Lifters aren't pumping up

[nick6690]

I started my car up today and the rockers were makin a lot of noise so i took the valve covers off and checked them to see if they were loose I could push the rocker arm down and collapse the lifters. It wasnt just one it was all of them. I didnt think about looking at my oil pressure before i had it tore down. What is causing this to happen? Thanks for your help.

 

[BlownFiveLiter]

You should be able to push them down if the engine isn't running. If there's oil inside your valve covers, they're pumping up. How recently was the top end assembled? It's possible that one of the locks came loose, and you now have a rocker that's needs to be relashed.

 

[Maryland Stang]

Pull the spark plugs out and have a helper crank the engine over. Look at the rocker arms and make sure oil is coming out at the rocker arms. If you have oil at the rocker arms then the lifters are pumping up when the car is running. If there is no oil then remove the dizzy and spin the oil pump up pretty quick with a drill. You should have oil at the rockers arms then. If not then you have big problems. A spun bearing or oil pump issues perhaps.

 

[EMW150]

Pull the spark plugs out and have a helper crank the engine over. Look at the rocker arms and make sure oil is coming out at the rocker arms. If you have oil at the rocker arms then the lifters are pumping up when the car is running. If there is no oil then remove the dizzy and spin the oil pump up pretty quick with a drill. You should have oil at the rockers arms then. If not then you have big problems. A spun bearing or oil pump issues perhaps.

Agreed. In addition, any decent drill should be able to spin it up to at least 50 psi on the oil pressure gauge. Make sure you're drill is in reverse.

 

[nick6690]

turns out the oil pump driveshaft broke and i drove about 8 miles with it like that

 

[Maryland Stang]

Good deal. Hopefully there won't be any other damage. I'm surprised you didn't see it on the gauge. Just another reason that idiot lights can be very helpful at times.

 

[nick6690]

yeah i feel like an idiot for not looking at the gauge, i definately learned my lesson.

im surprised the engine lasted as long as it did with no oil pressure, the bearings are toast and my oil pump drive shaft looks like a twizzler from being twisted haha.