1970 Ford 4000 top end lubrication

k.chandler23 · Oct 22, 2018

I recently acquired a Ford 4000 diesel that was in fairly rough shape. The tractor had an obvious miss. Through a lot of process of elimination decided it was a valve issue. Removed the valve cover to see that the #3 cylinder rocker arms and valve springs were sludged up. Removed the rocker assembly for cleaning and found my problem. The rocker arms were not being lubricated and wore the rocker arms so much that the slack was no opening the exhaust valve. Replaced the rocker arms and cleaned the assembly well. Reinstalled the assembly with the new rocker arms and i'm still having a problem with getting oil to the rockers on that cylinder. More than before but nothing like the other two. Any ideas whats causing this? Exactly where does the oil feed from?

shaun wallace · Oct 22, 2018

Feeds thru front cam bearing.

k.chandler23 · Oct 23, 2018

(quoted from post at 19:32:30 10/22/18) Feeds thru front cam bearing.

Ok. So now im curious why i'm not getting oil to the back two rockers. I've cleaned the entire cam assembly. Getting great oiling off the first two cylinders but very little on the rear.

Bern · Oct 23, 2018

If nothing is plugged internally, I'm going to suggest that you have a low pressure problem.

Texasmark1 · Oct 23, 2018

What's your oil pressure? Seems to me low pressure or clogged flow channel somewhere since oil feed is at the front of the camshaft and the problem is at the rear.

Access port (⅛ pipe plug) adjacent to pump drive shaft support on side of block located on left side of the engine. Pop the plug and install a 0-100 psi gauge and get a number. Fords run high oil
pressure so expect 50# at 1000 rpms; more or less depending on engine condition, oil viscosity and temperature. If pressure is good expect sludge clogging the oil feed somewhere. Run some
snake oil in the crankcase per directions and drain while still hot from running. May take 2-3 oil changes to get everything cleaned out. Cheap considering engine rebuilding costs and effort and
it can work...works for me....."Sea Foam" in the oil and diesel (contains Naptha) Works. Marvel Mistery oil is a solvent too even though it's not marketed as such.

k.chandler23 · Oct 23, 2018

I'll check the pressure but it seema to have plenty. The front side gets quite of bit of oil but i'll check to make sure. I'll tear it back down tomorrow and see if any new crud has moved into the oil holes on the rocker shaft. Sounds like i need to flush the engine regardless.

sotxbill · Oct 23, 2018

had that problem on a 2.3 engine and since the engine tilted back just a bit, the back end of the cam was sludged up. Happend twice as the rear cam would quit oiling and run the followers. There was an allen plug in the rear of this cam that could be removed and a wire used to puch a hole in the sludge so it would oil, but the problem was that that dirt and debris would always flow to the rear via gravity and then cool down and solidify when the engine was off. But that engine was run on quakerstate oil with no heavy duty additives. An HD diesel oil probably would have performed better as it keeps the particles in suspension and keeps them from clotting by design to handle the soot load of diesel, but carries over to gas engines excellent.

Destroked 450 · Oct 23, 2018

Oil is feed the the head from the #1 cam bearing, it travels thru a passage in the head to the #1 rocker stand, it travels up around the head bolt to the rocker shaft and travel thru the rocket shaft to each rocker arm.
You could have a couple of issues.
The front rockers are worn allowing all of the oil the leak out around them before it gets back to the end rockers.
The rocker shaft is obstructed inside probably around #3 rocker stand not allowing oil to get to the end rockers.
Check all of the rockers to see if any more need replaced, check the shaft for wear as well.
Dissemble the entire rocker assembly and make sure the inside of the rocker shaft is clean. It doesn't take much gunk between the head bolt and sides of the rocker shaft to stop oil flow.

k.chandler23 · Oct 23, 2018

Sounds like that could be the problem. Theres quite a bit of oil getting by the first two rockers. I will tear it down and check the shaft and rockers.

sotxbill · Oct 23, 2018

as you go down the rocker shaft, check each oil hole and see if the rear holes are gunked up... where they feed the rockers.... cheap oil and sludge may be the culprit.

k.chandler23 · Oct 24, 2018

The engine was definitely sludged up. The tractor looks like its beem through hell but i bought it very cheap. Originally purchased for a parts tractor for my other three but decided that it might be worth fixing and reselling. Ive changed the oil and replaced with Delo. Going to add something to try and flush some of the crud and change the oil again.

1970 Ford 4000 top end lubrication

k.chandler23

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shaun wallace

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Bern

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Texasmark1

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sotxbill

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Destroked 450

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