Vp2003 rocker arm oil

[bergaliv]

Hi. I am currently working on the vp2003 from hell. Bought a boat(sail), two hours in the transport home, engine seized. Bought a new(well to me) engine, put it in, and the head gasket was blown. The exhaust knee had corroded into the head, leaking sea water into the cylinders. Changed head gasket, and got it started. I removed the cover to adjust the valves again after some running. When I removed the valve cover, I noticed that there was very little oil around the rockers. Does anyone know if there is usually a high flow of oil in that area?

 

[[70521]]

Hi. I am currently working on the vp2003 from hell. Bought a boat(sail), two hours in the transport home, engine seized. Bought a new(well to me) engine, put it in, and the head gasket was blown. The exhaust knee had corroded into the head, leaking sea water into the cylinders. Changed head gasket, and got it started. I removed the cover to adjust the valves again after some running. When I removed the valve cover, I noticed that there was very little oil around the rockers. Does anyone know if there is usually a high flow of oil in that area?

Hello and Welcome to the Forum

I have an amazing VP2002. The valves have a good coating of oil when ever I've removed the cover.

Good luck with sorting out the VP2003.

 

[bergaliv]

Cheers. There is probably something wrong then(with that too, because why not)

 

[vyv_cox]

The oilway usually passes through the head gasket. It may be that it is upside down, blocking the oilway, or for some reason the hole is not there. You may be able to push a wire down the hole after removing the rocker shaft to check, and if you are incredibly lucky might be able to punch a hole if it proves to be blocked.

 

[bergaliv]

Good idea. Thanks!

 

[neil_s]

Similar problem with a Bukh DV20 - found the rocker shaft assembled the wrong way around so the oilways didn't align. Sufficient oil when fixed - but not squirting all over the place.

 

[Cerebus]

Good idea. Thanks!

Do you think it is a possibility that you fitted the gasket incorrectly or do you think you fitted it correctly and the problem lies elsewhere?

Working on a car with hood daylight it is easy to see and fit a gasket, but in a boat illumination is not so great.

You may have double checked when fitting the gasket for all we know and then you know the problem lie elsewhere (possibly a blocked or corroded passageway but not obstructed by gasket).

 

[chris-s]

The oil feed for the rocker arms feeds jnto the rocker arm shaft thru a copper pipe at the front/alternator end of the engine.

Might be worth removing the rockers assembly and checking for blockages.

You can see the copper pipe in the photo of our 2003 when I did the head gasket last season



There is a breather hole that you should check isn’t covered by fitting the rocker cover gasket incorrectly.



Chris

 

[bergaliv]

Thanks for the replies. I am 99% sure I put the head gasket the right way. I should say 100%,, but since it isn't working, doubt creeps in. I know the oil pipe pil is supposed to go, but there seems to be little, if any oil coming through.
There is still some water in the oil. I have only done one oil change yet. Could the viscosity be to low to pump the oil up?
I also removed the "first" rocker arm on the assembly, thinking i had to, to remove the oil pipe. From what I'm can see, it is back in place like it was. if I got this wrong, would it block oil to all rockers?

 

[bergaliv]

Looking at Chris-c's photo,,the end of the rocker arm assembly looks like washer,,"bent washer",washer, snap lock ring?((Sorry, English isn't my first language, I don't know the name of the lock ring). I'm think I don't have the last washer on mine. I think I have washer, "bent washer", lock ring. But sine it is spring loaded, the rockers would still be in the right place?

 

[chris-s]

I guess you could remove the rocket assembler and feed pipe and tentatively poke something down the hole just to check.



If your rockers are aligned with the valves and pushrods then it sounds like you put that back together fine. The manual shows a couple of washers and circlip…




Regarding oil changes, before removing the head I probably did four or five changes. We didn’t have any real damage when our gasket went and were able to run the engine at the time, so disconnected the water and ran it for a thirty seconds or so at a time maybe five to ten times between changing oil and filter using some basic synthetic mix oil to clear out as much mucky oil as possible.

 

[bergaliv]

Yes. I have the same head gasket. Even if put upside down, the oil holes would line up. I will try an oil change and see if that helps. Maybe the oil is to thin right now, with some water mixed in. I have enough for one more oil change. I have very limited access to anything here. Two days away from home, stuck in a tiny fishing village. I bet I am the first one to make an engine swap here at the slips this has been a nightmare.

 

[chris-s]

Then oil hole would be blocked if the gasket is reversed as there is only one hole in the gasket for it.

 

[bergaliv]

Oh. My bad. I thought the center holes were the oil passage.

 

[chris-s]

No, it’s off to the side…

 

[Ammonite]

I think you'd need to be half asleep to install the gasket upside down. It's stamped TOP and the central cooling galleries wouldn't line up if you did, which I'm sure you would have noticed, even if you missed the oil passage. But then again (as Mads would say) Captain Dumb-Dumb does have a habit of showing up on occasions, as I know all too well.

 

[bergaliv]

Yes. I am sure I installed it the right way up, but when there is a problem, doubt follows I removed the rocker assembly today, and it had oil in it. So the passage up must be clear. I can only assume that the flow is very low by default. I have only ran the engine for a couple of minutes since the assembly. It was probably not enough to get everything wet in there. I will assemble the thing again, and run it a bit longer to see if that theory is correct. I made a little "hack" to the spacers for the cover spacers. A small o ring on the bolts eliminates the risk of spacers falling off while lifting, mounting the cover. I don't think they can fall into the pan, but it must be hard to recover them if they fall down.

 

[chris-s]

Those spacers can be fiddly and I think they could fall down beside pushrods which would be a bit annoying! A dab of grease holds them in place, you might find the o-rings prevent the rocker cover gasket from sealing properly.

Good luck!