure due to increased bearing clearances from normal wear the HV pump will bypass less, call it extra insurance. A motor in good condition (including rockers and shafts) will require a certain gallons per hour oil at a given temperature and oil weight. Same requirements with a standard pump as well HV pump provided the same oil pressure and motor was used. A HV pump will allow for a higher oil pressure at hot idle than a standard pump on a high mileage motor with loose internal clearances. A full sump 13 qt pan with a large rear oil pickup and HV pump keeps the motor well oiled.
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