Craigs List Rebuild? Oiling Issues.

He Lost the recipes.



I want to swap this (supposed to be rebuilt) Dauntless for the tired 231 in my’66. Overspray on the rotor and valve train looks suspiciously like another old tired engine with some fresh paint. I guess we’ll see.


First Problem discovered while priming the oil pump. The driver side seems to be getting a good amount of oil but the passenger side is getting about 1/4 of the driver side. The oil has long overflowed back into the drain holes on the ends of the head on driver, but passenger side is not flowing near as well. I did check the orientation of the rocker tubes and they are installed correctly.

Lots of oil covering that bolt head and flowing back into block….


Little oil in the head after priming for several minutes.…



Any suggestions short of tearing the thing apart are welcome.

 

Thats weird to me as the passage to the drivers side is via around the front cam bearing. The passenger side is too but its a straighter- shorter shot. Given the overspray everywhere, it's suspect to me.... I'd be looking to see if the cam bearing is installed correctly.
TA sells an improved front bearing I have one in my 231of.

 

I’m sure that means removing the water pump and timing cover. I’ll bet it will never be easier than now on the stand but really not wanting to do that now.

 

Might fabup a tempory engine stand, install a starter, fly wheel and a radiator. Crank it up and see what it does. See what oil pressure u get and check the compression.

 

I agree but it would be best to pull the oil pan and feel around. Torque the caps on everything and get a good feel for it. No sense in putting it on a run stand if it's loose inside.

 

Was the engine supposedly rebuilt and never ran? remove a sparkplug and look in there with a flashlite to see if there is any carbon on the pistons.

 

Yeah, it would be a good idea right now, the pan would be easily removed. I bet that would reveal a lot of secrets.

 

Updated.
I removed the passenger side rocker assembly and ran the primer. Large stream of oil shot across the garage from the front oil passage that would normally be under the rocker support. I’m thinking that’s a good sign. I’m going to take apart the rocker assembly as much as I feel comfortable and clean it up.
I’m definitely also going to pull the oil pan. That’s easy.

 

First step. Let it soak in a half gallon of mineral spirits until at least after dinner.

 

Just to be sure on the rocker shaft for the right hand side. From looking at the rocker shaft from the front (right bank) the cotter pin hole is oriented out away from the engine on the top of the hole.

 

Pulling the rear main cap off might give you an idea of engine condition. Examine the bearing shell and crank.

 

Place your bets and scroll down…
.
.
.
.
.
Drained the oil and removed the pan.
.
.
Found a good half inch of sludge in the bottom of the pan




Not a new piston to be found.



The cam doesn’t look bad but certainly not new.



So the timing cover is going to need to come off and inspected at the very least.

 

Yes, and going back to the idea that it will never get easier than being on a stand.. before you pull the oil pump, pipe in a pressure gage on the passenger side oil port, see what you have while drill-spinning. Then, timing cover, then heads-look in the cylinders. If passable, I'd then flip it over and check the mains, which would give you a peek at the crank journals. Heck, maybe you get away with a gasket set and an oil pump.

 

Question on compression test-
Can I just remove plugs and run starter on the stand for that?
Would I need to replace the pan and fill with oil or would just turning it over a little bit for the test be okay?

Thinking,
If I get decent compression a new cam, lifters and timing chain are all pretty easy and not terribly expensive.

 

So I did have an oil gauge connected today when priming/testing. Went up to nearly 30psi within maybe 30seconds. That’s more than my last two engines in this Jeep have had!!

 

I amend my previous advice, yes compression, before you pull the heads. That will tell you to go further or not. I think you can crank a few turns without oil pressure, it wouldn't really get there anyway in just a few turns.

 

Promising. Doesn't explain lack of oil to the rocker, but that could be gunk in the rocker stand.

 

Shall I mail you an " Old Frederick Red" to throw through someone's window?

 

Why not perform a leak down test instead?

 

Walt, I am a bit confused by this.
I may have installed the cotter pin upside down but from what I can gather from the service manual this is the front of the 2,4,6 side with the notch facing away from the engine.


The 1,3,5 side has the notch in the rocker tube in the back of the engine and facing away from the engine.

Do you think this is correct?