Hi All,

I have a 52 F2 with the 215 OHV 6 cyl in it. I have heard people talk about these old engines having problems not getting enough oil to the rocker arms. Mine shows 77 thousand miles but runs great, no smoke just runs awesome. Would love to hear some input on this. Should I put the oiler kit on this old girl or just let it go like it is. I just removed the old rearend with 4.86 gears for a 1970 9" with 3.50 gears. I can only drive it 1000 miles a year with historic plates on it and at todays fuel cost I won't even get that done so I would just like to know your thoughts on this. I run strait 30W oil and will change it once a year. Anything you tell me would be a help. If anyone out there is looking for a good 3/4 ton rear end, I would take $50 for the one I just pulled. Thanks for your help in advance, Dennis

 

it was the v8 that had oiling problems.

 

The v8 or called the yblock was like 312 said....the culprit.

 

The 215's and 223's also had upper oiling problems. There was a overhead oiler offered for these engines as well.

They usually had issues once the mains were worn out. The oilers pulled oil from the mains to feed the top end. If your truck has good oil PSI and is getting some oil to the top, I would leave it alone. Adding the oiler kit only causes other problems like starved mains. The kits were only a band aid for a worn out engine.

 

Thank you so much for your help. This really helps me a lot. The truck doesn't smoke and the oil PSI runs in about the middle or just a hair under. So I think I'll leave it alone and drive it just he way it is. Thank again, Dennis

 

Thanks so much for you help. Have a good one, Dennis

 

Y'all are either too young to remember, or have never owned a 1952/53 215 or 1954/59 223 w/o a top oiler.

Every autoparts store on the planet once offered top oiler kits for 215/223 I-6's and Y blocks. Clack-clack-clack: This was a problem since day one with these engines.

Hot Rod, Speed Age, Motor Trend, Car Life and etc had pages of ads for these top oiler kits. Honest Charley's Speed Shop was one of the major advertisers.

Ford...finally woke up, and began offering factory top oiler kits. Ford changed the 223's cylinder head and its oiling system in 1960, which helped...at little.

1952/53 215 // 1954/59 223: The valve cover is retained to the head with 2 studs/nuts.

1960/64 223's use 8 5/16" bolts around the perimeter of the valve cover to retain it to the head.

 

Bill,

Were the 279s affected by this oil prpblem

Mine is a 1954

Thanks

JimG 1098

 

never saw a 6 with the oilers.owned and saw lots of them.

 

How many were running?

A pal of mine just installed one on his '54 223 pickup that I found for him at a local Ford obsolete parts store.

JimG: The 1952/55 Lincoln Y blocks were affected by the same problem: clack-clack-clack. I once owned a 1955 Capri ragtop, had one hell of a time finding a top oiler kit for it.

 

I have bought about 8 kits and have sold 3 so far. Some are for a six and some are for a yblock. I have only seen them on the yblock. I really had a scare with a yblock and so I bought a few sets and then it snow balled...LOL

 

So what do the oilers look like? Where do you find them? How much are they?

 

Daddyo,you can find them on ebay from time to time.Also,join Y-Blocks forever,post in their classifieds.Visit the Y-Block section of this forum. After all this,Don't use one.It's only a band-aid,masks one problem,and creates another.If you've a lack of oil,refresh the engine.Bigwin 56 also can tell you of a very minor modification that helps.As I understand it,todays' higher detergent oils make this far less of a problem than in the past.I also went into panic mode when I first heard about this problem,but calmed down after I was " enlightened".I gave away the two kits I'd bought from Ebay,to another new,panicky Y-block owner.

 

OK Guys! I'm running a newer 223. Not sure of the year, but the valve cover bolts around the edges and it has larger diameter head bolts than the '57 223 I have on a stand in my shop. I'm using the older rocker stands 'cause I wanted the older valve cover. (Looks cooler) I have a top oiler from the old motor, but didn't put it on 'cause I heard that the newer engines had the issue solved. So, what is the truth?!!! There isn't much oil getting to my top end. If there is a simple solution, let's hear it! That top oiler looks like the bandaid that it is. What is getting clogged up to slow the flow of oil to the top?!

 

To answer this 14 year old thread, ,I have been running a 1961 223 6 in F250 since 1976 and have not had oiling problems to rockers. I am guessing the factory fix in 1960 must have worked. I use 10-30 dino oil and do changeoilt and filter. On my 312 Y block I had oiling problems to rockers. I blew oil with air pressure back towards the feed and a few times . Rotate the engine by hand a bit between each filling of the cavity with oil and applying air. This cured my rocker oiling problems for years.