1st.thing............relax,take a chill pill! Figure a way to run the engine Before you put it in,,that way you dont have to pull it again.You only need to run a idle for about 5-10 min,and letting it get warm is a good thing.Somehow I missed the pictures of the main bearings.As far as I can remember,journal taper was a max of .001,and if all they did was polish it,they might not have given it more than a basic measurment at the center of the journals.I've had engines that primed much the same way as yours,and some that would make a horrible mess due to the oil from the valve train,even with oil restrictors in the oil galley.I would like to see those pictures,,tho.
Wrecker 350 runs! (but no oil to rockers!!)
- Thread starter bobs409
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1st.thing............relax,take a chill pill! Figure a way to run the engine Before you put it in,,that way you dont have to pull it again.You only need to run a idle for about 5-10 min,and letting it get warm is a good thing.Somehow I missed the pictures of the main bearings.As far as I can remember,journal taper was a max of .001,and if all they did was polish it,they might not have given it more than a basic measurment at the center of the journals.I've had engines that primed much the same way as yours,and some that would make a horrible mess due to the oil from the valve train,even with oil restrictors in the oil galley.I would like to see those pictures,,tho.
Don, I could really use a chill pill about now. 
Probably easiest to just put the engine back in the truck since there is no front end anyway. I will only bolt up the absolute necessities to test it.
I just can't see this machine shop missing something like that. They seem quite anal about these things.
With my bad memory, maybe they told me and I just forgot it.
If .001 is the max, then I guess I'm within it. It's .002 on one end and goes up to .003 at the other.
I'm not sure why the bearing marked like that however. It's not scored, just shiny. That's the tight end but it's still .002 there.
I can say one thing for sure, I really learned alot from this. I know to check alot more things rather than "assume" the machine shop did it for me. Will invest in a few more tools too for the next build.
It's just frustrating to me. I like to keep things moving forward and lately I'm either going backwards or just stalled.
Probably easiest to just put the engine back in the truck since there is no front end anyway. I will only bolt up the absolute necessities to test it.I just can't see this machine shop missing something like that. They seem quite anal about these things.
With my bad memory, maybe they told me and I just forgot it.
If .001 is the max, then I guess I'm within it. It's .002 on one end and goes up to .003 at the other.
I'm not sure why the bearing marked like that however. It's not scored, just shiny. That's the tight end but it's still .002 there.
I can say one thing for sure, I really learned alot from this. I know to check alot more things rather than "assume" the machine shop did it for me. Will invest in a few more tools too for the next build.
It's just frustrating to me. I like to keep things moving forward and lately I'm either going backwards or just stalled.
Bob,I went back to work [I'm actually off today and it's raining] 
and looked up the specs for an 82 Chevy 3/4 ton 350[should br very close to the same as your engine].They are as folows.Crank -[mains] taper -production .0002 max-service .001 max. Clearence-#1 .008-.0020,#2-3-4-.011-.0023,#5-.007-.0032,Service,1-..001-.0015,#2-3-4-.001-.0025.#5-.0025-.0035.Out of round,Production,.0002 max,Service-.001 max. End play,.002-.006,Rods -taper,.0002 max.,service,.001 max. Clearence,.013-.0035 production,.0030 service Side clearence[between rods].008-.014.Now I'm not defending the machine shop,but some will recommend align honing any block for safety[CYA] reasons.I'm kinda with Cecil here on the likely necessity of having that done,but it's done.There's always the possibility of the bearing shells being off a bit as well,but according to these specs,and what you posted are such that you shouldnt have any problems with this engine doing what you want it to do.IMO Plastigauge is a good "quickcheck",but if youre really concerend about "dead nuts"acuaracy,then a good set of micrometers and snap gauges are in order [as well as patiance and a few grey hairs ]
getting every thing perfect.
and looked up the specs for an 82 Chevy 3/4 ton 350[should br very close to the same as your engine].They are as folows.Crank -[mains] taper -production .0002 max-service .001 max. Clearence-#1 .008-.0020,#2-3-4-.011-.0023,#5-.007-.0032,Service,1-..001-.0015,#2-3-4-.001-.0025.#5-.0025-.0035.Out of round,Production,.0002 max,Service-.001 max. End play,.002-.006,Rods -taper,.0002 max.,service,.001 max. Clearence,.013-.0035 production,.0030 service Side clearence[between rods].008-.014.Now I'm not defending the machine shop,but some will recommend align honing any block for safety[CYA] reasons.I'm kinda with Cecil here on the likely necessity of having that done,but it's done.There's always the possibility of the bearing shells being off a bit as well,but according to these specs,and what you posted are such that you shouldnt have any problems with this engine doing what you want it to do.IMO Plastigauge is a good "quickcheck",but if youre really concerend about "dead nuts"acuaracy,then a good set of micrometers and snap gauges are in order [as well as patiance and a few grey hairs ]getting every thing perfect.
Bob, fire it up with 30wt or 20-40,
Wish I had happier news but still no good. 
Oil pressure at fast idle was in the 20's but dropped down to normal idle speed, it's going down to 10 and eventually to 7lbs again once fully hot. I can get it to go into the 40's if I race it up like 2K.
I checked for oil at the rockers and there is none unless I race it up. This is with the 10w/30. No point in trying a thicker oil as there is something wrong somewhere.
Looks like it's coming back out again. Trouble is, I don't even know where to start. The cam is coming out this time and after I check the clearances on all the rods and the rest of the mains, the crank will probably come out to inspect all the bearings and mic the journals.
Have to go bang my head against the wall some more now...
Send me your suggestions please...
Oil pressure at fast idle was in the 20's but dropped down to normal idle speed, it's going down to 10 and eventually to 7lbs again once fully hot. I can get it to go into the 40's if I race it up like 2K.
I checked for oil at the rockers and there is none unless I race it up. This is with the 10w/30. No point in trying a thicker oil as there is something wrong somewhere.
Looks like it's coming back out again. Trouble is, I don't even know where to start. The cam is coming out this time and after I check the clearances on all the rods and the rest of the mains, the crank will probably come out to inspect all the bearings and mic the journals.
Have to go bang my head against the wall some more now...
Send me your suggestions please...
What oil pump are you using? I have heard bad things about the stock Melling pumps. Thin castings breaking and such. The Melling select pumps are the ones to get. Is it a hi volume, hi pressure or stock? Have you tried another bypass adapter. You know, the piece your filter threads on to. If your cam bearings were installed incorrectly your pressure would likely be o.k. just would have oiling issues. I would not be worried with your rod and main clearances either. Somthing is giving you an internal leak. Can you remove the oil pan and rig up a pressurized oil can and plumb it into your block through the oil sender port. That way you can pressurize the oiling system and watch the volume of oil that runs through the bearings etc... Might help the diagnosis.
MRHP, first pump I used was the stock Melling pump. (M55) I then switched to a high volume pump made by Sealed power. http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SLP-224-4143/ I only got a few more pounds from that switch.
I haven't tried another bypass but did look at this one. The spring looks ok and it's closed, not stuck open.
It does seem to be an internal leak somewhere killing off the pressure. Can't understand where it could be though.
I haven't tried another bypass but did look at this one. The spring looks ok and it's closed, not stuck open.
It does seem to be an internal leak somewhere killing off the pressure. Can't understand where it could be though.
I've heard the same thing on the new and improved pump castings from several years ago . There was a big discussion on other forums. It seems that Melling changed the casting to a thinner version to save weight on the newer engines as part of the fuel/emissions concerns and the pump housings cracked. That would cause a big internal leak. Melling had to go back to the old style pump (M55 Select)for certain applications, but they cost more.
Frankly, the old oil pumps get routinely changed for no reason. If it isn't worn out or damaged, I would just give it a good cleaning and re-install.
http://www.chevelles.com/forums/show...hlight=melling
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/s...hlight=melling
http://forums.godragracing.com/viewt...095&highlight=
Melling Select on left Standard Melling on right
Frankly, the old oil pumps get routinely changed for no reason. If it isn't worn out or damaged, I would just give it a good cleaning and re-install.
http://www.chevelles.com/forums/show...hlight=melling
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/s...hlight=melling
http://forums.godragracing.com/viewt...095&highlight=
Melling Select on left Standard Melling on right
It seems like you have a big leak, not a little one. I still think a plug has to be missing or loose somewhere, or something sealing off an oil passage. Maybe try to pressurize the system with air and listen for leaks (after you get the oil off of you)? I just can't believe any reputable shop could leave a plug out either, it's not like SBCs are uncommon. This is a real puzzle.
When you pull the cam,check [measure the clearence between the bearings and the cam journal] I dont have the spec.handy,but I dont think I''d want over.002,most likely .001.It'd only take one of the 5 with something like.004-.005 to cause this kind of internal leak.If the condition of the bearing is good,it's possible for that rreplacement cam has undersize journals? This thing has never made good oil pressure,so it's something we're missing,most likely small and dumb!
On cam bearings- it is possible to install them wrong, just kinda unlikely. They have to go in a certain order or the clearances are wrong. don't know if that would be enough to affect pressure that much, though. Otherwise, the depth of installation determines alignment with the oil groove. I just don't know if the rear could be installed that far off to miss the passage.
If the oil pump is good and the pickup is at the right depth, then about the only thing left is the galley plug on the upper rear of the drivers side of the block under the head on the lifter valley rail. Seems unlikely that it would have been removed and surely you would have noticed it.
If the oil pump is good and the pickup is at the right depth, then about the only thing left is the galley plug on the upper rear of the drivers side of the block under the head on the lifter valley rail. Seems unlikely that it would have been removed and surely you would have noticed it.
I am pretty sure that if that plug is out, it will have an external oil leak.
Okay,youre getting 45 or so wth with the priming tool,llittle or no oil to the valve train,much less with the dist your trying to use...........right?The bottom of that dist.has a groove whose purpose is to allow oil to go to the lifter galley.Before you pull it, [the engine]see if the primer repeats the eariler test.If so,look at that dist your using,is it possibly broken?,not seating properly[too high]?
Don, the drill is probably spinning at 2,800 rpms so that's why the higher pressure. If I rev the engine up, it will get into the 40's too so I think it's the same.
My oil primer is an old distributor body that I modified. I just put an oil primer shaft inside of it. The body directs the oil flow. I tried raising and lowering the distributor body while running the drill but it didn't change the pressure any.
Cecil, that plug under the head is in so it's not that. Good thinking though. Try again.
My oil primer is an old distributor body that I modified. I just put an oil primer shaft inside of it. The body directs the oil flow. I tried raising and lowering the distributor body while running the drill but it didn't change the pressure any.
Cecil, that plug under the head is in so it's not that. Good thinking though. Try again.
Then that leaves the cam bearings. Although, I still think the taper in the crank journals or caps could cause an internal leak by dumping pressure out the wide end of the bearing. That might explain the wipe marks on the bearings as oil is not getting there causing contact.Don, the drill is probably spinning at 2,800 rpms so that's why the higher pressure. If I rev the engine up, it will get into the 40's too so I think it's the same.
My oil primer is an old distributor body that I modified. I just put an oil primer shaft inside of it. The body directs the oil flow. I tried raising and lowering the distributor body while running the drill but it didn't change the pressure any.
Cecil, that plug under the head is in so it's not that. Good thinking though. Try again.