I'm working on cleaning out my 68 Skylark 350 motor before I drop it in my 85 Regal. I took the oil pan, the valve covers and the intake manifold off to clean out the gunk. I put my starter from the 3.8 on this engine to turn it over to see how things were working. After putting the oil pan back on and pouring some oil back in the engine, the starter won't turn over the engine unless I remove the spark plugs. When I remove the plugs, the engine turns over but a few of the lifters aren't moving some of the time and no oil is is getting pumped up on the valve springs or through the oil filter. Does the engine have to be turning faster to see oil pumped? Is there any reason why my lifters work some of the time? Sorry this is so long winded. MARK
starter turning over sounds like a ground problem between battery and ground on the block, or a low battery usually you prime the system via turning the oil pump directly with an adapter (TA, ~$20) inserted into the distributor opening lifters are not moving up and down that much (almost 1/2" max), but if its clear that some are moving differently than others then its either a cam or lifter problem. lifters may not be pumped up with oil so that when you turn it over it looks like the pushrods are not moving. but you should be able to see some movement on the edges of the lifters in the lifter bores. lifters will only move up/down when the lifter is on the lobe of the cam
Thanks for replying. I'm using the same battery that was starting my v6 so I don't think it's a low battery issue. And I'm keeping a trickle charge on the battery while it's sitting there. The 350 engine is still outside the car on the engine stand and I DID have the ground cable running to the engine stand instead of the block so I guess there could be a ground issue there. I see the lifters moving but some of the push rods are not. It sounds like once they get enough oil in them that everything should start functioning properly? Nothing looks broke and the engine was running fine before I started cleaning it out. Do you know of any other way to get the oil pump primed without buying the part? Will the engine turn over easier once it is primed? MARK
Mark, Prime that pump! Before I made a priming tool out of an old distributor, I used a screwdriver. What I did was this, I bought a cheap screwdriver and I pounded the plastic handle area downwards to the tip about two inches. I did this so a drill could grip the metal. Then I stuck the handle area inside a socket that fit nicely in the distributor hole. It worked. If you try stuff like this, make sure you don't drop nothing in there. Turn pump clockwise. Ideally you want to hook up an oil pressure gauge, even if temporary, to make sure its working. You don't need to turn it as fast as you think to get oil flowing. Good luck! I wish we were a little closer, then you could just borrow all my stuff.
distibutor? You did have the distributor in the hole didnt you? The distributor actually drives the oil pump and the cam drives the distributor. Therefore no distributor no oil pressure. The elcheapo pump priming tool from moroso is only about $10 when I bouht mine years ago. Chuck it up in even a good cordless drill and it'll prime in no time. Oh no now I;m rhyming. Rhyme,prime time?:ball:
Yes, the distributor is in the hole. I'll try to get ahold of that tool. After the pump is primed, the engine should turn over much easier???? MARK
If the engine has sat a long time without running, then priming the oil pump will help it turn. If it has sat a long time, it wouldn't hurt to WD-40 the cylinders. Not a lot of it, just enough. Maybe turn it over without plugs. Speaking of distributor, since thats a 68 engine, its got points. You are gonna put a HEI in it, aren't you? Your engine turning slow could be that ground issue, but more likely its a bad battery or starter. When starters go bad, one of the ailments is that they draw to many amps. The starter from your V-6 will work on the 350.
The engine has sat a little while. I have been using WD-40 to clean it up. I know the starter is good because I just pulled it off my Regal and stuck it on the 350 on Sunday. I had not thought about an HEI. I'm still fairly new at this type of thing so...what's the benefit??? There's your stupid question of the day! MARK
Mark, There's no such thing as a stupid question (Unless you ask me if my car is finished) Seriously, points ain't gonna get it. For one thing your Regal is wired for HEI. If you hooked the Regals hot wire to the points set-up, you'd fry the points every couple hundred miles. The points use about 8 volts, the HEI 12. If you have to use points cause you don't find an HEI. you'll need to wire in a ballast resistor. As for the HEI advantage, there are many. Hotter spark, more reliable and way better advance curve. Your best bet is to get a HEI at your local boneyard. On my 69 intake, I had to grind a small area down to make it fit. Its self explanitory if you try to to put the HEI in. No big deal. Ask as many questions as you like. I'm no genius, but I can provide much info and pictures concerning this swap cause I've done it.
Buick 350 HEI distributor. I think they were standard in Buicks begining in 1975. They used Buick 350 till 1980 or 1981. Make sure if you pull it yourself that its a Buick engine. It'll be the only front mounted GM distributor besides the old Cadillac V-8s. So if you raid a junk engine pile, be sure its a Buick. If unsure look at the valve covers. The old Caddys valve covers look kinda like an Olds.
Thanks for keeping tabs on me. I haven't been able to do any more work on it yet. The car is up at my dad's house (about 30 minutes away). What is it called that plugs in to the distributor? It's a little red wire going from the distributor to a black electrical device next to the distibutor. The only reason I'm asking is because that device says 12V on it. (And you said there were no stupid questions) I was thinking this may already have an HEI. MARK
I think your describing a coil? The HEI will have a bigger distributor cap than the points unit. An HEI for the V-8 will have a cap nearly identical to the original V-6 cap, minus two plugs. I'll try to post pictures later today for comparrison.
Thanks for the picture. When I replace the distr. I'm guessing the timing will be all out of whack? Also, since I don't have the priming tool yet, I went up to my dad's house this morning and just cranked over the engine for about 3 minutes with no intake manifold or valve covers on the motor. My dad thinks, even without priming the oil pump, oil should eventually start pumping through. Is this true? I didn't see any oil pumping through and I don't want to waste time when I can just go pick up everything I need this weekend and start again on it Monday. MARK
Whether its true or not -- if you think about it, turning that motor over and over for 3 minutes without any oil flowing is not a good thing for keeping that motor (or starter for that matter) in good shape. What it should do doesn't really matter, *what it is doing* is being turned over without any lubrication. Just my .02, hope the primer tool gets to you quick
