??

 

Here is the pic if it makes it easier, what side I don't see it?

[IMG][/IMG]

 

I'm assuming you're talking about the plate down the center.

Looks like some sort of trap. Normally, you epoxy screens over the holes in the lifter valley to keep things like pieces or rockers, valve sprinsg etc from getting down into the oil pan in case of failure. Looks like someone just installed some sort of plate to do the same thing. It could stop big stuff but won't stop small stuff.

Second thought is that it's an isolation plate to keep hot oil from being thrown up on the underside on the intake.

 

how is that plate being bolted down? to a roller block which is now using flat tappets or did someone drill and tap?

 

I don't know that it is bolted down. It looks like the intake might just hold it in place.

 

ah, maybe that one silver plate is bolted to those black straps then. That looks like nyloc nuts there.
Anyway 89rs power, is it bolted down?

are you planning on keeping it?

 

The two metal straps bolted to the plate fit under the part of the heads that extend over the lifter valley. The heads hold it down.

 

I forget what the call it, but it keeps the lifter from coming out of the bore if you bend a pushrod or break a rocker or something. When a lifter comes out of its bore, you get a big hole in your oiling system and your oil pressure goes to 0 downstream of the opening.

 

Yep, valley baffle. Ditto with the above posts: keeps lifters in place if something goes wrong in the valve train, and keeps the hot oil off the bottom of the intake manifold.

The two spring steel straps should be under the heads. That keeps it in place. Also a good idea to drill the two bolt heads and wire them together.

RBob.

 

Yep, that's correct. I've used them many times myself.

It's actually done it's job for me twice when I snapped pushrods in various motors over the years. Do you know what a PITA it is to yank the intake just to put a lifter back in it's bore?

I don't know how much hot oil it keeps off the intake, but for the above reason alone it is a worthwhile piece. Not for use with roller lifters. Also, not sure it will even work in a later factory roller block or not- never tried it.

 

Wish I knew the spring things were suppose to be under the heads before I put the intake back on will it hurt anything like that?

 

Ehhhhhh...... it'll just kinda flop around in the lifter valley without anything to positively hold it down. I'd say yes, you should yank the intake and secure it like it is supposed to be.

 

Yeah already plan to.. I can reuse my gaskets right? Hasn't been ran or anything... I guess nothing ever really held it in place to begin with because thats the way it was when I pulled the intake.. weird...

 

Put one on my 383. It's true intent is to keep hot oil off the bottom of the intake to keep the fuel/air charge cool. I have heard reports of 10hp gain but am questionable about that one. For 15-20 bucks I thought I would give it a go.