[Bill Hanlon]

This may be a stupid idea (many of mine are), but could one put a "sleeve" with an ID of 3/8" and an OD of 7/16" and a length = the length of the hole in the ball between the stud and the ball? That would allow use of the matching 7/16" hole ball and rocker with the 3/8" stud. The wall thickness of the "sleeve" would only be 1/32", so the material it was made from would have to be pretty stout.

[Jack Gifford]

Among many things I'm not sure about- were 7/16" studs ever really used with early rocker arms (about 2.9" long)? I would have said 'no'.

For whatever it's worth: I've found that to most people, especially aftermarket parts suppliers, "Pontiac rocker arms" means the later rockers (about 3.1" long).

[MJVAUGHANS]

I used the new rocker arms and the new solid pivot balls that came with them.
I double nutted all of them.
The original low profile valve covers made a little bit of contact with a couple of the rocker arms so I glued 2 cork gaskets together to raise them.

It is now oiling through the pushrods on the left side head, and the pushrods and studs on the right side bank. Everything appears to be fine so far and it definately is running cooler.

I cannot actually see what is going on in there because if I try to leave the valve cover off oil shoots everywhere and quickly fills up and overflows the heads.

Oil pressure appears to be ok still.

[Jack Gifford]

Originally Posted by MJVAUGHANS

... oil shoots everywhere and quickly fills up and overflows the heads...

That sounds like a bad situation. Seems like you'll need to restrict flow somehow.

[MJVAUGHANS]

I am still watching things and this is not a daily driver so I am not content with saying the problem is fixed for sure. When I say it over flows the heads you have to consider the lower lip of the head is fairly shallow and most of the oil is running back towards the front of the engine to drain out of the head and less toward the back. At least when it is sitting still and idling. With stud oiling and the rocker arms without holes in them the oil kind of drizzles out.(stock as you are aware) With the holes in the rocker arms now, when the push rod hole and the rocker arm hole line-up the oil is aimed at the valve cover pretty much.

What do you think is the minimum oil pressure I should maintain should be?(as read from the dash gauge) At least 15,20,25??

[Jack Gifford]

Originally Posted by MJVAUGHANS

... when the push rod hole and the rocker arm hole line-up...

As built by Pontiac (any year with oil holes in rocker arms), the holes never quite "lined up".
You've noticed oil puddling at idle; now try to imagine the oil volume while driving. Not good.

[MJVAUGHANS]

You are correct and I guess the oil is not actually a stream but like I said it is makes such a mess I did not watch it for very long. I thought about putting pipe cleaners in the pushrod tubes but I was afraid they would work themselves loose.

[MJVAUGHANS]

Fast forward a few years.
I have the whole engine out again for repairs. Long story, subject for how are the heads.
So what I am doing is: remove all the expansion/ galley plugs and clean everything out, checking all the valves and seats, using the oil rings on the valvestems(no umbrellas), installing guide liners and/or guides if needed, remove all 3/8" pressed in rocker studs, machine down bosses, tap holes for 7/16" screw-in 3/8" top ARP rocker studs, install solid pivot balls with stamped steel Pontiac rockers arms with pushrod spurt holes and 3/8" crimp nuts, and 1956-later hydrsulic Lifters. The cam bearings are installed correctly so they will still send oil to the heads like they were designed to do, I am not replacing the expansion plugs in the end of the old oil galley so the oil will drain out, figure out the proper pushed length after all is assembled. The summary is I am deleting the stud oiling and just going pushed oiling only. I will also be using a new 1955 correct oil pump with spiral cut gears and no modifications.

I am not done with all of this yet so if anyone has any comments or critiques I would appreciate the input, just as I have in the past.

[Jack Gifford]

Originally Posted by MJVAUGHANS

... I am not replacing the expansion plugs in the end of the old oil galley so the oil will drain out...

If you mean the galley that feeds the studs, it makes more sense to replace the plugs, rather than have an intentional "leak" of pressurized oil.

Admittedly I've been guilty of free-hand tapping 3/8" stud bosses out to 7/16-14 (60 years ago!) but it's not advisable. You'd be better off having a machine shop do it in a mill setup. Will you have the heads at a shop anyway to cut the guides for stem seals? If doing it yourself, at least make up a guide that bolts to an adjacent stud, to keep the tap aligned.

Solid pivot balls? The grooved ones were considered an upgrade and I always had good luck with them.

[694.1]

Just saw this old tread. Good stuff. some points-
NO 1.65 rockers for early heads.
NO roller tip rockers for early heads.
NO screw -in hollow studs available anymore.
Only rockers are drilled rockers for 64-66 Pontiacs and Butler stocks them.
I have a small selection of good used hollow studs, balls & rockers for early engines if someone needs.

[MJVAUGHANS]

Originally Posted by Jack Gifford

You'd be better off having a machine shop do it in a mill setup..

I have already had a machine shop remove the studs, cut down the bosses, and thread the bosses for the studs using the mill. I just have to install.

[MJVAUGHANS]

Originally Posted by Jack Gifford

If you mean the galley that feeds the studs, it makes more sense to replace the plugs, rather than have an intentional "leak" of pressurized oil.

My thought was that now the oil will travel up to the heads and be deadheaded with no way to escape including oil changes. May even trap air pocket? What about replacing the plugs, but drilling a calculated hole in the ones in the front for the heads?

[MJVAUGHANS]

Originally Posted by Jack Gifford

Will you have the heads at a shop anyway to cut the guides for stem seals?.

What do you mean? Are you talking about the seals with the springs on them? I was going to just use the little o-rings that are on the top of the valve stems, or maybe the slip-on rubber umbrellas also? Enlighten me.

[tom s]

I have never pluged the hole in the block when I went to solid screwin studs,never had a issue.FWIW,Tom

[MJVAUGHANS]

This would not effect oil pressure would it?

[tom s]

Never has.The oil just dead heads.Tom

[Jack Gifford]

Originally Posted by MJVAUGHANS

... What do you mean?...

Sorry, I thought you were planning to use modern PC-style stem seals (they got that name because Perfect Circle was the originator of them in the early sixties). They need the tops of the guide bosses machined to .500" or .530" diameter. They've been a routine part of engine building for the last 50 years.

[Jack Gifford]

Originally Posted by 694.1

... NO roller tip rockers for early heads...

True, unless you get lucky enough to find some old Gotha or Thomas roller-tip ones.

If you're really determined, SBC full-roller rockers can be adapted. They've been working fine for 4 years now on the '58 Tri-Power in my GMC. But I had to modify a lot to get the geometry correct- valve length, stud location, pushrod length, etc.

[MJVAUGHANS]

I cannot justify the work to put roller tips on this motor. Stamped steel will have to do.

[MJVAUGHANS]

Originally Posted by Jack Gifford

Sorry, I thought you were planning to use modern PC-style stem seals (they got that name because Perfect Circle was the originator of them in the early sixties). They need the tops of the guide bosses machined to .500" or .530" diameter. They've been a routine part of engine building for the last 50 years.

My machine shop said they put it back the way they would have been stock. I can see that the bosses are not machined down. They said the Intakes have an o-ring, and the Exhaust has nothing. Will this be ok?