Lifter problem - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

John Pasinski · 09-30-2009, 04:59 PM

I just overhauled my 402 including new hyd. lifters. I guess I may not have broken it in properly or didn't use enough assy. lube; but I cupped out my #1 exhaust lifter. Well I'm also having a problem with that particular lifter, and the #5 exhaust NOT pumping oil. ALL the others are pumping fine. I've R/R both lifters w/new units. Adjusted all the valves again, and still no oil on those two individual rockers. ALL the rockers are moving 1/4" up & down. So they're operating fine. Is it possible for 2 lifter galleries to get clogged at the same time? I don't know what else it could be. If they may be clogged, can I shoot air back through my oil pressure gauge fitting (on the block) to clear them? Any other suggestions before I pull the intake ONE MORE TIME!? Thanks all................

1968SWBBigBlock · 09-30-2009, 09:00 PM

John- tell me what you are doing when you do not see oil.

John Pasinski · 10-01-2009, 04:38 AM

OK...I'll try and be brief. I initially discovered this shortly after starting the engine after overhaul, & driving it. A lifter tick turned into a clack, then turned into a clatter. I pulled the covers & found the #1 exhaust, & #5 intake were pumping no oil to the rockers. Pulled the intake & lifters and found the #1 cupped about 3/16"; the #5 lifter looked fine. NAPA replaced the lifters. Put everything back together, readjusted all valves, and started her up. Same problem with the same two lifters. ALL other rockers pumping normally, all 16 rockers are moving about a 1/4". My oil pressure dash guage reads high while driving (when I had it on the road), and just under high @ idle. I figure that's normal. My uneducated guess is that there's some kind of blockage in the lifter bore galleries of those two lifters. Could that be possible? If so, is there a way to clear it w/o disassembling the entire engine again? Thank you sir, for any advice you offer............John

barthmonster · 10-01-2009, 05:25 AM

How does the cam-lobe on the affected lifter look ?? My first instinct is the old 'EPA-mandated oils'... Oils the last decade have less and less High-Pressure additives (phosphorous, zinc) and more cams than ever fail right after greak-in)...
Just a thought, hope you get to the bottom of it...

OhioDan · 10-01-2009, 08:58 AM

When I rebuilt my 350, I spun the oil pump until I got oil to all the lifters and rocker arms. I did this with an old distributor I had cut down and the gear removed. Took awhile, but I had oil to all lifters before even starting it. I then proceeded to go through the breakin. Did you by chance do this?

**Boog** · 10-01-2009, 09:58 AM

In the early 70's the big blocks had some oiling problems on a couple of lifters. #1 cylinder. I went through this with my dad's wrecker. It's been a long time but it seems there was a TSB issued to fix calling for the front oil galley plug to be drilled out on that side. It seems the oil couldn't drain past that lifter quick enough and got too hot then the lifter failed causing the clack. After replacing those two lifters twice we were told of this fix. We drilled the hole and no probs since. I have long forgotten the size hole we drilled but it wasn't much.
You may have installed a high pressure oil pump hence the high pressure reading?
Maybe some old GM mechanics will remember the oiling problem I speak of.

dwcsr · 10-01-2009, 01:21 PM

If you have cupped a lifter you have trashed the cam. Make sure the push rods are cleared out. There has been an influx of cheap chinese lifters that are going bad.
Buy a good lifter like melling or comp cams.

Most all newly installed cams that go bad are trashed at install before it even runs on the first several truns by hand. They get scratched and scuffed at start up making the cam a grinder against the lifter.

The drilling of the oil galley plugs was a qiuck fix but the lifters were redesigned in the oil recess area. If your new lifters don't match exactly like the old ones I'd bet that they are a generic chinese lifter and not neccessarily for your application.

Check your lifter bore clearence. It may be to lose to pass oil up the rod to the rocker

John Pasinski · 10-01-2009, 04:37 PM

WOW! I gotta say all this is a bit overwhelming. I was thinking maybe just a plugged gallery. I have since found out that the passage leads from one lifter to the next. Consequently, if #5 isn't getting oil due to a plugged passage, then #3, along w/ #1 wouldn't get oil. But all others are just fine. All rockers travel just about the same distance. The block was boiled, then blown out w/air to clear all passages. Yes, I did use an old dist. shaft to spin that pump at assy. As I said, this may be too much for my limited knowledge. I'm going to have to try and find an old timer who knows a lot more than me. Right now I'm at a loss, and just standing and staring at the engine. Although I will say, that I appreciate all the advice.

09-30-2009, 09:00 PM	#2
1968SWBBigBlock Active Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 1,643	Re: Lifter problem John- tell me what you are doing when you do not see oil. __________________ 1968 SWB 454 + .040, 490HP x 540 FT pounds of Torque 10-1 Kb Forged pistons, recon rods w/ ARP wave loc bolts 781 heads Ported with 2.19/1.88 SSTvalves Lunati 60204 cam, Micro Trol lifters, Ported Edelbrock Performer Rpm manifold armor coated, Pertronix Triple Strike Ignition Holley 770 Street Avenger carb,Headers armor coated Built by Watson Ruppel Performance in Sarahsville Ohio. Hardshift Tranny Built Turbo 350,TSI 10" 3000 stall 12 Bolt Eaton Posi 4.10 Richmond Gears moser axles 18.5" x 31" Hoosier Pro Street Radials ET Classic 5 Wheels - polished Power Steering, Power Brakes,Disc Brakes,Tach & Gauge Dash, Tilt,Factory Air (gone) Custom Paint & Body Work Special thanks to my wife, my son and my money tree

10-01-2009, 05:25 AM	#4
barthmonster Registered User Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Chamberlain, SD Posts: 183	Re: Lifter problem How does the cam-lobe on the affected lifter look ?? My first instinct is the old 'EPA-mandated oils'... Oils the last decade have less and less High-Pressure additives (phosphorous, zinc) and more cams than ever fail right after greak-in)... Just a thought, hope you get to the bottom of it...

10-01-2009, 09:58 AM	#6
Boog laying low Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Searcy, Ark. USA Posts: 13,122	Re: Lifter problem In the early 70's the big blocks had some oiling problems on a couple of lifters. #1 cylinder. I went through this with my dad's wrecker. It's been a long time but it seems there was a TSB issued to fix calling for the front oil galley plug to be drilled out on that side. It seems the oil couldn't drain past that lifter quick enough and got too hot then the lifter failed causing the clack. After replacing those two lifters twice we were told of this fix. We drilled the hole and no probs since. I have long forgotten the size hole we drilled but it wasn't much. You may have installed a high pressure oil pump hence the high pressure reading? Maybe some old GM mechanics will remember the oiling problem I speak of. __________________ Boog 69 Chevy stepside, 358/T350, 4.11 posi, 4.5/4 drop, rallys, poboy driver primer is finer 91 Chevy sportside, Tahoe, Yukon & GMC Crewcab All GM..'nuff said. I stand for the flag and kneel at the cross

10-01-2009, 01:21 PM	#7
dwcsr Hollister Road Co. Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Houston Posts: 6,134	Re: Lifter problem If you have cupped a lifter you have trashed the cam. Make sure the push rods are cleared out. There has been an influx of cheap chinese lifters that are going bad. Buy a good lifter like melling or comp cams. Most all newly installed cams that go bad are trashed at install before it even runs on the first several truns by hand. They get scratched and scuffed at start up making the cam a grinder against the lifter. The drilling of the oil galley plugs was a qiuck fix but the lifters were redesigned in the oil recess area. If your new lifters don't match exactly like the old ones I'd bet that they are a generic chinese lifter and not neccessarily for your application. Check your lifter bore clearence. It may be to lose to pass oil up the rod to the rocker Last edited by dwcsr; 10-01-2009 at 01:23 PM.

10-01-2009, 04:37 PM	#8
John Pasinski Registered User Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: orlando Posts: 456	Re: Lifter problem WOW! I gotta say all this is a bit overwhelming. I was thinking maybe just a plugged gallery. I have since found out that the passage leads from one lifter to the next. Consequently, if #5 isn't getting oil due to a plugged passage, then #3, along w/ #1 wouldn't get oil. But all others are just fine. All rockers travel just about the same distance. The block was boiled, then blown out w/air to clear all passages. Yes, I did use an old dist. shaft to spin that pump at assy. As I said, this may be too much for my limited knowledge. I'm going to have to try and find an old timer who knows a lot more than me. Right now I'm at a loss, and just standing and staring at the engine. Although I will say, that I appreciate all the advice.

09-30-2009, 04:59 PM	#1
John Pasinski Registered User Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: orlando Posts: 456	Lifter problem I just overhauled my 402 including new hyd. lifters. I guess I may not have broken it in properly or didn't use enough assy. lube; but I cupped out my #1 exhaust lifter. Well I'm also having a problem with that particular lifter, and the #5 exhaust NOT pumping oil. ALL the others are pumping fine. I've R/R both lifters w/new units. Adjusted all the valves again, and still no oil on those two individual rockers. ALL the rockers are moving 1/4" up & down. So they're operating fine. Is it possible for 2 lifter galleries to get clogged at the same time? I don't know what else it could be. If they may be clogged, can I shoot air back through my oil pressure gauge fitting (on the block) to clear them? Any other suggestions before I pull the intake ONE MORE TIME!? Thanks all................

10-01-2009, 04:38 AM	#3
John Pasinski Registered User Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: orlando Posts: 456	Re: Lifter problem OK...I'll try and be brief. I initially discovered this shortly after starting the engine after overhaul, & driving it. A lifter tick turned into a clack, then turned into a clatter. I pulled the covers & found the #1 exhaust, & #5 intake were pumping no oil to the rockers. Pulled the intake & lifters and found the #1 cupped about 3/16"; the #5 lifter looked fine. NAPA replaced the lifters. Put everything back together, readjusted all valves, and started her up. Same problem with the same two lifters. ALL other rockers pumping normally, all 16 rockers are moving about a 1/4". My oil pressure dash guage reads high while driving (when I had it on the road), and just under high @ idle. I figure that's normal. My uneducated guess is that there's some kind of blockage in the lifter bore galleries of those two lifters. Could that be possible? If so, is there a way to clear it w/o disassembling the entire engine again? Thank you sir, for any advice you offer............John

10-01-2009, 08:58 AM	#5
OhioDan Registered User Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: New Carlisle, Ohio,USA Posts: 1,404	Re: Lifter problem When I rebuilt my 350, I spun the oil pump until I got oil to all the lifters and rocker arms. I did this with an old distributor I had cut down and the gear removed. Took awhile, but I had oil to all lifters before even starting it. I then proceeded to go through the breakin. Did you by chance do this? __________________ LIFE AIN'T EASY WHEN YER FAT AND GREASY! GMC= Got More Class! 1970 GMC LWB, Fleetside, 350/4spd, Flowmaster "40's", 2002 GMC 16" Rallies, cowl hood,and added a bunch of options that weren't there when I started.



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