1987 delta 88 3.8 lifters question

[chubbygoatboy]

This is the same car I had issues with and posted ?s a while ago. Finally got it together, started right up, then I shut it down after 2 minutes.... No OIL getting up to the rockers. It had bad timing sprocket. I replaced with new, replaced the heads, and the push rods. Now I do not get oil coming up the push rods. 10 of 12 were bent. Did the lifters get hurt during the rod bending process?? They are pushing the rockers and opening the valves ok, but not getting oil thru the tiny holes. ANY IDEAS????? THANKS

[GTP Dad]

It is possible that the lifters were damaged but the other question is did you use the proper push rods when you reinstalled the new ones? Also are you getting oil pressure everywhere else. Second, what damaged the push rods in the first place. It may indicate that the lifters themselves are bad.

[chubbygoatboy]

I am sure I got the right length and type of pushrods. What bent them was when the nylon teeth on the timing gear on the cam crapped out. It jammed the valves into the top of the pistons, and bent several valves. So I replaced the heads, and inspected the lifters visually, reinstalled them with new rods. They are the roller type lifters, and they appeared to be fine, but at some point, they must have taken quite a blow to bend the push rods. I do get a small, very small amount of oil from one on the front bank, and one on the rear. I even dropped the pan again last night, and used a vessel with motor oil in it, pressurized with 37psi behind it, and forced it into the block where the oil pickup is. I started getting oil coming out from the entire length of the crank, then started the car for about 20 seconds to see if forcing the oil in like that would make it come out the pushrods, and it did not. I am really at a loss, and any other info is GREATLY appreciated!! THANKS

[maxwedge]

You have replaced the pushrods, right, 10 of the new rods were bent? It takes quite a while to get oil up there starting from a dry engine, last place the oil goes to. I've seen this take 90 seconds at least, from cold on a new engine start up.

[chubbygoatboy]

No, sorry, I replaced all 12 initially, and they are still OK. 10 of the original ones were bent from the beginning. I have cranked the engine with the coil pack disconnected for probably at least 2 minutes, and actually have run the engine for a total of about 3 minutes. I only have just a small amount of oil showing up on 1 pushrod on the front bank and 1 on the rear bank. I first thought I did not have a good prime on the oil pump, so I forced oil in the sending unit location, and still no oil to the top. Then that is when I pulled the pan, and pickup. Force fed oil into the block where pickup mounts. I even started it while pushing oil in here, and still, only a trickle up on the rockers. SHould I have hand primed all of the lifters? I am still at a loss for ideas.. Any more would be sincerely appreciated!!

[auto trainy]

Have you checked the oil pressure w/a mechanicl guage?,if its ok just give it time and be sure that the rods and main bearings are being fed.another thing is make sure you haven't cracked a lifter or two which will delete your pressure,good luck

[chubbygoatboy]

I have not checked with a gauge, but I will, I will post my results. Thanks much!!

[chubbygoatboy]

For anybody interested, I got it fixed. I was getting good oil pressure at about 50psi. I still was not getting oil up to the rockers. I backed off the rocker bolts 1/2 turn, one at a time, and gave it a minunte or so while running, and oil started to come thru. I then retightened, and proceeded to do the others. The car is running great!! Thanks for the input!!!