So, I've been collecting parts for my 512B engine, and purchased some Mancini Racing Rocker arms. I kinda slipped up, and thought these had needle bearing fulcrums for some reason. Um, they don't, and are just aluminum on shaft configuration. I was going to leave it with the part time oiling with needle bearings, but now I'm wondering if I need to change up to full time oiling for the solid rockers? These rockers have an orfice, to spray oil onto the adjuster ball, but not the roller/spring side. Not sure if this will sway which way I should go with the oiling?
The engine is going into a 70's truck and will only be on the street. Keeping the rpm's low at around 5500rpm max. Probably run a HFT, maybe a solid, but not doing a roller, so spring pressures won't be crazy. Found lots of good information on how to do the full time oiling, but nothing concrete on when to do it. I'm leaning towards full time, but if it's not required, I won't bother. Any suggestions would be awesome! Thanks.

"part time" oiling gives a BIG squirt for a short time. Full time gives a smaller but continuous flow. Switching to "full time" is kind of a pain in the butt. You have to install the 4th cam bearing so the holes to the top end are blocked and then drill the hole from the main so it still feeds the cam bearing. Then drill through from the galleys into the top end feed passages and then plug the holes in the lifter valleys. Then tap the feed passages for set screws which you've drilled to approximately .062 to restrict flow. And then to top it all off ... a) worry that the plugs in the lifter valley might fall out or b) your small restrictor holes get plugged with some sort of debris and completely stop top end oiling.

I have the number four cam journal grooved so it oils the rocker shaft full time and then decide, depending on which rocker arm type,valve springs and lifter type used to determine if I need to add an oil restrictor or not
Using extruded aluminum or ductile iron bushed rocker arms I don't use a restrictor, with the needle bearing roller rockers on the shafts I do use around an .040 oil restrictor with full time rocker shaft oiling

If it is just a flat tappet cam with low spring pressure then you should be fine with factory type oiling

My Mini-Express mushroom cam has #4 grooved from the factory. Since I'm using ductile-iron rockers (which are bushed) I have not needed restrictors either.

Thanks guys, lots of good info, and more to think about.
Andy, I was figuring, there were probably lots of street type deals running factory oiling on bushed rockers, MRE, or Hughes rockers. It still bugs me to be robbing oil from the #4 main. I do have the #4 main drilled to the lifter galley to the 9/32", and will be running a HV pump with a stock relief spring too. That might be OK?
Stanton, your points are very valid, and I don't imagine there is much material for the plugs to grab onto. If the deal goes south, then the block is kinda pooched too. My block also has a weird ridge that runs across the valley, right where I'd need to drill. I'd have to grind that down to drill straight in the intersect area. I do like the idea of not stealing oil from the #4 main.
Cab, I see you've done the #4 cam bearing groove many times with success (with. 040" restrictions), so that makes it more reassuring.
DrCharles, that is good to know about no restrictors for your grooved cam. I haven't measured the clearance between the shafts and these rockers, but I figure they should only be. 001" or so. These rockers do have the squirting orifice that lube the pushrod cup though. Not sure if that would bleed too much oil up top?

I did the same thing on my 360, small groove in the #2 & #4 cam journals for the Crane Gold rockers (just aluminum on the steel shafts, no rollers.

I like the idea of a fully grooved cam for full time oiling because it enables the option to restrict it at the rocker gear if desired.

AG.

Well, I did the full time oiling for the rockers. I did it a little different than the traditional way.

That took a lot of work to get that done
Maybe next motor have the cam #4 cam journal grooved

Well I for one would like to know how you do that - restrict it at rocker gear ?!?!

I would think how much spring pressure you are going to run would be a major factor. But I will tell you I ran the edelbrock victor jr. heads with Hughes rockers which have no rollers, .750 lift cam 250 on the seat and 650 open pressures for many years with no issues at all with the standard oiling. I never had any wear or breakage issues. Now if you are going to run much more aggressive spring pressures then maybe you may need more oiling. I had a world products block but used the same rockers for 3 seasons with a stock block. One issue I would think about is if you would break a rocker you have needle bearings in your engine and the bushed you do not. I always preferred the bushed rocker on a good shaft.

I run 800 over the nose and I went back to bushed rockers and lifters.

I was lucky to get the rockers with no needle bearings. I thought that these MRE rockers used needle bearings for some reason. After finding they were indeed a solid/ bushed style, that's when the timed oiling seemed maybe inadequate to me. By what many of you say, it would have been fine, but this will make me sleep better at night. I haven't spec'd a cam or springs for this yet, but it's not going to be very aggressive.
Stanton, I didn't put any restriction in. I can shorten the line into the back of the block to fit an orfice fitting if need be. After the engine is together, I will prelube it and see how the flow to the rockers is. I used 1/4" stainless tubing with an ID of about 0.140".
Cab, it didn't actually take to long to do, maybe a little over an hour. I probably took more time pondering the idea of drilling into my block! Also, tapping into the oil crossover at the back of the oil gallery. I had not heard of anyone doing it that way before, but I thought it was a good idea. Me and my ideas!?!?! BTW, the casting is about 0.300" thick, before you hit the oil gallery at the back.
The reason I did it this way, as I can revert back to factory oiling by only removing the intake manifold, and plugging the 1/8" holes. I doubt I will change to a different style rocker, but you never know.
I am going to leave my #4 cam bearing in the stock orientation. I would have the timed oiling, and full time oiling happening simultaneously, but the pressures should be similar at the intersection point. I don't see a problem, but maybe someone can shed some insight on this? I seem to over analyze everything, not able to KISS it. Thanks guys, your input is appreciated. What works with everyone's specific setups is always good knowledge.

The general consensus over the years is that full time oiling needs at least some restriction to the top end - otherwise you'll empty the damn pan before it can flow back down to the pickup.

You can buy allen head brass set screws (I'm not sure which size you will need, they come in #4,#6,#8,#10 and probably #12 and maybe larger blank sizes (no holes in the centers) and then drill and tap the oil feed passage to the rocker shafts in the block or heads and then install the brass set screws and drill them to the size you want to use with a pin vise using small bits

The drill and tap in the heads is the approach I've taken with my W2 Econo's setup and Harland Sharp roller needle rocker arms.

HS specifically advised to limit the oil flow to the rockers, but not knowing what the right fit is for a street ride I figured I would play it safe by prepping for adjustability: if too much oil flows, I'll scale back in the size of the orifice, and all it takes is pulling the rocker arm shafts off and replacing the plug, as opposed to having to yank the heads off the block!

I ran full time oiling to my shafts from the oil pressure sending unit location going thru the front of the valve cover directly into the rocker shaft. To remove the valve cover I take the hose off and unscrew the fitting that goes into the shaft. I use a rubber grommet to seal that as it goes thru the valve cover. Birdtracker

If you are going full time with a grooved cam, make sure the fit on your #2 and 4 cam bearings is snug.

I've had a couple engine where the fit was sloppy and no fixing it other than put a crossdrilled, std oiling camshaft in the engine. Almost zero oil pressure from the hemorrhaging occurring at 2 and 4 cam bearing. Waterfall type stuff.

Why brass ??? They're harder to find and steel ones work just fine!

A .060 or .062 (1/16") orifice is a good starting point.