Classic/Antique Car Repair: 1956 Ford 292 oil feed to rocker shaft, oil pressure gauge, delo oil

Question
I recently purchased a 56 Fairlane with a 292.The engine was rebuilt im told in 78.Probably about 30,000 miles.It has been sitting mostly forlast 5-6 years.I dont see mch oil to rockers.There is oil comming out return line on both rocker shafts but none from rocker arms or anywhere else.Is this normal.Also there is smoke from breather cap although I changed it and cleaned out filter on road draft tube.I am having some restoration done on body and have not yet driven it.Is this likely to clear up once the car has been given a few good miles.Any suggestions for additives to clean out junk in the motor as its driven?I think the car has been negleted not abused in the lasr few years.thanks Mark.P.S I had the 4-barrel carb professionally rebuilt already.

Answer
It sounds like some oil is getting up there, but flow may be a bit restricted.  I'd change the oil to a Diesel rated oil (they have much higher detergency) and also add a can of "CD-2" which you can find at your auto parts store.   It will boost the detergency rapidly and may improve the oiling quite a bit.  I'd use Chevron RPM -Delo oil, 15W40 - it is very good oil for old cars - better than anything that meets current specs for gas engines.  If the valve gear begins to make noise, though, I think you need to investigate further.   First step is to put a good mechanical oil pressure gauge on it and make sure you have at least 15 PSI at hot idle.  You can manually squirt some oil on the rocker hardware while you run it to check the oil pressure - those parts don't care where the oil comes from so long as they get some!

The fumes from the oil fill cap are pretty normal in cars built before PCV valves - there is always some blowby.  When the car is traveling, the road draft system is supposed to vacuum out the crankcase, but when it is idling without moving, there isn't much place for the blowby to go except up and out the filler cap.  If the smell is offensive, you can always add a PCV valve - you'll have to block off the road draft tube if you do that.  If the blowby is excessive, the rings may be stuck, and the CD-2 and Diesel rated oil will help enormously, but you've got to take it out and drive it to get the benefit.  It has to get hot and work hard at higher RPM  - that's how the oil gets up to the rings - it splashes when the crank is spinning fast!

Dick