This is a 'tuf one....

Complete rebuild. All machine work by the best race machine shop in the state.... When pressurizing the oil system before starting I could get no oil to #1 int or exhaust rockers. Pulled the valve covers and have great amounts comparitively to 2,4,6,8,5 & 7.... only a little to #3 rockers (int-exh). Replaced the roller lifters in #1 & still no oil. When the push rods are pulled, they do have oil in them but it will not go up to the rockers. The blocks were boiled & rodded out, all passages had brushes run thru them. The galley plugs are in. The rollers are comp cams lifters & CC roller rockers. Needless to say the oil pump is also new and a high flow unit.
We also did a "sister" engine as this is a twin set up & it is fine.

Oil is flowing into the lifter bores but not up to the rockers...... we are lost here.... At this point I am thinking the oil pump is not putting out enough oil pressure or flow to make the full trip.
Any other ideas??? We were planning to install the engines next week when the Sonic gets out of the paint shop. Now I'm pissed!! What's up???

I've had this happen many times, usually it's air lock in the oil system, you shouldn't have any issues once you fire it up. I just completed a motor with the same thing happening last week, once fired up it was fine.

Did you try turning the motor over a bit to allow the oil hole in the lifters align in the lifter bore oil passage?

I always thought the motor had to be running to get the oil to pass thru the lifters plungers and up the pushrods. I never had oil feed the rockers just by priming.

Yes the engine has been rotated many, many times. The pump was spun at 2700 rpm for 15 minutes several times, still no oil. Yes, oil is getting into & thru the oil galleys, just not all the way up & 1 push rods. If I start this *****, then it's on me!! I want the machine shop to figure this one out. I do no need to score a custom grind came & wait another two months to get a new one. These are ALL new parts!! I should not have this problem!!:

Yes, the rockers will feed oil by priming the motor... I have 14 if 15 cylinders that oil fine & two that don't. Actually the oiling rockers will fill up their cups with oil while #1 stays dry!!... oddly, they are adjacent cylinders (#1 &3)... & the farthest from the main bearing feed to the oil galleys....???

Distressing to say the least.

Swap lifters with a known flowing set and see if problem follows the questionable lifters?

Are pushrods clear up center.Maybe swap with lifters as US1 sugested.Maybe rocker hole damaged as well.

lifters swapped, new & clear push rods.
See what I mean?? This is a tough one to figure. My builder is not a happy camper!! He has had to stop his own Fountain rebuild because of this!

Do the pushrods get their oil through the cam bearing? I'm wondering if maybe a bearing is not aligned. Just a guess. I'm thinking the lifters have their own dedicated oil passage.

Are you using an old distributer to prime pump or the special tool made for this?
Have you put oil pressure gauge on motor while you are priming it?
At RPM you are saying pump is turning my guess is you should have 60+lbs of pressure unless oil leak somewhere.
Have you turned motor over while you are priming?
Is there enought oil in pan?

Plugs in front of block?Maybe pull flywheel and put gauge on lifter oil gallery one at a time.