Push rods

[Jerry Ikemire]

Just a quick one here...were the 318s using non-oiling pushrods back in the day?

 

[toolmanmike]

Yes. The rocker shafts oiled with a passage through the deck surface up through the heads.

 

[Xcudame]

Toolmanmike is correct! the oil is supplier by holes in the number 4 camshaft bearing that feeds oil into the 2nd or 4th rockerarm bolt pedestal (depending on passenger or driver side head) into the hollow rockerarm shaft.

 

[Ricks72Chlgr440]

Toolmanmike is correct! the oil is supplier by holes in the number 4 camshaft bearing that feeds oil into the 2nd or 4th rockerarm bolt pedestal (depending on passenger or driver side head) into the hollow rockerarm shaft.

Yes, that's why it's imperative that the shaft be installed properly. They *can* be installed wrong. I bought a 440 from a guy once and when I tore it down the shafts were installed wrong! Engine had squealing noise. Shafts & rockers were horribly galled.

 

[Challenger RTA]

oil priming.

 

[toolmanmike]

We talk a lot about this over at FABO. Here's a link to a good discussion thread.

Stock rocker shaft oil hole orientation

 

[Jerry Ikemire]

Wow you guys supplied way too much information for my old mind! Thank you! This is my first Mopar and the more I learn about them the more I like them! My older brother and I had a discussion a couple weeks ago and both agree we wish we would've gotten into Mopars in the '70s instead of GM.

Thanks again you Gods of power!

 

[Moparbastard]

The later roller cam LA engines oiled through the cam bearing and the lifters. They had oil holes in the push rods and modified the rocker arms slightly. 1989 LA 360 for example.

 

[toolmanmike]

The later roller cam LA engines oiled through the cam bearing and the lifters. They changed the rocker arms slightly. 1989 LA 360 for example.

Not until the Magnum. If the engine came with rocker shafts, they oiled through the deck and heads and not the pushrods.

 

[Moparbastard]

Not until the Magnum. If the engine came with rocker shafts, they oiled through the deck and heads and not the pushrods.

Respectfully, that is incorrect. I built just such an engine. Look up the part numbers. These LAs oiled both ways from the factory. 1989 360 LA, original untouched engine out of a W250 pickup.

 

[greatscot3]

Yes, that's why it's imperative that the shaft be installed properly. They *can* be installed wrong. I bought a 440 from a guy once and when I tore it down the shafts were installed wrong! Engine had squealing noise. Shafts & rockers were horribly galled.

I asked around about the rocker shaft orientation and was told the oiling holes go "down and out".
Is that consistent with your info?
I any case, mine are installed that way and no problemo so far.

 

[toolmanmike]

Respectfully, that is incorrect. I built just such an engine. Look up the part numbers. These LAs oiled both ways from the factory. 1989 360 LA, original untouched engine out of a W250 pickup.

"That combo is “partially” pushrod oiled.
The rockers have no oil holes in the pushrod cup, so the oil coming up the pushrod only lubes the pushrod & rocker interface.
The rest of the lube requirements for the head are still handled the traditional way." From an engine builder on another site. One fellow says one thing and another fellow says something else.

 

[Moparbastard]

"That combo is “partially” pushrod oiled.
The rockers have no oil holes in the pushrod cup, so the oil coming up the pushrod only lubes the pushrod & rocker interface.
The rest of the lube requirements for the head are still handled the traditional way." From an engine builder on another site. One fellow says one thing and another fellow says something else.

That is correct. The follow up question is, why did Chrysler do that?

 

[toolmanmike]

Interesting you ask. The fellow I talked to said he didn't know himself. I would imagine they were transitioning to the Magnum Style which had all pushrod oiling. Those were transition years going from the standard LA to the roller cam block, used in some models but not in all. Carburetor to the Lean Burn to TBI and then the leap into the Magnum.