jpnc

I have a 1988 TBI 305. I looked inside the valve cover and it's not oiling ( just where you put the oil in at) .I haven't taken the valve cover off yet. I can see the push rod and rocker arm and No oil is coming out. I have 60-65 lbs. of oil pressure when I start it and 60 lbs when I drive it. Idles around 20 lbs.

It has 168,000 miles on the engine. It runs good. I'm thinking a cam bearing may be the problem! I have too much money in the truck to rebuild it.

Any ideas or what should I check ? The lifters are not making a loud noise yet. I'm scared too drive it. I don't think the strainer is stopped up. I drained the oil and spray 2 bottles of throttle body cleaner in the drain plug. Hoping too break up any build up on the strainer. I would like too keep the truck if I could fix it real cheap!

Thanks for any help!

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

Not anything to do with cam bearings. They are not related in any manner way shape or form with oil metered to the top end except to the extent that if they're fornicated, the oil pressure will be too low. Which clearly doesn't apply here.

Probably nothing wrong at all. Only a TINY amount of oil is metered to the rockers in most cases, and since it doesn't take much, it's probably enough.

Your oil pressure is fine. Higher than most in fact. I'd leave it alone and drive it. Keep your 3rd gen F-body truck's crankcase full. Use the correct weight of oil: 10W-30 if memory serves: doesn't do any good to artificially fake a higher gauge reading by putting candle wax in the motor, if the pump isn't forcing it to flow through the bearings. As long as your OP readings are with the correct oil weight, don't worry about what you think you're seeing in the valve cover at idle.

jpnc

Thank you for your very good explanation. Best news I've heard All day. Should I pull the valve covers and just look at them?

jpnc

When it's in neutral it idles at 20 lbs. when it's in gear with my foot on the brake pedal, I have around 10 lbs. of oil pressure. just regular driving it has 40 lbs. of oil pressure.

Question: is there a oiling diagram for the 1988 TBI 305 on this site?

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

I posted some drawing of SBC oil systems some time back... they only apply to 1955 - 2000 SBCs, 262.5, 265, 267, 283, 302, 305, 307, 327, 350, & 400 though...







They kinda suck, (additionally I didn't type the misspelled captions, but w/e) but should give you some clues at the least. Use with caution and at your own risk.

-=Z28=-

iTrader: (3)

try idling it up when your looking in the filler hole. I bet you will see oil then... Usually on a stock oil pump, at idle, you wont see much oil or any at all. Usually when you see videos of engines running with valve covers off and oil is flying everywhere, something had been done to the oiling system.

Also, I know on older push rods the holes inside can wear out, get larger, messing with oiling up top.

jpnc

It's losing oil pressure when its in gear with my foot on the brake. 10 lbs. oil pressure. I'm going too drive it until it starts knocking...lol

I revved it up to 4,000 rpm...And I could see the rocker arm and push rods. It's not oiling. I think I have two different problems. A lot of people have told me it's a cam bearing (most likely)

When it blows up, I'm going too put a 350 in it.

Thanks for all of the help guys!