232 Rattles

[D Box]

My son bought a 1974 CJ5 with a 232. It had been setting up for 6 or 8 months but started right up. The problem is that there is no oil making it to the rocker arm assembly. I can shoot air down through the rocker tower and hear it come out in the crankcase so I don't think that channel is plugged. It starts off with about 45 psi of oil pressure when cold and falls to about 25 when hot. Any ideas on what may be causing this? Thanks. David Box

[Davisrats]

no oil at all or just noisy lifters?

the #3 cam bearing meters oil to the rockers, up through the head gasket to the #5 rocker arm support, then out to the others... that is what the book says anyway...

[fastnotch2002]

is the valve train noisy?

[D Box]

The valve train wasn't getting any oil and it looked like it had been that way for some time since the rocker arms are pretty worn. But we ran the oil pressure line that went to the oil pressure guage to the rocker assembly. We drilled a hole in the valve cover and one in the rocker assembly tube and spacer between the first and second rocker arm on #1 cylinder. We then tacked a piece of brake line in this hole so it would pass through the hole in the valve cover. Then we hooked the oil pressure line to this tube. It's redneck as hell but it works. The rockers need to be replaced and we'll get to that later but for now he can drive it. I was telling a friend of mine about it that works at a school bus shop here and an older guy that works there was listening and said that he did the same thing to several 292 Ford V8s years ago when he worked at a Ford dealership. This was probably in the 1960s. Someday we'll pull the engine anf find out why it's not oiling. Thanks.

[TDS SD]

Engine noise

I would pull the valve cover and see is the the lifters are pumping oil up through the rods to the lifter. Even though the rods might be clacking which can be adjusted (not sure if the are on 232) if no oil is comming up through the push rods the lifters they are shot or need to be pumped up because the engine sat too long. There is a possibility the rings are shot also and that can be tested with a compression gauge. Anything over 110 is okay but the closer to 150 would be great. This just requires removing the spark plugs and cranking the enging over. Make sure throttle is open and battery is at full charge. Hope this helps. If you need more info let us know.
George

[Davisrats]

232 gets oil thru the head gasket and up to the rocker shaft #5 tower, not theru the push rods.