390 Rocker Arm Oil Retrictors

[1969_Mach1 333]

I'm freshening a 390 that's been sitting for a long time for another project of mine.  Basically it only has a couple hundred miles on it but has been sitting for about 33 years.  The motor looks good and better than I expected inside so basically I am cleaning it and regasketing the entire motor.

While I have the cylinder heads off I've read on the FE forums it's a good idea to install a restrictor in the oil passage in each cylinder head that feeds the rocker arm assembly.  It seems easy enough to do while the heads are off.  Simply tap the oil feed hole in the boss that feeds the rocker arm assembly and make a restrictor from a brass allen head set screw.

I'm using a stock oil pump and don't have any other oiling modifications done to it.  My questions are:

1)  Are restrictors helpful on FE motors?  Everything I have read say FE motors over oil the rocker arms and the restrictors help divert more oil to the main bearings where it needs more.

2) About what size restrictors should be installed if they are used?

Thanks for any help on this I am kind of new to the FE series motors.

[barnett468 418]

It is not necessary to do any mods if you build a stock engine and don't rev it to max rpm often, but it is helpful to use a blueprinted oil pump, arp oil pump drive, and high quality synthetic oil, although the oil can weep past a rope seal or t piece rear main seal. A high volume oil pump is also extra insurance in some cases.

Most people just use a 69 - 70 holley main jet, but restricting the oil to the rockers is more critical when roller rockers are used because they allow a lot more oil past them than stock rocker arms do..

It's also helpful to use a cobra jet style oil filter adapter and to drill out the oil passages from the adapter to the lifter galley.

Radius the holes in the block under the oil filter adapter and make sure the oil pump hole lines up with the hole in the block as you may need to radius the hole in the block some to get full alignment.

Make sure the rocker arm shaft is not scored underneath the rocker arms.
 

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[1969_Mach1 333]

Yeah I'm using stock rocker arms.  I plan to eventually change to the adjustable type, but not roller.  Either used originals or I've seen a set on Jeg's website that look very much like the originals.  I don't know who makes them, but the price isn't too bad.

Is the cobra jet style oil filter adapter being reproduced?

[barnett468 418]

39 minutes ago, 1969_Mach1 said:

Yeah I'm using stock rocker arms.  I plan to eventually change to the adjustable type, but not roller.  Either used originals or I've seen a set on Jeg's website that look very much like the originals.  I don't know who makes them, but the price isn't too bad.

Is the cobra jet style oil filter adapter being reproduced?

ok, here is the key to the kingdom of stock type rocker arms, and his prices are low.

http://www.rockerarms.com/

 

cj oil filter adapter by scott drake $60.00

https://www.cjponyparts.com/scott-drake-oil-filter-adapter-390-428cj-428scj-1967-1970/p/C8AZ6881A/

 

here's 3 used originals

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=used+ford+cobra+jet+oil+filter+adapter&_sacat=0

 

 

[1969_Mach1 333]

Your the second person that told me to contact Rocker Arms Unlimited.  Now I'm more curious, I'll give them a call.  Thanks for the info.

[barnett468 418]

1 hour ago, 1969_Mach1 said:

Your the second person that told me to contact Rocker Arms Unlimited.  Now I'm more curious, I'll give them a call.  Thanks for the info.

I have been buying rocker arm parts from him for around 25 years.

[1969_Mach1 333]

Barnett, you mentioned a high volume oil pump is extra insurance in some cases.  To be clear, I am talking about only high volume and not high pressure. But, when is it good to use one?  I've read all sorts of different ideas on high volume oil pumps for FE motors.  Some people always use them without any problems and others say don't use one if you are using the stock oil pan because FE motors don't drain back oil very fast so a high volume oil pump can empty a stock oil pan.

[barnett468 418]

7 hours ago, 1969_Mach1 said:

Barnett, you mentioned a high volume oil pump is extra insurance in some cases.  To be clear, I am talking about only high volume and not high pressure. But, when is it good to use one?  I've read all sorts of different ideas on high volume oil pumps for FE motors.  Some people always use them without any problems and others say don't use one if you are using the stock oil pan because FE motors don't drain back oil very fast so a high volume oil pump can empty a stock oil pan.

The drain back problem is in the heads and with roller rockers because they flow way more oil than non roller rockers which is why it is best to restrict the oil flow to the rockers when rollers are used, but the stock rockers can flow a bit of oil too when they are worn, and the problem is greater at higher rpm until the back pressure in the oil system opens the bypass valve.

on a low revving engine with good rocker arms and an oil restrictor to the arms, it will never over oil/flood the valve covers. if the engine is rebuilt with tight bearing clearances and has good stock rocker arms, the high volume pump is overkill but a good blueprinted pump and good oil are still beneficial.

Also, the main problem is not that all the oil gets sucked out of the engine on an fe with a high volume pump, it is that the oil pickup is in the front, so if you street race or drag race, the oil can run to the back of the pan exposing the pickup to air. installing a large, baffled pan is the cure to this problem, but there are some people that race and use stock pans etc that fry their cranks and then blame it on all the oil getting sucked out of the pan, so as you know, one needs to take what some people claim with a grain (or a pound) of salt. the cobra jet oil pan is larger than a standard fe oil pan because ford knew people were going to street race the car. they did not think people would street race a lincoln town car, so they did not use the large pan on those.

there are also pick up tubes that are larger diameter for the high volume pumps but it must fit the oil pan depth you use.

the oil drain in the heads exits on the intake sealing face, and sometimes the intake can block off part of the oil drain hole in the head so you can check this. if it does, you can sometimes grind the intake some or widen the drain hole in the head by beveling the edge to clear any part of the hole the intake is obstructing. i think the water jacket in the intake is close to one of oil drain slots in the front of the intake so if you do any clearancing, just make certain you don't go into the water jacket, or make the wall too thin.

if there is any casting flash in the drain hole in the head you should clean that out also.