oil routing

[jlw35]

So she's off the jack stands for the first time in 2 years, completely rebuilt front end (shock towers, control arms etc).

I have a rebuilt head that I put on, started adding oil and after less than a quart it started running out of the hole where the distributor is inserted (mine is out, so the hole is wide open).

What am I missing here?

I have #4 set to TDC on the combustion (intake?) stroke, that is, the pointed ends of the lobes are vertical with a slight tilt toward each other.

I hesitate to do anything else until someone can point my probably obvious mistake. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Jeff

[klweimer]

The oil passages from the cam boxes down to the head aren't exactly huge. The cam boxes also hold a fair amount. Does the oil eventually drain down or does it just sit there? As I look at my head, the valve cover with the oil cap is on the driver side of the motor, not the passenger side of the head where the distributor would sit. Maybe you should swap the covers around so the oil goes in the cam box with no distributor nearby.
Kirk

[grrrdot]

I have an early engine so my dist is block mount but I feel like if the cam mount distributor is out this might be normal.
The cam boxes fill up with a lot of oil as the oil drain back holes are quite high up the side of the cam box. Below is a picture I found on the internet, the oil drain back is the rectangle above the first cam lobe. If your oil is above those and not draining back then something is wrong, gasket? Too much RTV?

[jlw35]

I notice that your car is an '82. I have a '75, so there must be some difference.

Not sure how I would swap the covers because the distributor has to go in the cover which has the oil cap (on the passenger side).

The oil just sits there, I wonder if I were to turn the exhaust camshaft to a different position, would that open a passage for the oil>
Come to think of it, how many oil drain passages are in the tower?

Thanks
Jeff

[jlw35]

Or should I install the distributor, then fill with oil, maybe the oil level is not high enough to reach the drain port(s) in the tower?

[ORFORD2004]

Or should I install the distributor, then fill with oil, maybe the oil level is not high enough to reach the drain port(s) in the tower?

+1

[jlw35]

Thank you guys, I believe this has been very helpful.
The oil level is (i think) below the drain, so I will install the dizzy tomorrow and fill with oil.

I'll update the results.

Thank you very much
Jeff

[RRoller123]

Oil Routing for 1800 engine. From shop manual.

Pete

[jlw35]

Wow Pete, outstanding!
Thanks
Jeff

[jlw35]

Success.
The issue was that the distributor opening sits below the oil drain in the cam box. Having installed the distributor now, I was able to add a gallon of oil with no problem.

Thanks again
Jeff