INDY valvetrain oiling issue

[J-440]

  Got another one for the masses.  I have INDY's EZ-1 cylinder heads, roller rockers and solid pushrod setup.  Filled the 440 up with oil, got my priming rod out and primed the oil pump counter-clockwise.  I felt the pump "snag" if you will and assumed oil would be coming into the rocker arm area.  Now, since the pushrods are solid, oil is diverted another route through the heads.  Once again, no oil.  I know for a fact when I had my block redone, the cam bearings were in the right spots and the oil holes were lined up.  I'm just wondering since INDY has their own system, does it still hold any resemblance to the hollow pushrod setup on a stock 440?  Need some advice my brothers.

Thanks.  

[chargerbr549]

Big blocks from the factory have always oiled up through the #4 cam bearing and came up through a passage in the head between the intake ports and up through one of the rockershaft bolt holes to feed the rocker shaft and on some of the indy heads but i'm not sure about the EZ heads they would get oil from the oil galley in the back of the block where the oil sending unit is located and plum it through the valve covers I believe because they would block off the oil passage between the intake ports so they could make them bigger without worrying about oiling problems in the intake ports. Big blocks have always had solid ends on the ends of the pushrods or a solid pushrod since they don't oil up through them, you would have to get a lifter that has an oil hole in the pushrod cup first and then hollow pushrods but they would still only oil the pushrod end of the rocker depending on what rocker set-up you are running.

Kevin

[J-440]

  Thanks for the quick response Kevin.  The reason I'm pre-lubing my engine now is to set the rocker-pushrod clearance for my hydraulic lifters.  But since the lifters "squish" when their is no oil in them, how would I set the tolerance?  Do I have to wait until the engine actually fires up then set the valvetrain?

[chargerbr549]

I use the chart in the Direct Connection Engine manual to set my valves or get the lifter on the base circle for the one you are adjusting and loosen the adjusting nut until you have lash then slowly tighten until all the lash is just gone and then 3/4 of a turn you should end up with around .040" preload on the lifter which is usually good for most hydraulic lifters.

Kevin

[J-440]

  Yeah, I've got the lash chart.  Let's say I set my tolerances on each rocker/pushrod, fire the engine up, do the normal break-in, and then will probably have to check the tolerances again?  Once that's done I should be good to go?

Thanks again.

[Blown70]

 Got another one for the masses.  I have INDY's EZ-1 cylinder heads, roller rockers and solid pushrod setup.  Filled the 440 up with oil, got my priming rod out and primed the oil pump counter-clockwise.  I felt the pump "snag" if you will and assumed oil would be coming into the rocker arm area.  Now, since the pushrods are solid, oil is diverted another route through the heads.  Once again, no oil.  I know for a fact when I had my block redone, the cam bearings were in the right spots and the oil holes were lined up.  I'm just wondering since INDY has their own system, does it still hold any resemblance to the hollow pushrod setup on a stock 440?  Need some advice my brothers.

Thanks.  

I dont know about the Indy Ez.  But my Indy SR will need an external line from the back of the motor where the Oil pressure gauge goes.... Could this be the same..... for your head?

Tom

[Challenger340]

Your INDY EZ 1 Heads should have the Oil Feed for the Rockers, going up between the Intake ports, and as mentioned, the Cam Brg on #4 lubes the Heads,
however,
For the Oil to actually get "up there", it goes through a cross-drilled Hole in the Cam, on #4 Cam Journal.
If the "Cam" holes, aren't lined up with the Cam Brg Holes, no Oil to the top end no matter how much you Prime !

You have to turn the Engine over slowly by hand, while you are running the Primer Shaft, to get Oil to the Rockers.

As for setting the Lifter preload, get the Cam Lobe on the Base-circle, Loosen the adjuster, rotate the pushrod between your thumb & Forefinger, then gently tighten the Adjuster until you feel "drag" on the Pushrod.
Thats ZERO
Now, tighten the Adjuster until you have the desired preload.
(about a 3/4, to 1 full turn)
Lock the NUT,
Repeat until Miller time !

Hope this helps
Bob out.

[J-440]

  Tom, yeah the SR's have the external line but the EZ-1's do not.  Not gonna need them for my application.
 
Challenger, I did not know that I would have to rotate the engine while priming the pump.  Will do that.  Thanks again for the help.

[J-440]

  Challenger, got one more question for you.  What degree on the damper are the oiling holes lined up with the cam holes so as to allow oil to shoot into the valvetrain while the engine is being primed?  Thanks again for the knowledge.