Rocker lubrication

[Darren.]

As some of you may know I have fitted a reconditioned head. I think that I may have a problem with rocker top end lubrication or am i being paranoid. Running the engine with the rocker cover off there is no splash or flood of oil. The rocker shaft is being lightly lubricated and that is it.I have checked the rocker shaft for blockage but found it to be clean and no obstructions. HMMMM

[philthehill]

Is the oil transfer passage in No:1 pedestal or No: 2.
The securing plug for the rocker shaft was moved from pedestal No: 1 to pedestal No: 2 and a hole had to be drilled in the new No: 1 pedestal to allow transfer of oil or a pedestal with the oil transfer hole already drilled fitted.
If there is no transfer passage in the No: 1 pillar you will not get any oil to the rockers.
A photo of the rocker assy especially the pedestals bottoms would be appreciated.
Below is a pedestal with the required hole as described.
Phil[frame][/frame]

[bmcecosse]

If it's being 'lightly lubricated' then oil must be getting through. Probably right enough for parts in good condition with no slop in the shaft or rockers.

[Darren.]

number one pedestal has the transfer hole and i have the securing screw in number one with the securing plate. Is this not right

[philthehill]

Darren
That is how it should be.
The only other place that sometimes gets restricted is the oil transfer passage in the head - from the front N/S of the head to the base of the rocker pedestal.
Did you fit the head gasket the right way round and did you use any goo on the head gasket?
There is not a great flow of oil to the rockers at the best of times as it is right at the end of the oil flow/circulation cycle and it may be that you were expecting more oil to flow to and through the rocker shaft.
What I have also experienced is that the countersink in the bottom of No: 1 pillar is not always large enough and can shroud the oil transfer passage as it exits through the top face of the head.
The pillar in the photo above has been relieved (towards the dark patch) to ensure that the flow of oil to the rocker shaft is maximised.
The main thing is that you are getting some oil to the top end of the engine.
All I can recommend is that you keep a close eye on the flow of oil to and around the rockers.
Phil

[bmcecosse]

The head gasket can't go on 'wrong way round' - the stud holes won't allow it. And we surely all know by now not use nasty 'gasket goo'.....

[philthehill]

Did you fit the head gasket the right way round

= TOP and FRONT markings on gasket being right.

[Darren.]

Thanks for the replys chaps.Im sure the gasket is on the right way as there were the marking on it ,copper one with a black colour on the base. Maybe im being a little paranoid but I will say that the rockers are not dripping they are just lightly coated and the underside of the cover only has faint traces of oil. Previouse to the head rebuild I remember that the rocker cover was caked in oil.

Im just worried about doing any dammage
P.S Im not crazy enough to use gasket gunk lol

[JOWETTJAVELIN]

The rocker shaft can easily be taken apart and cleaned out, over time the oilways become restricted.

[JOWETTJAVELIN]

[frame][/frame]

[philthehill]

Only if the engine is fitted with the early rocker shaft (Pt No: 2A16) and has the detachable 1/4" BSP screwed plug (Pt No: 2K4608) can the internal gallery of the rocker shaft be satisfactorily cleaned.
The several I have recently stripped have had the screwed plug seized in the rocker shaft which resulted in the end of the rocker shaft having to be heated to release the screwed plug so care has to be taken.
The majority of shafts supplied these day have the pressed in bung fitted at either end so internal cleaning is not able to be carried out.
Fitting a screwed plug to the current range of available rocker shafts is hindered by the hardness of the shaft which disallows the drilling and tapping of the shaft.
I have just undertaken an exercise in trying to fit screwed plugs to a couple of new rocker shafts so as to allow the cleaning of the internal oil galleries but the hardness of the shaft has not allowed the cutting of a thread so a pressed in bung is going to be fitted once the oil gallery has been cleaned.

[bmcecosse]

Head gaskets these days are NOT marked top/front - it really doesn't matter which way up the gasket goes = but it cannot be fitted wrong way round.

[les]

[frame][/frame]

100, 000 miles---- never had an oil change?

[bmcecosse]

Oh dear....

[Darren.]

Update....I decided to take the rockers off and inspect. I slackened the head off in bolt order. Taken the rockers off and found it was all clean and ckecked all the oil holes to each rocker which were good. I think i was just being paranoid about lubrication ERRRR maybe lol.

Now for the bad news. I realised that slackening the head bolts might cause the gasket to fail but i took the risk. Taken the car for a run to set the timing and fuel mix. The car ran ok ish hah hah but not quite right. Brought the car back home and inspected the plugs. Plug 1 and 2 was a great coffee colour but plugs 3 and 4 were black GRRRRRR. Decided to do a compression test and found plugs 1and 2 were round 170 but but plugs 3 and 4 were quite a bit higher which leads me to think oil is seeping throgh the gasket. So looks like my new gasket is toast.

Im not sure if my torque wrench is in calibration. I set it to 58NM which should have been enogh and im reluctant to go for more than this. Looks like a new gasket again. The frustration never ends

[philthehill]

For future reference - you can remove the rocker shaft without slackening all of the head and rocker pedestal stud nuts - only the front N/S front head nut and front rocker pedestal nut/washer needs to be disturbed to allow removal of the rocker shaft screw locating locking plate.
Drain the coolant from the block.
Slacken off the rocker adjusters fully.
Disengage the rockers from the push rods and withdraw the push rods making sure that the cam follower/tappet is not pulled out of its socket by giving the push rod a wiggle. Ensure that the same pushrod is kept to the same cam follower/tappet when refitting.
Remove the split pins at either end of the rocker shaft
Remove the rocker shaft screw locating and locking plate. Even easier if you have the short locking plate Pt No 2A259.
Noting the position of the rockers, springs and washers slide the rocker shaft forward out of the rocker pedestals making sure that everything is kept in the right order.
You may have to remove the 4 radiator bolts holding the radiator in place to allow the radiator to drop sufficiently to allow the rocker shaft to clear the top of the radiator.

Re-assemble in the reverse order.

If you have the long locking plate Pt No: 2A515 which fits under both the rocker pedestal and head stud nut you can shorten the locking plate so as to retain only the part of the locking plate that goes under the pedestal stud nut and around the rocker shaft locking screw in a similar fashion to Pt No: 2A259. This will enable the rocker shaft to be removed in future without having to disturb any head nuts.

The correct torque setting (metric) for the Minor cylinder head studs is 5.5 km. m.

[Darren.]

Thanks for that info Phil that is very usefull.Unfortiunatly some of us learn the hard way. Ha Ha

[bmcecosse]

Very unlikely that a 'higher' compression reading would indicate a leaking head gasket. Just torque it down to 44 ftlbf and reset the valve gaps using 15 thou on the exhausts. And take it out for a good run.

[Darren.]

What would cause the higher compression then. Also as said plugs one and two are a good color yet 3 and 4 are black. The head has had new valve guides / seats and valves

[amgrave]

Oil getting past the oil control rings would cause it. hope it's not that though