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440 new motor oil pressure problems

Posted By: 440maxwedge

440 new motor oil pressure problems - 02/24/10 12:53 AM

Okay, this one has me stumped. '68 440 freshly rebuilt bored, resized rods, new pistons, hughes cam (hydraulic), everything new. Anyway, while using the prime rod, drill I have resistance (enough to nearly stop the drill on high speed), rotate engine and get plenty of oil to the right side rockers, not so much on the left. I have no oil going to the sending unit NONE. If I had a oil galley plug missing, I would have no oil pressure, but it is pumping oil to the right valve train when the cam is turned to feed it. I thought of restriction, but the galley that feeds under the lifter is a pretty good diameter. Not sure if front galley plug is missing, would it still build pressure? Never had this happen before. Any ideas?
Posted By: 440challenger

Re: 440 new motor oil pressure problems - 02/24/10 01:18 AM

pop the fuel pump out and see if the galley plugs behind the t chain cover are in
Posted By: 440maxwedge

Re: 440 new motor oil pressure problems - 02/24/10 01:22 AM

I'll check that out tomorrow morning. Just curious, would it still build pressure with a galley plug missing?
Posted By: fastmark

Re: 440 new motor oil pressure problems - 02/24/10 01:26 AM

Who assembled the motor? Without going to the shop and looking at manuals and a bare block, I could not help much. No oil to the sending unit is not good. I always wash my motors out real good before I assemble them and use a brush to clean all oil galleys. That way I can check for blockage. I squirt water in every hole. You either have a plug gone or its blocked. If you do not have oil to one side of the head, then it is most likely the cam bearing is installed with the hole not lined up. That is the very first thing I check before I even wash a block. I run a long drill bit down the hole to make sure. Sounds like that may be your problem there.
One thing I do is remove all of the plugs myself before the shop gets them. I do not give them the plugs to install them. That's my job. If they forget, then some crap could still be in them.
Posted By: 440challenger

Re: 440 new motor oil pressure problems - 02/24/10 01:27 AM

Did you slowly rotate the motor counter clockwise as you were priming? the valve gear only gets a shot of oil every two revolutions or so if i remember correctly

Are the holes on the rocker shafts pointing the correct way?
Posted By: mopar-willie

Re: 440 new motor oil pressure problems - 02/24/10 01:37 AM

Rotate the engine 90 degrees and try again. Do rotate it several times as the oil passages are not lining up to feed the opposite banks and all the jounals below. I noticed also if the pump binds. move the crank a few degrees and try again. It works for me and primes the motor for an easier and safer start-up.
Posted By: 440maxwedge

Re: 440 new motor oil pressure problems - 02/24/10 01:56 AM

I will try it at 90 degree intervals and check that as well. The rocker shafts are installed correctly (checked that). It just puzzles me that no oil is coming through the galley that goes under the lifters, to the sending unit, back up the other side. It seems to be a large orifice to be blocked, I looked at a bare block I have to see how big it really is. I just don't know if you can have pressure on the pump if one galley plug is missing. I thought if one galley plug is missing anywhere, you would not have any pressure. I have pressure while turning the pump, just nothing in the sending unit galley.
Posted By: RapidRobert

Re: 440 new motor oil pressure problems - 02/24/10 02:50 AM

Quote:

just nothing in the sending unit galley.

Might stick a straight rod down into it
Posted By: codfish

Re: 440 new motor oil pressure problems - 02/24/10 03:13 PM

Quote:

I thought if one galley plug is missing anywhere, you would not have any pressure. I have pressure while turning the pump, just nothing in the sending unit galley.



Just a thought, but maybe you don't have much pressure at all. Maybe it's just the resistance of the pump moving the oil that you're feeling at the drill.

See if you can get a buddy to slowly turn the crank (to the 90* intervals) while you keep the drill going. And you're using a big a$$ drill right?
Posted By: dvw

Re: 440 new motor oil pressure problems - 02/24/10 10:21 PM

Which hole are you tapping into?. They cross at the back of the block. The left hole feeds from the right side galley. It feeds the left side. It's common to block the feed to the left side in solid and roller cam installs.
Take a piece of wire and see if it has been blocked. Just an off the wall guess.
Doug
Posted By: 440maxwedge

Re: 440 new motor oil pressure problems - 02/25/10 01:26 AM

Update: I took the front of the motor down,removed the timing set, and the galley plugs were in. I removed the one that feeds under the lifters, blew air through it, ran a wire under the lifters all the way to the back, ran a wire on both fitting holes at the back of the block were the sender goes. I felt the wire hit something, worked it back and forth. I put the plug back in, primed the pump, blew out hard chunks of looked like tar with the oil. Hooked up the guage and have 75 lbs of pressure with the drill. I primed it for a little while, oil clean now. Going back together. Thanks for all you guys input!! I will clean the oil galleys myself from now on. The machine shop replaced the plugs (they were new), so I thought they cleaned it (NOT)...Thanks!!
Posted By: Grassosgarage

Re: 440 new motor oil pressure problems - 02/25/10 02:00 AM

I would disassemble and clean the whole thing again yourself. I've seen junk like that lock up an oil pump. You're gonna hate life if there's a chunk of something left somewhere else in there....
Posted By: MNobody

Re: 440 new motor oil pressure problems - 02/25/10 03:43 AM

Quote:

I would disassemble and clean the whole thing again yourself. I've seen junk like that lock up an oil pump. You're gonna hate life if there's a chunk of something left somewhere else in there....





Sounds like a "why did my motor blow up" post waiting to happen.
Posted By: MNobody

Re: 440 new motor oil pressure problems - 02/25/10 03:52 AM

Just an FYI never assume the shop did anything, alway's double check their work. I had bronze guides put in my 440 heads years ago and noticed it puff smoke on decel shortly after. Valve to guide clearance was .005-.008 on all 16 valves. Wiped the seals, the heads were junk and i got squat.
Posted By: MNobody

Re: 440 new motor oil pressure problems - 02/25/10 04:01 AM

Oh and my buddy had to swap block's on his 460 stroker because of a bad casting, he had the shop prep the the new block and assemble the short block. When we got it home and on the stand we took off the plastic bag and found crud stuck to the plastic from the top side of the motor. They never cleaned the lifter galley on the new/used block, i told him to take it back but he cleaned it up and put it together. It's putting down 948hp to the rear wheel's and was a very expensive build, no way i would have taken the chance but he got lucky so far...
Posted By: fastmark

Re: 440 new motor oil pressure problems - 02/25/10 04:18 AM

Quote:

Who assembled the motor? Without going to the shop and looking at manuals and a bare block, I could not help much. No oil to the sending unit is not good. I always wash my motors out real good before I assemble them and use a brush to clean all oil galleys. That way I can check for blockage. I squirt water in every hole. You either have a plug gone or its blocked. If you do not have oil to one side of the head, then it is most likely the cam bearing is installed with the hole not lined up. That is the very first thing I check before I even wash a block. I run a long drill bit down the hole to make sure. Sounds like that may be your problem there.
One thing I do is remove all of the plugs myself before the shop gets them. I do not give them the plugs to install them. That's my job. If they forget, then some crap could still be in them.


That is why I posted my priority in an engine build. I have one of the best engine machinists in the business. I leave nothing to chance. I never assume he or his employee did something and just go on. Remember that crap you blew out is past the filter and pickup screen and what ever is left is going right to your bearings.
Posted By: RapidRobert

Re: 440 new motor oil pressure problems - 02/25/10 04:31 AM

Quote:

I would disassemble and clean the whole thing again yourself.

You'll have to really twist your own arm to get yourself to make that decision but when it's all over you'll soon forget what a PITA it was to do it and you'll have peace of mind knowing 1 that you were a professional and 2 no worry in the back of your mind that somewhere down the line debris is either going to shorten the life of your $$$ baby or worse yet blow it up from (the most likely cause) a rod bearing getting starved.
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