Fixing a common problem on my Chevy 235 straight-six (pt 2) 

You need to pinch the oil return line shut. You will get oil to all rockers with that done. Have been doing it to 235’s since 1972

I think there was a service bulletin on these in 1961(?) recommending closing off that return line completely. That will force all the available oil through the shaft.

GREAT videos. I will be following these instructions for my 216. Hopefully I can get the same results.

Thanks for this vid. I’m working on a ‘61 Belair 235 right now. Now I know how the valve train comes apart.

Should adjust the lifters again with the engine hot. Also, you need to adjust the engine idle down a bit. Your valve guides are probably warn as well, that's why it's smoking a bit now that the top end is oiling. The Chevy straight 6 235 engine is my favorite of all engines. I have this engine in my 1960 Chevy C10 pickup. Runs like new......

That pipe plug on the top right side of the head can be unscrewed and you can install a temporary (or permanent) oil pressure gauge so that you can monitor the oil pressure. I say you should have about 3 to 6 psi at that point of not you might have a bad oil pump.. Also you can try pinching the bypass line on top of the rocker arm assembly in order to push more oil out of the weep holes on top of the rocker arms. Good luck Rich in SoCal

In the old days before detergent oil, people would add some diesel fuel to the oil. Run it only for a minute, than change the oil. Cleans out the gunk.

Great video. Going to do this to my 268 cu. In. straight 8 (4.4L) in a 1954 Star Chief. Thanks!

Gorgeous 56 . I love 4 door Tri-5 Chevys

I had an oiling issue on my 216. Once the rocker assembly was all clean I was golden. Does not really oil much at idle but when the oil pressure is around 15 psi it works like a champ.

Great idea. Thank you.

i've always adjusted the valves hot, engine not running, with feeler gauges with piston TDC

Take the oil pan off and clean it. Then you wont have to do all this again.

Now that you have oil flow, add a quart of Rislone to your oil, leave it in until the next time you change oil. You will see a difference after driving about 10 miles and it will get better. You should substitute a qt of Rislone for a quart of oil each time you change oil. It will also free up stuck piston rings which can give you more compression and reduce oil burning. As sludged up as this engine was it will take a while to clean it. In '58 Chevrolet added internal oil passages and did away with that line. That method of getting oil to the rockers was always problematic. People with manual transmission engines should not adjust the valves as in this video. You can find videos on how to adjust valve lash with mechanical lifters. Incidentally, the mechanical lifters don't pump oil up thru the push rods and from your video it seems the same is true for the 235 with hyd. lifters.

what your doing will work ! but ! the way its done in the shop as far as cleaning the in side of the shaft is to put a rod down the inside of the shaft and knock the oil plug out the end and take a bore brush and clean the inside of the shaft 38 cal pistol bore brush is just about right but in the shop we have the oil galley burnishes that we use the sad thing is by the time you get every thing all cleaned up with all the clearance your going to have how much oil is going to make it to the ends but any way you look at it it will be better then it was before as you had no oil good luck with your projects ps 1-1/5 turns on your valve adjustments you have hyd. lifters that must have a automatic trans cast iron power glided

shot gun brush works great

Thanks for sharing. Did you figure it out why it didn't oil on the rest of them?

There used to be a fix from JC Whitney where you ran a line from an oil port on the side of the block to the top of the rocker shaft.

I Like the 53 Chrysler in the background.

That oil tube has a hole in it replace or braze up that hole and pinch the line off at the end. What this does is to force oil pressure down that rocker arm shaft and force oil out the rocker arm holes ensuring proper lubrication of the rocker arms. I can see by the grooves in the rocker arms that they are worn some. Also, that engine most likely has hydraulic lifters, and they are not adjusted properly (zero lash and one turn should do it) You could have verified that when you had the side cover off of the engine. I had a 56 Chevrolet with the 235 and of course it was worn out and crudded up. After we fixed the engine and got everything cleaned up it ran well but going down the road one lifter would lose its prime and go to clacking (also makes the engine idle rough due to loose valve timing). After a time we found out two things, one was to pinch off that oil return tube and that helped the rocker arm lubrication immensely, and two was to drill a .060 hole in the oil galley plug behind the camshaft gear (of course this required to remove the camshaft which can be done in the car) this is of course a major job as it requires the removal of the valve train and lifters(do not mix them up). What this does is to bleed out any air that gets in the hydraulic lifters causing them to lose prime and clatter. I would hold off that procedure until the upper lubrication issue is fixed as it may also help the lifter problem. One thing about those older vehicles is they are user friendly for doing in frame engine service to include bearing replacement and ring replacement as well as easy removal of the head for valve servicing. Back in the day automobiles were routinely in framed with what was called an overhaul which included valve service, rings, and bearings at around 30,000 mile for a valve job and around 60,00 miles for an overhaul. Back then attaining 100,000 miles on an engine was quite an accomplishment. Nowadays one can get upwards to 300,00 miles on an engine or more.

What is the name of the oil line you cleaned out? Wondering if replacements are available. Mine is leaking from where the line enters the fitting so it seems like it needs replace. I wonder if those brass fittings are readily available and are they specific to the 235.

There was an external oil line for that problem. Also.remove the head bolt and file it flat on the threads.

Just so you know, that ticking noise is normal for all those solid lifter 235, the only ones that came with hydraulic lifters were the ones with powerglide transmission, all standard 3 speed came with solid lifters. Have you changed that oil? Looks pretty dirty, have you cleaned the oil pan and the oil pump screen? If the engine has never been rebuilt then check all those things, all these original engines are all gunked up with those old oils, they have to be flushed

🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂 I did the sane thing with the threaded bar! 🤣😂

Can you tell me what size the orifice is in a drill size?

I’d have liked to see how much baseline oil pressure there was before I did all this work

Great vid man - my take on it is this thing is nearly clapped out. Not building enough oil pressure to get those outter lifters. Probably still run another 100k with it and it sounds not that bad. Does she bog down a lot on long hills? Thats my clapped-o-meter, the power loss.

I'm curious how much oil you should expect to see coming from those weep holes under ideal conditions. I've got a 261 I'm planning on putting in an older truck and some (but not all) of those weep holes have descent oil flow but I'm concerned about the ones that don't have as much flow.

What year 235 engine? Just bought 51 with 55 ,235 solid lifter on 55? Did front rockers finally oil up?this video good insight!

Drill the hole a smidge larger.

Extremely important to keep oil chg'd on older hi mi eng's. Faulty carbs and excessive blow by allow raw fuel into oil. Sludge from bottom of oil pan become suspended, and deposited any where oil flow is restricted throughout motor. Let her sit for awhile, sludge hardens into a plug...

Can I ask how you knew you had the clog or suspected your lifters of not oiling in the first place?

My daughter and I recently purchased a 55 chevy 4 door with a Blur Flame 6 cylinder 265 horsepower motor but it needs some TLC such as you have done. Do you live close to Houston?

Wich 235 do you have. The first ones were more like a 216 in the oiling system. The late ones have a more modern pressure system

Oil is not supposed to be coming out of the top of that tubing that way. Braze that up to stop the leak. Then crimp the end of the tube closed lide @fiddlerpin suggested to send the oil out the shafts and to the rocker arms.

A gun cleaning kit would have everything you need to clean that inside and out!

An engine cleaning brush set from Harbor Freight is cheap and your friend.