The most OVERLOOKED cause of rocker arm oiling issues on the FORD FE Engine! 

@@thomaskingdon1177 Thanks for watching! I'm glad you found it helpful! 🙂

Thank you for the kind words Frank! It is really nice to hear that this video has helped people!😀

Thanks for watching Dan! I I am not altering the shafts in this video, just cleaning them out.👍 In my experience with FE engines they will get clogged,( or at least partly so) and the oil flow out of the rockers is diminished, therefor exposing the brass bushings to unessecary wear. Although this probably does vary due to how well the engine was serviced/maintained. I will also say that it seems pretty hard to find a well maintained FE in my area. 😅

Reason we don't find well maintained is those tuggers are so durable without maintenance like most old Ford over head valve engines. Recently took a 352 out a 59 bird 167K miles on the odo no sign it was ever taken apart. Mass sludge but still running good. Crank thrust was so worn rods were pushing the pins out of the pistons, common to high mile manual trans. Stock cylinder bores were still in tolerance, engine builder figured it was one of the rare high nickel blocks. Replaced with rebuilt 68 GT 390. @@TheBestDanielBlount

@@danontherun5685 That's awesome! I have a 59 T-bird with a 352 myself! They are awesome cars! Mine has 54k miles and runs like a brand new car. Sadly, the previous owners left it out in a field for 25 years, so the paint is ruined.

I replied about your 59 but may have blown the reply, I think it started with 'now I'm impressed'. Let me know as I have some info you should have, especially that I have a lot of spare squarebird parts including good int/ext brightwork too good to toss and don't need bux. Will watch for your reply. @@TheBestDanielBlount

. Thanks Dan! I LOVE my 59! I used to not like them when I was a kid, but bought this one for cheap mainly because I hated to see it sit and rot. I fell in love almost instantly and it's since become an obsession.😅 I might need some interior trim, mine is intact but the chrome plating is REALLY BAD, I'd also love a set of half decent door panels if I could find them. I need to make a set, but don't have the time right now.

@@muttomatic I'm glad you found it helpful!! I have an FE that I need to dig into for a lifter myself... Love these engines, but the lifters don't age well!😅👍

I'm glad I could help!😀 Enjoy your 390 brother!💪

Thank you for watching, for the kind words! It's hard to beat an old for truck with a 390!😀 Best of luck with your rebuild.👍

I wish I had made this video years ago... It is Amazing how big of a difference it made on this particular engine. If you have slow oiling on your rocker assembly I recommend giving it a try. Also that Galaxie in your profile pic is AWESOME!

Thank you, William! I appreciate your kind words! Being my first video there is definitely room for improvement.😅

Thank you for the kind words Bjørn! It makes me really happy to know the video was helpful.😀 A boat with a ford six sounds really cool! Over here in the U.S we have mostly V8's and the occasional chevy six cylinder.😞

Thanks, I really appreciate the kind words! I haven't had much time on my hands lately and even less topics to make videos on😅. Good luck with your Galaxie! The 62 was one of my favourites!!!

Thank you! I really appreciate the kind words!

I'm glad I could help! Best of luck with your Maverick project! I have to admit I'm a little jealous! I've always wanted an early Mav!😃

Never saw a FE with lack of oil up there.usually too much if there is plenty of oil pressure.i installed a threaded plug in the oil passage under the rocker stand with a 1/16 in.hole.

Thanks Robert! I'm glad you found it helpful!😀 This is one of the first things I tackle on any FE project car, it really does help.👍

Glad it helped!😄 I love those 61-63 thunderbirds!! I have a 59 myself. Best wishes on your project!

I'm really glad you found it helpful! Best of luck with your 390!👍

That is a great tip Gabe! I cleaned the rocker oiling ports, but I did not check them for the wear you mentioned. Fortunately these were in good shape, but they do wear out really easily.

That is really good info! I have a couple 292's sitting here waiting to go into project cars. I have seen them drill and tap the top of the rocker shaft pedestal to install a restrictor to increase oil pressure. I am currently doing some testing of a similar "trick" for FE engines, in, which you insert a holley carburetor jet into the oil passage under the pedestal to increase main pressure. I have used that for a while on this rig, but I am trying to put together a video on the effects of it.

In case you guys are still on the yblock rockers John Mummert has the correction video, simple fix actually. Of the best yblock experts and quite a nice fellow actually. My yblocks were built to spin 5500 running hard for many years no problem and have a lot of pals that run them, no rocker oil problems. Mummert is also dependable parts source and has the best starter motor that also fits 58-64 FE.@@TheBestDanielBlount

Glad you found it helpful! Best of luck with your project!👍

Thanks Devonte! I did a quick check online and I believe that these same plugs will work for your 462! You can take one out and measure it with calipers if needed. The ones used in the video (Dorman 555-007) will measure .547" Or 17/32" Or 13.7mm I usually get mine from rock Auto and they are found in the engine tab under "rocker shaft end plug" Best of luck with your lincoln! I have always loved those cars!!

@@TheBestDanielBlountwould this be the same plug for a 430 MEL?

I believe that they are the same. I notice Rock Auto lists the same part number (dorman 555007) for both the FE and the 430 MEL. I haven't had the good fortune of owning a MEL yet though.😄

That's fantastic! I LOVE '59 Edsels! I had a '59 Ranger 2dr as my second car. It had a worn-out 360 swapped in and was a total pig, but it was still fun! I wish I still had it.🙁

Thanks so Mich for watching! I'm glad to hear you enjoyed the video! I had been forced to step away from youtube, but I am glad to say I am back and I will be bringing all sorts of content to the channel in the near future! Enjoy your 390! They are my personal favorite FE, better than a 360, without the crazy price tag of one of the more exotic "flavors".

I'm so glad you found it helpful Cody! It is amazing how much of a difference this makes even if the shafts are just slightly dirty. Best of luck on your project. 👍

@@TheBestDanielBlount Thanks!

This is great! This will help a LOT of people. My advice is if you have upgraded your cam and valve springs to stronger valve springs with higher spring rate and seat pressure, you need to upgrade to aftermarket rocker shaft assemblies. The stock ones do not support the very end of the shaft. The end of the shaft will break off, causing all kinds of other damage, bent pushrods, damaged springs, retainers etc. It could get really ugly if the broken off rocker shaft and rocker arm unkeyed a valve retainer and then a valve drops down into the cylinder. Boom. Out the bottom or side of the block.

That is very good advice David! I have seen that very thing happen WAY too often!

Thanks for watching Robert! What kind of engine does that forklift use? I used to use an old Clark lift that had a flathead Continental. I suspect this process will apply to almost anything using shaft style rockers, but I myself have only used it on Y blocks and Fe engines.

I was in the same boat on my truck, I had the engine out and disassembled, but somehow forgot to do this until I had it back together. 😅 On the brightside, this is pretty easy to do with the engine in the truck and the intake on.👍

Thanks Nathan! I'm really glad you found it helpful!😀

Thank you!😀

Thanks! This engine is a 390 in a 72 f100 4x4. The engine is mostly stock but she's healthy! 😀

You are 100% correct on that!😀

@@TheBestDanielBlount There are lots of good products to combat sludge, the one I use with excellent results is rislone. Been using it since the 60s.

Heck yes! Risolene is GREAT! I used it once on an FE that was plauged by lifter noise, and it worked wonders! Sadly it seems to be getting a little harder to come by. The last time I tried to get some, all my local parts stores had stopped carrying it and I had to resort to Amazon.

@@TheBestDanielBlount In a pinch you can throw in a quart of diesel fuel idle it at about 2000 rpm for 15 -20 minutes, drain and put in fresh oil with 200ml of diesel fuel. It'll clean as you drive, you'll feel the difference.

That's a great tip, I think I will give that a try ,next time! Thanks! 😄

Thanks Cody! That is a great idea! I will get started on that video. As I recall the desired pattern is located in the center of the valve stem and is roughly one third the thickness of the stem.

@@TheBestDanielBlount 👍

Thanks for the info Donald! I've got a couple Yblocks sitting around for future projects, so I will definitely be looking into that.😀👍

@@TheBestDanielBlount the feeder kits from the sending unit reduces oil pressure bearings fail. I had a fleet of theese I would drill holes in both covers attach the drains

@@donalddesnoo5303 That's really cool! I think I remember seeing an old advertisement for those kits before.😀

Hi Graydon!Thanks for watching!😀 Most FE's should have more oil coming out than mine. This truck has a restrictor in the oiling passage under the rocker pedestal. This is in a 72 f100 4x4 and it spends a lot of time at high RPM's. The restrictor simply helps it apply more oil pressure at the main bearings and it also helps keep the valve covers from completely filling with oil on longer trips. ( this mod is really only needed if you spend a lot of time at high revs).

@@dennisyoung4631 This is always good advice, but ESPECIALLY for an FE. The lifters are prone to failure due to debris as well. However, FE engines are resilient, I've had a few over the years that were run with non detergent motor oils and irregular/non-existent oil changes. They will still run for a long time, they will just make a lot of valve train noise.😅

Knew someone many years ago who had a “mighty three-ninety” in his truck. Unfortunately, I never had the chance to own one - either a Ford, or a 390. I suspect I really missed out.

@@dennisyoung4631 I recommend them, if you come across one that's reasonably priced (hard to do these days). They are fun to drive, especially with a stick shift!! 😄 Parts are kinda pricey though.

@@TheBestDanielBlount afraid that my driving days are more or less over, due to age, ill-health, and poverty - the latter predominating. Still, though - if the chance should present itself, I might try to secure one.

@@dennisyoung4631 I'm sorry to hear that Dennis! I know what you mean about poverty though! Everything car related costs a fortune now it seems.😐

The problem you are having does sound like a faulty lifter, (FE engines are unfortunately quite prone to this as they age) my first course of action would be to pull the rocker shaft assembly and check all the pushrods to be sure they are not bent, as this is another possible cause. You can check them by simple laying them on a flat surface and rolling them along it and watching for bends. This would be a great time to clean the shafts like I did in this video. When you re install the shafts/pushrods you want to be sure to slowly and evenly torque the bolts back down to spec, (40-45 ft lbs IRRC) be careful when doing this as you can bend the rocker shaft if you are too aggressive. Most FE engines use hydraulic flat tappets, which means that once you bolt the shaft back on the lifters will "pump up" and basically adjust themselves dynamically. Some FE engines did have mechanical tappets, and need manual adjustment, however these engines are quite rare and were usually just used in HiPo applications. If your rocker arms look like the ones in the video, they require no adjustment, if they have screws over the pushrods, then they will require adjustment. When it comes to lifters, I have tried ALOT of various additives over the years and various FE engines I have Had, and it's really hit or miss in terms of stopping noise. Lifters can be taken out and cleaned, or you can replace them (be sure to use assembly lube on the lifters and cam lobes, and follow the break in procedure for flat tapped lifters) I hope this helped you, and if you need anything else, please feel free to reach out to me here anytime😀 Good luck!👍

Thank you for the tips! I am 100% with you on the mic, I tried to fix it in post with no real improvement😅. I the tip about being more descriptive was super helpful also! I didnt even realize how vague I was being until you mentioned it. I will try my best to remedy these on my next video!

When I put them back on I simply tightened mine to spec. My Engine has hydraulic flat tappets and a non adjustable valve train, (as most stock FE engines do) In this setup, your lifters "adjust themselves" to the proper lash by pumping up with oil. If you have a modified FE or one of the rare mechanical flat tappet versions, you would need to adjust the valves. The best thing is to make sure of what setup you currently have.👍 Best of luck with your project friend!😀

@@TheBestDanielBlount sweet even better... guess I was thinking 🤔 for sure . So also was wondering guess then y0u only adjust the valves at or when you rebuild...cuz I remember doing that with my buddy .I guess only at rebuild time then??..again just wondering your input or how u see 👀 it Thanks again .. wanna get her back on her feet again & running like a champ 🏆 😃😁

I truly love Ford products, but one thing they were never great at was learning from their mistakes.😂

I know right?! I drool over them every time I walk in the store, but I'm a self proclaimed cheapskate and I can never make myself pull the trigger.😂

@@TheBestDanielBlount treat yourself my man…you deserve it!! But some nitrile gloves too…protect hands, oil and solvent way bad over time

Thanks, brother! You are dead on about the gloves too!! I am the worlds worst about not putting them on, I even have a box of them, but I always forget.😅

Thanks! I love this thing! It's a really good truck, except for the enormous amount of rust.😅

You're right, I really need to get my safety game up. I am the worlds WORST about forgetting to wear them, and then remembering when my hands are already covered in toxins.😅

It is crazy! It really shows why they are more prone to have some valvetrain problems and noise than their smallblock cousins. Even so, I love these things! The sound of a Ford FE is a sweet song😀.