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.

 

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.

 

DP

 

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.