Not much oil coming up push rods / inconsistent oil flow | on freshly rebuilt ecotec

[Immortality]

Did you fit the lifter retainers correctly?

I wonder if the lifters are rotating in the bores. Might explain the the oil issues as well as the glitter as the lifters and cam will be chewing each other up.

 

[SammalTheMammal]

Did you fit the lifter retainers correctly?

I wonder if the lifters are rotating in the bores. Might explain the the oil issues as well as the glitter as the lifters and cam will be chewing each other up.

Thats a possibility and that would explain it perfectly..
I thought I installed them correctly.... are they specific to each side of the motor or are they the same?
ill check it
Thank you very much Ill get back to you when I pull the lifters out if not before.

 

[Ginger Beer]

I would but its only got like 100km on that oil and filter and I want to get the other problem fixed first.
Thanks anyway

If there is noticeable glitter in the oil you want to dump the oil anyway as it is already contaminated with metal and you don't want that in your engine

When I have a fresh engine build I dump the break in oil and inspect the filter after the first engine start, then again after a few hundred Km if everything looked like normal break in wear

A fresh build will typically have a small amount of metals in the oil from parts breaking in, it scares the **** out of you at first, but it is normal

https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/metal-in-engine-oil-break-in.378052/

Me, I would dump the oil and check the filter and sump, if there only a small amount of metal in the filter and drain pan I would, then check the lifters, if they look good I would replace the filter and fill with any cheap oil that meets your needs, then run it up for a while, listening very carefully for any knock of grinding, then dump the oil again, and check the filter again, if the oil and filter cleaned up great, refit a new filter, refill with good oil and monitor, but, if there's chunks in the pan or the filter had the same amount of metals I would pull the engine and strip it down to find the issue, then clean all the parts and oil galleries

There's multiple things that could be causing the issue, lifters, cam, bearings, there could even be residual materials left from any machining that wasn't cleaned out properly

 

[SammalTheMammal]

Did you fit the lifter retainers correctly?
I wonder if the lifters are rotating in the bores. Might explain the the oil issues as well as the glitter as the lifters and cam will be chewing each other up.

I went back though the photos and the retainers were installed correctly.....

 

[Frank500]

Was the new cam run in properly? Use a marking pen to put a short line down each pushrod, then get someone to crank the motor while you watch the pushrods. They should all be slowly rotating. If not, a lifter could have wiped out a cam lobe - take it/them out and inspect. That could be the source of the glitter. It's also good to use a magnetic sump plug to catch any filings. Also use a magnet on the glittery oil you have - if it's not magnetic it may be from the bearings. Good luck.

 

[SammalTheMammal]

Was the new cam run in properly? Use a marking pen to put a short line down each pushrod, then get someone to crank the motor while you watch the pushrods. They should all be slowly rotating. If not, a lifter could have wiped out a cam lobe - take it/them out and inspect. That could be the source of the glitter. It's also good to use a magnetic sump plug to catch any filings. Also use a magnet on the glittery oil you have - if it's not magnetic it may be from the bearings. Good luck.

I reused the old cam as it was fine and its not a performance build....
they are roller lifters so are the rods meant to rotate?? because there not... lol
I put some plastic rap from the kitchen over a little magnet and put in in the sparkles, they are definitely very magnetic. so that's good

 

[Immortality]

Was the new cam run in properly? Use a marking pen to put a short line down each pushrod, then get someone to crank the motor while you watch the pushrods. They should all be slowly rotating. If not, a lifter could have wiped out a cam lobe - take it/them out and inspect. That could be the source of the glitter. It's also good to use a magnetic sump plug to catch any filings. Also use a magnet on the glittery oil you have - if it's not magnetic it may be from the bearings. Good luck.

Not for roller lifters, no rotation on lifters or the push rods.

 

[Frank500]

Not for roller lifters, no rotation on lifters or the push rods.

Oh, I didn't realise it has rollers. Sorry!

 

[vxcalais_01]

If you haven't found the problem go to Caterpillar and get one of the SOS kits and do an oil sample test. Will give an idea of what is wearing. Just need to drop a lil oil for the sample and send it in. Cummins may do it too but I have used Caterpillar for last 20 years.

Pitty you used the plastic LIM gasket with silicon on the ports instead of the metal AC Delco or Fel Pro ones. The lifter retainers do wear over time and possible as others mentioned that a lifter is rotating. But that would wipe a lobe real quick and cause dramas. Was the bottom end rebuilt or just the top ? In the mean time while waiting for test results you can also just change over the oil filter and cut open the old one. Post pics of what you see.

 

[SammalTheMammal]

If you haven't found the problem go to Caterpillar and get one of the SOS kits and do an oil sample test. Will give an idea of what is wearing. Just need to drop a lil oil for the sample and send it in. Cummins may do it too but I have used Caterpillar for last 20 years.

Pitty you used the plastic LIM gasket with silicon on the ports instead of the metal AC Delco or Fel Pro ones. The lifter retainers do wear over time and possible as others mentioned that a lifter is rotating. But that would wipe a lobe real quick and cause dramas. Was the bottom end rebuilt or just the top ? In the mean time while waiting for test results you can also just change over the oil filter and cut open the old one. Post pics of what you see.

Thanks for the ideas man
I don't really have money laying around for me to get a lab test on the oil, however the sparkles are magnetic
The top and bottom was rebuilt,
I don't know what the problem is yet but after a bit of thought don't think its the lifters spinning as the motor still runs great, no noises and the only reason I found the problem was by luck because I was repainting the rocker covers
oil filter is new and I ditched the old one before I found the problem.. unlucky, I should have looked at the old one anyway because new motor, guess I got too excited.