Think that welding up of the front cam journal you had done might have an effect? Your issue seems to point to when the cam was installed.
Could there be a problem with the oil pickup? Maybe it's sucking air through the gasket or it's too close to the bottom of the pan? If this started with installing the new cam, what about a cam journal possibly machined undersized? I just read Mart's post above. I didn't know that you had a cam journal repaired. I would start looking there. If you loose oil pressure there, you won't have pressure anywhere else. What was actually done to the journal?
One of Mark's posts: The past two cams I've had (TA 310, TA 413) have had and the roller going in, the oil transfer groove in the #1 journal spray welded closed as its not needed with the TA grooved cam bearings. I started doing this years ago with my GN cams, Michael at Michaels racing Engines in Macedonia does this to all his Buick builds since I had him do this for me back in 2000 My reasoning doing this is theres more journal surface to ride on the bearing, instead of two skinny journals digging into the bearing, plus without oil in that groove, theres less oil hemorrhaging from the bearing, it usually picks up a couple pounds oil pressure. ???
be some work or some investment, be interesting to stick just any regular hydraulic cam and lifters in to see the pressure change.......even if just a stk cam. if pressure comes up you would know yes its cam or lifters, then the next step would be either changing roller lifters or changing cam to a more traditional front journal. if pressures stayed low you would know it's not in the cam of lifters. but is this an electric or mechanical gauge. have we tried different gauge yet just to make sure something isnt screwy there
The 350 and 455 roller cam cores do not have a groove in the front journal.. this is why the back groove TA cam bearing must be installed, in the first position, with a roller cam. So the spray welding deal, he had done a flat tappet cams, should not be in play. Verify the simple things.. oil pressure relief valve seating all the way and free movement is the very first thing to check. A valve not fully seated/stuck partially open will cause nearly exactly the symptoms described. If the timing cover was transfered as a whole, and/or the relief valve was not removed, phyiscally inspected for free movement and full seating, then you may simply have transfered the issue from the last motor to this one. JW
Jim, Pretty sure he had that front Journal welded up on his roller. Both of my roller (Erson) cams have the groove. We'll find out when he gets off work this afternoon.
With the intake off I'd have to believe that Mark would be able to see oil coming around the cam bearings. Unless its leaking forward from the front bearing into the timing chain. Otherwise all the cam journals are exposed. I would wager he has lower end trouble or a leaking galley plug.
I was thinking that today. Only the 455 roller cam cores come with no groove in #1 I tried to get my 350 roller with no groove, TA said no go, the 350 cores all have the groove. Im going to cut open the filter and see whats in it, and go from there. Next to critique, timing cover, oil pump cover. Im sure the cam journals are fine.
Like Jim said, you probably transferred the problem from one engine to the next. Hopefully that frt journal wasn't ground undersize.
When you check the oil pump cover, you may want to heat it up in some boiling water to simulate normal operating temperature. When GM switched to aluminum valve bodies in transmissions, some would have problems with sticking valves at operating temperature. The valve would move freely in a room temperature valve body, but would stick when warmed up. I believe that some transmission shops have equipment to heat the valve bodies up. Also, check it with it bolted to the timing cover and with it unbolted. Maybe the timing cover surface isn't 100% true.
I was just reading this morning on the Race Forum about The TA (Morel) roller lifters, and a few more people having issues with them, dirty, noisey, undersize, falling apart. Im getting the the heebie jeebies about these lifters. The Johnsons seem the way to go as far as quality. Even if my current lifters are functioning as they should for now, Im in the area to replace 'em, I HATE to spend the money AGAIN, but
Call TA, and get Mike on the Phone... Tell him that you want Johnson Lifters Hyd roller lifters.. right now, the lifter for a 350 Buick is the same as the 455, it just needs the correct tie bar put on a set of them for the 350.. The BBB lifter was easier, because it was and application that already existed.. If TA does not hear from unhappy Morel Customer's, they use that as a reason to keep selling that junk. JW
I don't know when Mark purchased his lifters, but TA has known about the problem for years. I spoke with Mike in 2017 and he said that every time he sent in a set of Morel lifters that were noisy, he was told that there was dirt in them. I sure would hope that TA no longer sells them. Maybe they're trying to deplete their stock. If I were mark, I would replace them since he's this far into his engine. The Johnsons that I installed are quiet.
Ordered a bunch of engine components in December from TA, including roller lifters (TA1412-2) and specified I wanted Johnson. TA made note and supplied Johnson as requested although I think Morel was still being offered at that time.
That might be the reason. Plus, when you then sell your customer the Johnsons, you also sell another set of pushrods and an intake gasket. Seriously, why would they keep selling the Morels? Back in the 80's and 90's, I replaced probably several hundred cams in small block Chevy's and never had a bad lifter. If only a few of the Morel lifters were bad in several months or a year, there's a problem. From what I've read, there have been way more than a few. Without looking at my receipts, I would say that the original Morel lifters, pushrods, and intake gaskets cost close to $1000. Then, 1100 miles later, another $1000 to install the Johnsons. Multiply that times the number of customers that have done the same swap. That's a lot of business. Years ago when I did lots of side work, I always used Bendix pads. The manager of the Federated store that I used told me that the Federated pads were just as good and half the price, so I started using them and did so for a couple of years without any problems. Then, I had six customers customers complain about brake noise. The Federated manager not only replaced all of the pads and rotors that I purchased, but also gave me rotors for the ones that I machined. And, he replaced the Federated pads with Bendix. That's looking out for your customer. I realize that Federated is much larger than TA, but TA chose to sell an inferior or questionable product. They should at least sell the replacement parts to you at cost but they don't. The customer still would have to eat the labor.
I told Mike in no uncertain terms, that based on my experience back in about 2015, he needed to stop selling Morel lifters immediately.. His reply was " I don't get any calls about noisy lifters or failures".. and I think that is because customers are switching to something "new" and they think that a little noise is normal.. I had no idea how quiet a roller cam BBB could be, until I put in that first set of Johnsons. I was able to persuade him to call the tech at Johnson, and have a discussion.. and then he did spend the bucks to become a dealer.. not cheap btw.. and now we have that option for the BBB.. I am sure they can put together the 350 sets.. Same lifter, shorter tie bar.. It's all about buyer beware.. be an educated consumer.. that is why your reading this now.. JW
