So, I cannot find this part of the engine in the Shop Manual, so I have a few pics below to identify it. Basically, there is a rubber hose coming out of the top of each cylinder head (pic 1), going down to some junction thing at the base of the engine (pic 3). Contains oil - I know because it's leaking all over the place.

One hose is a straight shot, one is not a one-piece - it has a joiner/union in the middle (pic 2). Came this way, not sure if it's supposed to be that way. It is leaking out of this union, so I bought 3 feet of hose and a new union to replace.

Before I do, I wondered if you could tell me a) if the union is a problem (it did not always leak, but I've only had truck 3 weeks), and b) what the "junction" is at the bottom of the engine where they all meet.

Thanks, pics below...

 

I'm not an expert, but the device in pic 3 at the end of the brass tee looks like a pressure sender. I'm guessing someone has tapped into the engine oil galley for the purpose of dumping oil into the valve covers. Wierd.
I've heard that Y-blocks had top-end oiling issues, maybe this was meant to throw some lube into the rockers?

 

Richardbrust, The setup you show in your pictures is definitely NOT factory.

Danleig, may have hit the nail on the head, as an installation to pump some oil to the upper valve train components.

If I were you, I would be removing all that, and checking the flow of oil within the block and heads. What you have now is just not right, IMHO. None of the 3 Y block engines I owned had anything like that.

Others will be along to confirm or refute what I have stated.

Aloha, Tony

 

I agree with what others have said. Looks like these are added oil supply lines to the rockers and valves. You need to see if other modifications have been made under those valve covers. I the hoses are just dumping oil into the top of the heads, I would remove this modification as it is also robbing the rest of the engine of oil pressure. I would like to see some pics under the valve covers.

There is an article on the net on how to modify your rocker shafts for positive oiling. After more investigation of your engine you may want to make those mods.

Good luck

 

Bunch of young un's typing in this thread, unaware of the 215/223 I-6 & Y block's built-in flaw.

Pic in post 1: This is a 'home brewed' top oiler.

TOP OILER: A very popular add on, as these engines were notorious for clack-clack-clack...not enough oil could reach the valve train, due to the oil passages in the heads being too small.

Gazillions of people bought these kits as a fixum. Every auto related magazine in the 1950's/60's had ads from Western Auto/JC Whitney/"Honest Charlie's" Speed Shop/NAPA and etc for these kits.

Even Ford jumped on the band wagon, offering their own kit in the 1960's...but the same kit was available down the street at NAPA.

 

Wow, to be carded in the 57-60 Ford truck forum and found to be too young? That actually feels really good NumberDummy, it's been a long time since I was the youngest to be participating in anything!!

 

I'm 69, how old might you be? Probably younger...as I just read your "young 'un" response to the back glass mouldings. "Black out the trim" .. but first you gotta install it, as that's the problemo!

 

I have read about this (Pros and Cons - The Ford Y-Block V8), but now am putting the pieces together after this post. (altho the engine is very clack-clackity even now)

Also, am 110% sure I don't have the mechanical know-how to remove this even if it was necessary, so it'll have to stay. Will just focus on the leak for now.

Thanks for the info from all above...

 

Yes, A top end oil kit. I have built and installed my own.
If done right it don't rob any pressure from the rest of the
engine. Under the cover I would clamp the hose over and
onto the out flow pipes off each rocker. The oil passage is
offset where it comes through the block and into the head.
This offset passage is prone to plug up from the oil we used
back in the day. To fix it it ya have to tear the engine down
and boil out the block and heads. I never had any luck with
rodding them out.

 

You will want to put some kind of pressure control
valve on if it don't have one. Without any it will fill the
valve covers up. And if the valve guide seals are weak
she will smoke like grandmas cob corn pipe.
I used vice grips. Adjustable locking pliers to just let
enough oil past to quiet them down is all that is needed.

 

Well, it does smoke a bit, out of the exhaust not really in the engine compartment - maybe not the same thing. I've only worked on this two weekends, to there's still some figuring out what I bought

So, regarding the top oiler, I did find some info on another post and another site:

The kit tapped into the block where the oil pressure gauge or lite sending unit screwed in. A tee fitting allowed both. A copper line went to both valve covers and into the ends of the rocker arms. They had a adjustment to meter the flow to get lubrication but not too much.

*** not sure I see if mine includes an adjustment/meter (pic #3 in my original post) ***

it's a brass "T" fitting female on the center and one end, and male on the other end. Remove the oil pressure sender and install the male end of the "T" in that spot. Put the sender in one end of the "T" and a compression adapter for flexible copper tube to run to the valve cover. Mine had a hole drilled in the cover by the PO so I threaded a barbed fitting into the cover and connected the copper to it with a piece of fuel hose. That being said, I just took it back off! It put so much oil up top that my valve cover gasket leaked and the fan sprayed oil all over

*** Again, not sure how much oil is even getting up there. The leak that I'm working on fixing is pretty noticeable - all over the floor. ***

p.s. I'm using all my vice grips for the window handles - none left for hoses

 

With non-hydraulic/solid lifters you will all ways have that clickity clack lifter noise. Both the top rocker oilers I've owned had steel tubing from the sending unit up to and plumbed through a special hollow valve cover bolt.
Later on when you get around to rebuilding it. Seems like (been a looong time) I bought a cam that was cross drilled to flow more oil to the rockers.

 

Well, I cut a 1/4" off each end of the existing hose, reconnected with a new brass union and it hasn't leaked all day. I think rebuilding is waaaay down the to-do list...still can't make it down the street w/o dying, smoking out the neighborhood, and making a few other noises I still need to figure out.

But thanks for the note about the steel tubing - I did get that suggestion from the parts store, just not right now...

 

To much oil in the top end will get the smoke out the exhaust.
It fills the top of the head under the covers up past the valve
guide seals. This will let the oil past them and into the combustion
chambers. Then ya are burning oil. Take the valve covers off.
put the hose back on the rockers and adjust the flow so as to
have just a small amount of oil pass through the rocker assembly.
The excess oil should run back down into the block Through holes
in the front and back of each head. If they aren't plugged. Ya don't
need much oil up there at all. Just let her bleed a little.

 

To close out this post in case anyone finds it on a search and wonders what the final verdict was (for me, at least)...

Took the plugs out and they were very fouled and oily, and as stated before, a lot of white smoke out the exhaust.

So, cut both hoses that were going from "T" to each valve cover, and:
- connected the two ends from the valves together, basically making a plug, and
- connected the two coming from the "T" together, basically making a loop for the oil still flowing.

No more smoke out the pipe, and I'll pull the plugs in a week or so to see if the new ones are not oily.

Thanks for everyone's input!