This week I have been breaking in and finishing the 445 FE stroker in my 65 Galaxie. Today I was in the driveway lifting the hood back in place with the cherry picker. A guy in his 70's stopped by who has a 56 Bird. I had given him some suggestions for a better running yblock (Dump the load-o-matic distrubutor!) in the past. In conversation he told me about a old rocker oiling cure he had on his 56 Ford. He said that there was a "kit" consisting of two heavy fiber bags filled with small "jute-like" pieces. They were installed on top of the rocker shafts and covered the rocker arms under the valve covers attached in some way to the valve cover studs. The clean bags were soaked in motor oil. As part of the maintenance routine, at oil change intervals, these bags were removed and washed and dried, re-soaked in motor oil and put back under the valve covers. I haven't heard about this method before. Just thought it would be good to add it to the Y block mythology.

57 Black Tbird 312/auto

Thousands of stovebolt Chevys were kept running this way years ago.Only we just used gunny sacks.

 

Paul,

Boonville,MO

Only if I was moving the car to it's new home a few (20) miles away. The cam bearing in y blocks spins and then doesn't align with the oil passage that feeds the rocker arms. The best fix was in later blocks there was a groove added to the block surrounding the cam bearing. Oil was allowed to escape up to the upper end even after the bearing spun.