Blazer79

Hello: I'm about to start assembling a 350 to go into my 86 Camaro. I've got the following parts ready for assembly: -Keith black hypereutectic pistons -Scat forged connecting rods -Stock crankshaft -Total Seal rings -Crane cams 216-222 @0.50 -Rotating assembly balanced I have a book called "Engine Blueprinting". In the block prepping chapter it mentions you can thread and plug the holes in the lifter valley so that oil returns to the pan all the way to the front just behind the timing chain instead of dripping over the cam and therefore the crankshaft. If I do this, won't the cam starve? Is this common practice? Is it only for full racing engines? This is going to be my daily driver with the respective ocassional weekends at the strip. All comments welcome. Thanks.

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[gray]1979 Blazer w/Big Tires and 454[/gray]
[white]1986 Camaro Z-28 Iroc-ZStock 305 TPI[/white]
[blue]1967 Camaro RS-SS No engine, still unrestored[/blue]

FastZ28*84

No the cam will not starve for oil, it gets oil through passages like the crank. The reason for blocking the holes is to cut down on oil hitting the crank when it drains back down to the oil pan. Oil draing back down through the holes will hit the spinning crank and slow it down robbing power.

I have threaded the holes and installed breather tubes in the galley when I built my current engine. It served as a daily driver for 4 years without any problems. It is mostly a weekend driver now and still running.

If you plan on blocking the two large drains in the back of the block I would recommend elongating the holes and the front of the block to where they are almost flush with the galley so your oil can drain back a little faster.

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84 Z28 16" IROC wheels 245-45-16 Goodyear F1's, Global West LCA's, Panhard bar, Subframe connectors(not installed), Trac-link(not installed),Del-a-lum A-arm bushings, TDS wonderbar,Spohn solid tierod adjusters,ES Poly sway bar bushings&endlinks, 355ci 9.8:1,Original L-69 intake&air cleaner, alum L98 heads, 1.52 roller tip rockers,222dur 447 lift cam,MSD Pro Billet HEI, Edelbrock 1906 Q-Jet, 160 stat,SLP 1 3/4 coated headers, custom 3" exhaust, Spintech muffler, 89 WC T-5,ES poly tranny mount, Hurst Shifter,Centerforce D/F clutch,roller pilot bearing,Auburn posi, 28 spline axles, factory 4whl disc, AC Delco alum&plastic radiator, plastic replacement headlights, 82 Z28 Fiberglass hood(not installed)
94 Caprice 9C1
02 Silverado 2500HD 4x4 Ext Cab

ME Leigh

DP

ME Leigh

It does help lube the lifters a little but the cam also gets oil slung of the crank. I don't know if i would do it for a mostly stock motor with hydraulic FT cam. If you were building a solid roller motor then yes.

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LT1 headed LG4 305 beast! Comp Solid lifter XS-262-10S, 1.6 Roller Rockers, 10.2:1, Holley 4160 600cfm, modded Weiand 7502 intake to fit LT1 heads____ Custom cylinder head cooling. Weiand 8208 Short Water Pump____TH-350 3 series 3.73 with 2 series posi and spacer____ Hedman Hedders 1 5/8 headers and Y-pipe 3in Exhaust, Dynomax 3" Bullet muffler ____Moroso Ultra 40 Wires ACCEL HEI Super Coil ____Competition Engineering 3120 Bolt-on SFC's____Homemade: Wonderbar, solid tie rod sleeves, Aluminum LCA and Panhard Rod with spherical rod ends, alternator and PS bracket, Strut tower brace, and Decoupling torque arm with telescoping link.
3000lbs

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