Pete Phillips Posted December 27, 2016 Share Posted December 27, 2016 Am rebuilding a 1938 248 cu. in. engine from a '38 Special. The head was removed from the engine before the car was brought to me, so I did not notice this until now, as we are reassembling the engine. Someone has welded or driven these little plugs into the oil holes at the top of each rocker arm. I do not know why, unless it was to force more oil downward towards the bottom part of the engine. Should I be concerned that the rockers and rocker arm shaft may not receive enough oil if these plugs are left in place? Normally, oil flows out of these holes and over the top of the rocker arm, down to the rocker shaft, and some usually makes its way over to the top of the valve. Anyone ever seen anything like this? Pete Phillips, BCA #7338 Leonard, Texas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daves1940Buick56S Posted December 28, 2016 Share Posted December 28, 2016 Boy, not me! Mine has the holes open (or opened by me removing 70 yrs of crud) and oil seeps out and down to the tappet and valve top. If I had to guess, maybe it had, like, really loose valve guides and they plugged it in an effort to reduce oil loss/burning? Cheers, Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILIKECARS53 Posted December 28, 2016 Share Posted December 28, 2016 I never saw that before. My 320 has the holes open. I would check with Doug Seybold the Buick expert in Ohio to see if he has any ideas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Shaw Posted December 28, 2016 Share Posted December 28, 2016 It appears to be a "Shade Tree Mechanic's" solution to a low oil pressure problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonMicheletti Posted December 28, 2016 Share Posted December 28, 2016 Upper end oiling on these engines Special and Roadmaster appears marginal at best. If you watch the oiling with the engine running and the covers off, there is hardly any oil coming out. A worn engine will certainly make this worse. Those holes should be open. As mentioned, this looks like a bad back yard "repair'' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob H Posted December 29, 2016 Share Posted December 29, 2016 WAG: Someone was adjusting the valves with the engine running and the oil from the rocker arms was making a mess. Drove plugs into the oil holes to stem the flow. No idea why they weren't removed. Bob H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glassesguy Posted December 29, 2016 Share Posted December 29, 2016 Seems like Mark and Bob H have some good answers on this one. In 1942the factory added a sheet metal baffle attached to the rocker assembly to help control the oil spray emerging from these holes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daves1940Buick56S Posted December 29, 2016 Share Posted December 29, 2016 Spray? On mine, it's more like an ooze... Cheers, Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonMicheletti Posted December 29, 2016 Share Posted December 29, 2016 Mine are oozers too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
39BuickEight Posted December 29, 2016 Share Posted December 29, 2016 14 hours ago, Glassesguy said: Seems like Mark and Bob H have some good answers on this one. In 1942the factory added a sheet metal baffle attached to the rocker assembly to help control the oil spray emerging from these holes. One of my 1939 engines has one: http://forums.aaca.org/topic/269868-1939-248-engine-rocker-arm-assembly-question/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibarlaw Posted December 29, 2016 Share Posted December 29, 2016 My 1937 248 also oozes. It usually runs at 45 lbs. of oil pressure. When I was at South Bend in 2013 one of the vendors had a NOS aftermarket rocker assembly oil mat in its original box. It looked like a long cotton sock to be laid on top of the assembly with locating grommets for passing over the valve cover studs. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLYER15015 Posted December 29, 2016 Share Posted December 29, 2016 (edited) 7 hours ago, dibarlaw said: My 1937 248 also oozes. It usually runs at 45 lbs. of oil pressure. When I was at South Bend in 2013 one of the vendors had a NOS aftermarket rocker assembly oil mat in its original box. It looked like a long cotton sock to be laid on top of the assembly with locating grommets for passing over the valve cover studs. Larry, Do you have a bit more info on the sock ? Company name, or location, and in business when to when and what was it made of, and are there 2 sizes ? Since back then Buick was one of the few OHV engines, we can't sell them to the Olds or Cad guys, but then that is their loss. Sounds like something we could "re-engineer" and sell to all the OHV strt 8 /6 guys. Could be the beginnings of a new business for one of our retired guys........... Mike in Colorado PS: Google "rocker arm blanket" and you will find one illustrated on a Chevy 6 on page 121 of the October 1951 issue of Popular Mechanic's, along with a nice article about 3500 year old finger prints. No company info, but they say they make them also for Buicks. I'm going back and read some more stuff from way back then................. PPS: The product we speak of, and wish we had one of is called....................wait for it.................................. The "Val-Vin-Head Silencer" made by the Joe L. Estes Co. of Winder, Ga. This per an article extolling the products virtue in the June, 1951 issue of Popular Science, on page # 83, for Buicks, Chevy's and GMC overhead valve engines. Thanks to the internet....... NOW U NO.............. Edited December 30, 2016 by FLYER15015 More info (see edit history) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dibarlaw Posted December 30, 2016 Share Posted December 30, 2016 Mike : I do not remember the manufacturers name and the box was in bad (soggy) shape. The Thursday of the meet a quick thunder storm came thru and drenched the flea market vendors. Many a nice NOS box was ruined. I remember the 1937 and up Buick 248 was listed on the box. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLYER15015 Posted December 30, 2016 Share Posted December 30, 2016 (edited) Larry, See the PPS above in post #12........... splains it all......... Mike PS: Here u go........... Since Winder, Ga. is just a bit west of Athens, maybe we could prevail upon our "Dear Leader," Mr. Earl to wander over to Winder, and see if these folks are still in business. OR if he would like to restart this company in his new shop ??? Wouldn't the lovely Rita like that !!!! Edited December 30, 2016 by FLYER15015 (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Phillips Posted December 30, 2016 Author Share Posted December 30, 2016 To give this (somewhat hi-jacked!) story an ending, we ran the rebuilt engine a few minutes with the plugs in place, and the valve train was staying entirely too dry. Also, the indicated oil pressure was rather high at a fast idle (65 psi). So, I decided to remove all of the plugs. We took the rocker arms off of the rocker arm shaft, and used a small punch to drive the plugs out; reassembled the rocker arm assembly, put it back in the engine, and now it oils the top of the arms and valves very well. I don't know how many miles the car ran with the plugs in place, but it could not have been too many because I did not see any undue wear in the rockers arms or rockers. Thanks for all of the advice. I'm glad we removed the plugs! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLYER15015 Posted December 30, 2016 Share Posted December 30, 2016 (edited) Pete, Now you need to put one of these fancy diapers in your rocker box. OR one of the sheet metal covers Buick started using in '49 (?). I would like to find one of those for my '40........ On another note, do you have the little filter screen out of the head, where the rocker shaft oil comes in ? Mike PS: New info = As of January 1st 2017, there are 2 "rocker box blankets" for sale on e-bay that will fit the 320cid Buick strt 8 for $49.00 each. Edited January 2, 2017 by FLYER15015 (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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