This has been sitting out of the 63 f100 for about 4 months and it looks a little too dry to me, what do you guys think?



1956 F100 272 4 speed
Northern California

Yes.  That looks quite dry.


Lawrenceville, GA

Remove the distributor and try priming the oil system to see just how much oil is coming from the rockers.  After sitting for several months, looking ‘dry’ might be normal.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

block the drain tubes, if not you will gall the rocker shafts

The ledge between the springs and edge of the head looks really dry. What do the under side of your rocker covers look like? If they are dry you may have a problem. I put a 6” cardboard deflector in the ledge between the springs and the edge of the head with 3” packaging tape on the bottom and start the engine when warm. I put a dry rag on the exhaust manifold. These are not SBC’s oil does not go everywhere . I run the engine at above idle until I can see coming from the overflow line. It does take a few minutes. There is oil at the edge of the rockers at the springs too. If you have none there could be many reasons. Too heavy of an oil. I run 10-30 Lucas hot rod. Rocker shafts up side down. Center cam bearing moved. Etc. good luck many others will add their experiences. 

56 Vic, B'Ville 200 MPH Club Member, So Cal.

Do you mean squeeze the drain tubes shut? I thought I read somewhere about oil to the timing chain? I haven't taken a yblock apart yet

1956 F100 272 4 speed
Northern California

I have been running vr1 20/50

1956 F100 272 4 speed
Northern California

Restricting the drain tube oil flow will not particularly remedy a situation where sufficient oil flow is not being achieved in the first place. Everything up top there should show a general coating of oil throughout, and we're not seeing that....

Oil doesn't evaporate like say, water, it doesn't really go away, an engine sitting for months at a time should still show plenty of oil coating parts throughout once the valve covers are removed. There should be a "trough" of oil at the low point along the head leading to the drain holes. I'd first maybe suggest removing the rocker arm shaft assemblies on both sides and checking the oil flow through the heads. Can power the oil pump with a drill, or simply remove the spark plugs and crank the starter over for several seconds.

Thanks I will take a look

1956 F100 272 4 speed
Northern California

tedster is correct,but by restricting the drain tubes, limited supply would go to all of the rocker shaft, if the cam has holes in the dastribution will be limited until engine is running pre lube will be hard to assess. as engine must rotate to check flow