Hi, guys. I did a former post as brightblue87irocz on how my '68 Camaro's 406 mysteriously lost oil pressure. I changed the oil and filter and it came right back up to snuff and the problem appeared to be solved. NOT.
The next time I drove it and the oil got warm I heard a distinct tapping and the oil pressure went away again. I knew then that the engine was wounded and tore it down with less than 500 miles on it. I found metal on the magnetic oil drain plug. I suspected a problem with the iron distributor gear, but my Lunati roller cam had an iron gear and the wear pattern was perfect. Perhaps the timing chain gear was eating up the front of the block? Nope--I'd set the runout just right.
The culprit was the dang fuel pump pushrod. I'd used an ARP lightweight rod and the thing had galled on the cam and was already worn concave by at least 1/8"! That metal got into the bearings and the engine was literally grinding itself up internally. #1 rod bearing was spun 180-degrees and the crank was scored and trashed. There was no babbit left on the #2 rod bearing. Even a couple of cylinder walls were scored.
I hope someone who has never used a steel billet roller in an older engine will read this and I can save him some grief.

This is one of my deepest fears in life - what just happened to you that is.

With roller cams other than cast cores, your suppose to run a bronze-tipped fuel pump pushrod - at least for BB's anyway. I have a Lunati cam, and when I called to ask about it nobody knew for sure, so I ran it anyway.

Wish they would just specifiy that right from the beginning and spare people a ton of aggravation and $$$$.

Wow , Real Sorry to here ,I am doing this on my new motor, GMPP Hyd roller from Gilbert Chev and ARP rod w/o bronze .I asked about bronze said not needed on GM hyd. roller cam ,I would think they know what they are talking about )???? P.S. Barry I have to ask was a bronze tip rod recommended for that cam, if not ,did you use assy lube on the tip and all over the rod ??? Sorry again to here.

Hi, guys. I did a former post as brightblue87irocz on how my '68 Camaro's 406 mysteriously lost oil pressure. I changed the oil and filter and it came right back up to snuff and the problem appeared to be solved. NOT.
The next time I drove it and the oil got warm I heard a distinct tapping and the oil pressure went away again. I knew then that the engine was wounded and tore it down with less than 500 miles on it. I found metal on the magnetic oil drain plug. I suspected a problem with the iron distributor gear, but my Lunati roller cam had an iron gear and the wear pattern was perfect. Perhaps the timing chain gear was eating up the front of the block? Nope--I'd set the runout just right.
The culprit was the dang fuel pump pushrod. I'd used an ARP lightweight rod and the thing had galled on the cam and was already worn concave by at least 1/8"! That metal got into the bearings and the engine was literally grinding itself up internally. #1 rod bearing was spun 180-degrees and the crank was scored and trashed. There was no babbit left on the #2 rod bearing. Even a couple of cylinder walls were scored.
I hope someone who has never used a steel billet roller in an older engine will read this and I can save him some grief.

That is why in the Footnotes etc in the catalog and websites that the Cam companies recommend a Bronze tipped fuel pump pushrod or a roller push rod, or better yet, an Electric fuel pump.

My 454HO came with a steel cam from the factory and didnt specify a bronze pushrod. Actually, the recommeded part # for a pushrod was just a regular standard issue pushrod. The aftermarket cams are BILLET, those are what need the bronze.

Jerome, all the info said use a bronze distributor gear unless the cam had an iron gear, which my cam did. I even called Lunati to confirm this, but no one said anything about a special fuel pump pushrod. My cam card said nothing about either. I've never seen a magazine article or engine book mention it as well, nor footnotes with a cam. They all warn you must use a thrust bumper to control cam walk and stress a bronze distributor gear, but I have NEVER seen a warning about the pump pushrod. Even my machinist failed to tell me. It's something I suppose they figure everyone already knows. Well, I know very well now!...chuckle.
And yes--I lubed the crap out of everything and spun the oil pump to full pressure prior to initial fireup. This wasn't my first rodeo, but I was on a different horse..lol. It's one lesson I'll never forget!

That really sucks! Good Luck!

Jerome, all the info said use a bronze distributor gear unless the cam had an iron gear, which my cam did. I even called Lunati to confirm this, but no one said anything about a special fuel pump pushrod. My cam card said nothing about either. I've never seen a magazine article or engine book mention it as well, nor footnotes with a cam. They all warn you must use a thrust bumper to control cam walk and stress a bronze distributor gear, but I have NEVER seen a warning about the pump pushrod. Even my machinist failed to tell me. It's something I suppose they figure everyone already knows. Well, I know very well now!...chuckle.
And yes--I lubed the crap out of everything and spun the oil pump to full pressure prior to initial fireup. This wasn't my first rodeo, but I was on a different horse..lol. It's one lesson I'll never forget!

See now my solid roller cam motor said to use a bronze dist gear,and my pal that built that motor told me to use a bronze rod ,as I ran this motor on the street for a short time last summer,this cam ,Gilbert told me and sold me a melionized gear for the dist. which is on ,and like I said above don't need bronze rod....as stated by sideways Billet vs steel cam,Sounds like you are taking it well Barry ,I guess thats all you can do ...I hope Happy Motoring for you soon:)

Yep, when this happened to me 3 years ago, most people I communicated the issue with, never heard of fuel pump lobes wearing off.
I got my new "austratempered" Comp roller with retro roller lifters. I Comp about the need of a brass tip push rod, "you don't need one if you are running stock fuel pumps" , So thats what I had. I used the stock steel. Within about 2-300 miles I noticed top in gear pulls that I was running out of fuel. I pulled the rod but did not see any damage to it so for the safety , I went to the brass tipped push rod. Performance came back for a little while. I rechecked the brass tipped rod and it was chewed up. Well , I was to make the Run to the Rockies tour in Billings, Mt. , so I added an electric pump. End of troubles.

When I pulled this motor last year for a "maintenance turnaround", I noticed the Comp cam fuel lobe was eaten up almost off. The so called "austratemperd" cam material is another word for "cheap casting" . I went to a billet roller with the "everwear" dist gear from UdHarold and kept my electric fuel pump. If I ever do go back to a mechanical pump, it will be with the "roller tip" push rod. Expensive but realiable.

That's my plan now--get a roller-tipped pushrod from Comp Cams when I put it back together. Even the thought of brass wearing off into the oil spooks me now! I'm keeping the 7psi Carter mechanical pump with a Carter electric pusher at the gas tank for reliability. That dang pushrod only gonna cost me around $1500--gacckkkkk. But I see it as making lemonade from lemons...I learned a lesson and the engine will be stronger now with a steel crank and 5.7" rods vs the stock iron crank and short rods it had. And yes, Jerome--after I got over my initial impulse to douse the car with gasoline and throw a match on it, I was okay....chuckle.

Screw that.....run an HP125 or 150 holley pump and never worry about that again. If I got bit once I wouldn't push my luck again. I am really glad that a mechanical pump would not work with my accesory kit or I may have suffered the same fate. Thanks for the heads up.:beers:

I heard of the roller pushrod failing and its REAL ugly. Just run the bronze - they last along time and are cheap.

Okay, guys...I've regrouped for another go at it. Had the block honed out another .010" and got new full-floating pistons, and a new Eagle crank and rods. All clearances checked a-ok and as of last night the short block is together.
I'm going with a Comp Cams bronze-tipped fuel pump pushrod this time because I want to retain the mechanical pump. I don't need a bronze distributor gear because the Lunati roller has a compatible gear...wheww!
My question--and I'm understandably paranoid--is do I need a wear washer between the block and the cam gear? The timing set is a Cloyes true roller and I've been told and have read--(I crashed every book, magazine and tech article I could get my hands on)--because the roller cam walks backwards when the oil pump loads it, a hardened timing set can cause wear on the front of the block.
My machinist says I don't need one, and he's built a lot of roller engines and has a great reputation. I damn don't know what to think and would appreciate any feedback.
Thanks!

Okay, guys...I've regrouped for another go at it. Had the block honed out another .010" and got new full-floating pistons, and a new Eagle crank and rods. All clearances checked a-ok and as of last night the short block is together.
I'm going with a Comp Cams bronze-tipped fuel pump pushrod this time because I want to retain the mechanical pump. I don't need a bronze distributor gear because the Lunati roller has a compatible gear...wheww!
My question--am I'm understandably paranoid--is do I need a wear washer between the block and the cam gear? The timing set is a Cloyes true roller and I've been told and have read--(I crashed every book, magazine and tech article I could get my hands on)--because the roller cam walks backwards when the oil pump loads it, a hardened timing set can cause wear on the front of the block.
My machinist says I don't need one, and he's built a lot of roller engines and has a great reputation. I damn don't know what to think and would appreciate any feedback.
Thanks!
The way I see it is that there could possibly (however remote) be a down side to not having the wear washer. There is no down side to having one. Based on that, I'd put one in.

Apparently rollercams often lose oil pressure.. In my case it's because my 16 Isky Redzones lifters have 3 additional oil feed holes in them.. each!
I lost an easy 15psi from idle to redline.
Checked all rods & mains which were still GM spec and as new.

I had to oversize my HV oil pump to regain oil pressure. Now it's a Melling HV-HV77!

BlackOutSteve, that's why Isky makes a "street" version with smaller oil orfices - it helps keep oil pressure up at idle.

Since when? When I bought my set, there were no street versions available..

..and they "help" keep pressure up? How much do you still expect to lose, and how much less oil is pumped to the rollerbearings I wonder..
I was under the impression that street rollercam applications, with their extended low rpm periods, were in need of more oil and not less.

I heard of the roller pushrod failing and its REAL ugly. Just run the bronze - they last along time and are cheap.

I ran a roller tip fuel pump rod for 5 years and it's still in great shape. Went to electric fuel pumps so I don't need it anymore.