Engine Guys, Head This Way Please

[pontiacgp]

In my 355 SBC I have a BBC oil pump with is supposed to give about 15% more volume. I have a 7 quart pan to accommodate that pump. I seem to have excessive oil in the valve covers which doesn't seem to be a common problem with a BB pump in a SBC. I am in the process of putting fresh vortec head on the engine and took a look at the valves on the head I removed today. The valve seals are only as few years old and I'm pretty sure I used the proper seals but I was surprised that one valve fell out when I picked up the head with the valve springs removed. The valves always get cause by the seal with the keyway in the valve stem. the guides don't seem to be bad. I could see maybe one guide bad but not all of them so I'm thinking there may be too much oil in the valve covers. The exhaust valve has oil residue on the valve so they are dropping oil as well.

I'm not opposed to go back to the stock pan and stock pump. A stock pan will help to change the oil as well cause with the 7 quart pan I have to remove the slave cylinder for my clutch to remove the the oil filter. Here is what the intake valves look like.

 

[lilbowtie]

Are you using positive valve guide seals??

 

[pontiacgp]

Are you using positive valve guide seals??

yes, I still have the box the seals came in and as soon as I can find it I can check the size of them....

found the box Felpro SS 72861 11/32"

 

[565bbchevy]

I don't know what would cause your issue but I would keep the 7 qt pan and maybe just use a SBC pump with the correct sump for your depth pan and also maybe install a remote oil filter set up to make that job easier.
I have a SBC HV pump, 7 qt pan and dual remote setup for my 355 going in my Regal.

 

[Bonnewagon]

Steve that's a lot of oil. I'm no expert but I would have the stems and guides miked and compared. I don't think oil lingering on the heads would seep down the guides unless there was too much clearance. I have tried all sorts of seals from stock to PC seals and nothing worked as I'd hoped. What did work great was having bronze guides installed and carefully reamed to factory specs. This was in iron heads and the bronze acts as a lubricant so a tighter clearance can be used.

 

[lilbowtie]

I'm going to point a finger at the seals. After a year of running I just changed cams, and changed out the valve springs w/o pulling the heads and used nothing but the valve guide seal to hold the valves in place (no air pressure in the cylinder) Being a big cam I had to put the inner springs in after cam break-in and did it the same way.

 

[pontiacgp]

I don't know what would cause your issue but I would keep the 7 qt pan and maybe just use a SBC pump with the correct sump for your depth pan and also maybe install a remote oil filter set up to make that job easier.
I have a SBC HV pump, 7 qt pan and dual remote setup for my 355 going in my Regal.

your high volume pump would be close to what my BB pump is. I checked the oil drain holes and they matched perfectly with the head gasket so I know drainage isn't the issue. The oil change isn't really a big deal cause I do it once a year before I take it out for the summer. I use a good synthetic with a good filter. I changed the vlave seals when I did a cam ans valve spring change about 4 years ago and the issue with oil dropping onto the plugs started about 2 years ago so I changed the valve seals again but that helped but didn't cure it. The valve guides seemed to be ok but I will take a better look at them when I have more time but it doens't make sense to me that all the valve guides would be worn

 

[bracketchev1221]

I am going to agree it’s not the pump and or the pan. It’s a guide clearance issue maybe from incorrect rocker geometry and as the valve moves in the guide it wears the seals. The oil to the top can only get there through the pushrods and will drain back faster than the restrictions in the pushrod and rocker allow.

 

[pontiacgp]

Steve that's a lot of oil. I'm no expert but I would have the stems and guides miked and compared. I don't think oil lingering on the heads would seep down the guides unless there was too much clearance. I have tried all sorts of seals from stock to PC seals and nothing worked as I'd hoped. What did work great was having bronze guides installed and carefully reamed to factory specs. This was in iron heads and the bronze acts as a lubricant so a tighter clearance can be used.

I'll measure them to see what they are but no hurry, the new vortec heads I have only have 300 miles on them before the guy threw a rod bearing

 

[pontiacgp]

I am going to agree it’s not the pump and or the pan. It’s a guide clearance issue maybe from incorrect rocker geometry and as the valve moves in the guide it wears the seals. The oil to the top can only get there through the pushrods and will drain back faster than the restrictions in the pushrod and rocker allow.

I have 1.5 self aligning roller rockers for the vortec heads so I don't think that could cause an issue but I will look at that , thanks