If there is NO oil coming from the shafts, etc., what can one do to fix?
The engine is in the car & condition is unknown to me, other than compression
which is 150 in 7 cylinders & 135 in another. Engine runs smooth
The engine is supposed to be the original 292 installed in a 1956 coupe.
I hope to not have to remove the engine, if possible, to fix an oiling issue.
Thanks again
Jim

You have to determine why it is happening  Start by removing the shafts and all spark plugs then crank the engine over to see if oil makes it to the head.  If so, then the problem is in the shafts and they may only need to be disassembled and cleaned but if it has been running without oil for a long time, an entire rebuild of the shafts is required.

If no oil still makes it to the head, make sure the passage is clear all the way down to the block.  Do the crank test again to see if you have oil flow.  At this point, if there is no flow, you can cut an old rocker stand in half, tap it for a grease fitting, bolt it to the block and see if the pressure from a grease gun will clear a blockage.  If you don't have a rocker stand, some aluminum or steel bar can be made to do the job just as well.  Try cranking again.  If still no oil, remove the heads and make sure the passage in the block is clear.  Try again.  If no, you can attempt to drill the cam bearing.  Apply grease to the tip of the drill bit to help capture metal chips.  If still no, then you need to take the engine apart.


Lawrenceville, GA

Thing is it's not really possible to judge the condition of rocker shafts and rocker arms without disassembly.

Each head is fed by a single oil outlet that flows up through a rocker arm stand and through the shaft, and drips over and through the rocker arms and the tubes at either end of the heads. When I had the rocker assemblies removed on the engine in my truck, ran the starter with all the spark plugs removed and checked for a healthy oil flow from each side of the engine. It took several seconds from a cold "start" but looked sufficient to me.

If you need new components (likely)the entire rocker assemblies are sometimes available for purchase at a competitive price. Individual NOS rocker arms can get spendy from the usual suspects. Course you might as well look at new valve springs & seals while you're at it, check for bent push rods, and gee how do those EX. valves look anyway? ha!

Compression numbers look reasonably good, the 292 wasn't known for high compression in the later years at least.

Thanks so much, Guys
I'll let you know what I find
Jim

Further, as our moderator Ted has pointed out, some years of Y-blocks had cross drilled cams, not grooved. Therefore, it will be necessary to rotate the engine slowly to allow grease to penetrate into those engines. And are both sides of the engine not receiving any oil? I believe it's the passenger side that usually has problems first. Best remove the rocker assemblies 1st & determine if any oil is getting that far & are the rocker shafts plugged with sludge? If they are essentially dry, plan on at least replacing the shafts, as they are likely ruined.  If plugged, best also pull the pan & clean it + it's likely that the crankcase venting is completely plugged up also.. Start with the oil fill cap, is the screen clear? Then re & re the road draft side canister (if so equipped) as the filter inside is likely plugged up also..  Worst case scenerio, apparently in some high mileage engines, the center Cam bearing can be so worn that little oil can pass.. Hopefully not!.. Good luck  


Paul

Thanks so much, PF
Jim