VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1937-1945 Aftermarket rocker oil line issue

As most of you know I'm having the 216 in my '38 rebuilt. As part of the rebuild we're replacing the rocker shaft oil line. I bought a kit from one of the major on line sellers and I'm quite disappointed with it. The main issue is the set up in the push rod galley where the line exits the block/water jacket. With the adapter and compression fitting provided in the kit, the line simply won't clear the pushrod cover. There is absolutely no way to bend the line sharp enough to clear without kinking it. My builder and I have decided to re use the factory fitting and sweat that joint like they did at the factory (using new line of course). We can't be the only one's who've run into that problem. How have the rest of you solved that?

The other issue is the fitting the kit provided to screw onto the rocker shaft connection is WAY to big to fit. We'll be reusing that from the OEM parts as well. At this point 90% of the kit I bought is unusable.

I haven't heard that complaint before. The folks over on the Stovebolt have a post where someone used steel line with compression fittings. They drilled out the fittings to allow the tube to pass through.

I don't kow what the present replacement oil lines come with but Chevrolet offered a line kit with the loose fittings for replacement and they could be installed with no problems.

What the kit comes with is a fitting the screws into the block. A pipe/compression fitting then screws into that. By the time the compression nut is screwed onto that fitting there's 1/8" at the most between the compression nut and the side cover. There's not enough space to use a pipe bender and the needed radius would be too small for any bender I've seen anyway. Any attempt to make that bend results in a kinked line. I've discovered during my car's restoration that it's common to have to fiddle with reproduction parts to "make them fit" but this is really sad. What we're able to use out of the kit I could have gotten at the local hardware store for $5 instead of the $29.50 plus shipping the kit cost.

I would have expected that the end inside the side cover had a fitting soldered on. It was threaded into the block and at the other side of the block, the compression fitting was used. Did it not have one fitting soldered on?

Nope, compression on both sides. The current plan is to try and use the old fitting and sweat the connection similar to how it was done at the factory.

Did it come with instructions that show the location of each fitting, like the picture in the 38 repair manual, pg149? It's odd that they could mess it up that badly but there are issues with a lot of aftermarket parts.

Brian

It came with written instructions which we followed. This shows a 3/4" gap between the line and engine block in the radius of the curve exiting the sweat joint. By the time you add the fitting in the kit that exits the block, a reducer/compression fitting and compression nut there's simply no room to make that bend according to the engine builder. Hopefully we'll be able to re-use the original sweat fitting and just be rid of the adapter/compression fitting set up.

Tiny, I had exactly the same problem as you when I rebuilt my 38 two years ago. I went the same way you are going. Vendors have probably never tried to install the kits they sell.

There are spring inserts that can be used to bend tubing. I think they are used in plumbing. Would that help with the installation?

Here is a link to the oil line offered by Jim Carter. JC Oil Line It explicitly mentions a brass fitting that is soldered on to the line.

If the fitting is already soldered on it's well worth that price.

I don't think so because you're too close to the compression nut. The kink happens right at the nut because the nut ends up so close to the side cover.

I did three 216 motors so far. All three I made from fittings from a local hardware and soldered the fitting on myself. The only hard part I thought I might have was fishing the copper tubing through the second hole in the block. So what I did was put a long staight wire down through and feed the tubing up through with the wire in the end and it follows the wire.

Hello Tiny,

They do make a tube bending tool that looks like pliers. These are used for making tight bends. I bought mine from CarQuest and they make a nice tight bend without kinks.

I used a 45 degree fitting to help with the "turn" instead of trying to bend the tubing. It worked great, but those 45 degree fittings are not easy to find. My Ace hardware store did have one, at the time, in a parts bin of miscellenous fittings.

Thanks for the help guys. If we're not able to re-use the OEM fitting and can't find what we need at the hardware store I'll be ordering the JC kit.

I don't believe the "spring" type tubing bender would work as the instruction sheet Tiny provided a link to says not to bend the tubing until after it is secured to the block. In that case, you wouldn't be able to get the spring bender on or off the tubing. One positive thing out of this whole issue, albeit it is at Tiny's expense, is that this problem is something to consider whenever anyone is replacing this oil line. Beamer

A little further tidbit is the fittings that came with the kit for the driver's side also stick out too far. Too far to make the necessary bends for an original look connecting to the distributor valve housing. We're forced to make a pigtail bend toward the outside of the distributor valve. It works but surely doesn't look right. I was politely criticized for naming names last time I had an issue with a vendor because the vendor supports this site so I won't state the vendor I purchased the kit from but if anyone want's the vendor's name PM me. I would recommend buying that item elsewhere.

If you sweat it on, you'll be just fine and it will seal up nicely. We ran into this with our '47 when we had the head off for a valve job. The older copper tube is stronger, more pliable, and the fitting (if clean) will be fine to re-use. We used flux, a propane torch, and lead solder and its held fine with no leaks. I kept some wet rags underneath to catch any dribble and prevent it from going into the lifter bores. The side cover bolted right up again without a problem.



The bend is critical as you know, and the new line kits are ALL crummy like this no matter where you order them from. And the copper on the new tubing is so weak that if it touches the side cover it will wear a hole through in a few thousand miles. You're doing the right thing reusing the good stuff.

Good luck!

-D

Hi Daryl Scott,

Thought I would mention that you are missing one pushrod? :-)

Is that what causes the miss I have? Just kidding. that one was replaced since it was bent.

Just cranking your car. He! He!

i had the same problem and it cost more to post back from new zealand than what its worth the kits dont work they problay wounldnt take it back because its used