Quick question

Can I start my 66 200 up with the valve cover off without oil squirting all over the place?

I've done this a number of times on various engines and have the oil-stained clothes to prove it! Seems like it just always makes a mess, but a man's got to do what a man's got to do, eh?

for most engines you can get clips to deflect the oil back into the engine.on my 429 i cut an old valve cover to adjust the valves.

You can make a little tent the size of your lifter train from folded over corrugated paper (aka: cardboard box) and place it over the oiler side. This minimizes the splatter. It does not eliminate it.

Ya just don't be tempted to rev it!

The fan wash blows the tent off and the oil REALLY sprays then. It's hard to get those babies in spec with one hand in front of your eyes.

Thanks guys. A wide range of advice to say the least. Guess I'll give a try. Like Lazy says, a mans gotta do what a mans gotta do. Have a great 4th of July weekend and be safe!

When my high school auto shop teacher retired after about 50 years in the shop, we were cleaning/reorganizing and we found a cabinet full of 15-20 different valve covers, each with the top section of it cut out.

Actually I just adjusted the valves on my '65 200 yesterday.

The heads were just done, so everything's clean and free from mung. Actually there is nearly no oil getting away at idle. So don't worry. But when you rev it you get some large droplets on the wires and drivers' side.

Like the guy said, you can probably use a piece of cardboard to catch the small amount that splashes out. It's not much oil, but any oil makes a mess.

there should be more oil coming out. maybe worn cam bearings, cogged pickupscreen or clogged rocker shaft.

Let me know how it works out. Everything in mine is getting oiled, but it's all running down onto the head and pushrods. I had replaced the rocker shaft and cleaned out all the rocker arm passages which were badly clogged. At idle there's really little to no mess. Only when you rev it does it spit a bit out the sides.

Maybe mine's oiling less than it should?

Let me know what yours does.

Eddie NY '67
Econoline Pickup

mine before i tore it down a few months back did what your is doing just barely gooing oil out, everything in the top end was caked. u may hace the passageway in betwen the block and head clogged or built up, mine was almost blocked off. but did get some oil at revvs.Not Much though I may say. when i started up my 250 chevy inline six it shot all the way across the garage onto the wall. they call for 35lbs, our ford 200 are supposed to have anywhere from 28-42 lbs by 2200 and that is plenty to shoot across the room, but with the design of the bar id say it is less likey to happen. but ask around and see. im a newbie.

Just for the record, my oil pressure is 40 psi at 2000 RPM on a '65 200 with a new head.

When adjusting the valves we got just a little wayward oil blowing out. But it was streaming nicely down each push rod and where it should be on the head.

Those 1/8" holes on the rockers don't pass much oil even after they are cleaned out.