Oil path question...

Answer #1: Through the hollow pushrods. (You referenced a 5.0 V-8. Not all engines do it this way and not all engines have hollow pushrods)

Answer #2: Uh, by gravity I guess. If you are talking about oil from the head, it goes to the pan via the oil drain holes. It gets into the head from the hollow pushrods, lubricates the rocker arms and the valve stems, marginally, and then returns to the oil pan by the force of gravity.

Answer #3: The oil starts in the pan, goes through the oil pump pickup tube, the oil pump, the filter, and then to the rest of the engine.

BTW, if you are just starting to learn about engines, the 5.0 is a great engine to get your hands dirty with. Parts are plentiful, cheap, and the engine is simplistic.

There is a drain hole at each end of each head to get it back to the pan.

Al

So The only way oil gets to the head in 5.0's is thru the pushrods. Right? And it drains back into the pan thru the drain holes. So if the push rods were interupted the oil would still flow thru the filter and if redirected it wouldn't mess up anything as long as it went back to the drain holes?

If I am missing anything here let me know. I want to thank you helping me with this. It cleared up allot.

D.L. Man

In a 5.0 Ford, yes. Now the 332, 352,360, 390, 410, 427 and 428 Fords are a different story. They have a rocker arm shaft that gets oiled entirely different.

Well, I'm not sure what you are asking here exactly. Yes, if a pushrod would plug up, it could mess up things by not oiling a rocker arm or the tip of the pushrod. The rest of the engine would be okay, just maybe not the area that is affected. (Although it would PROBABLY get oiled by the splash from another neighboring pushrod) Is this getting complicated yet?!! If you do regular maintenance, there is not much of a reason for the pushrod to plug up.

Exactly what is it you are trying to ask here? :-)

For about $10 you can go to most auto parts stores and get a book /shop manual, either general topics or Ford specific, which will have plenty of words and pictures that will provide much more than a few responses here - and also include much about the rest of the car. Even if you don't want to work on your car yourself, it's a good idea to know something about it so you can keep yourself from getting fooled by a dishonest service shop. These manuals typically devote many pages to engine text, photos and drawings. Ciao Brian in Seattle

I was thinking that if the oil path was diverted from the push rods to something else and still returned to the drain holes the engine design wouldn't be changed.

But you have helped allot thanks.

Thanks. I have been planning on that very course of action. I just needed some quick answers though. I thought that the oil went thru the push rods I just needed confirmation.

D.