Drilling Lifter Cups??
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From: I play with Sand!!
Drilling Lifter Cups?? Has anyone done this? I search but didn't find any info. I was flipping through "How to Build High-Performance Chevy LS1/LS6 V-8's" by Will Handzel. He shows a picture on pg. 114 of having 2 1/2" holes drilled in each lifter cup on a motor W2W was building. He said it was to help drain out the oil that can and does puddle on top of the lifters. These holes allow the oil to drill back.
Seems simple and straight forward. You drill about a 1/4" above the area where the lifter is supposed to lock in place. Then they are installed facing the outside of the block (towards the pistons). I'm going to replace my lifters as soon as I do a cam swap and was thinking of doing this.
I'll try to find some pics on the net for people (my damn camera broke).
Seems simple and straight forward. You drill about a 1/4" above the area where the lifter is supposed to lock in place. Then they are installed facing the outside of the block (towards the pistons). I'm going to replace my lifters as soon as I do a cam swap and was thinking of doing this.
I'll try to find some pics on the net for people (my damn camera broke).
Those lifter cups or lifter guides are made of plastic and barely strong enough to keep the lifters from turning as it is. Right now I'm working on a mod to give them more support, because I did have a lifter that turned. So I would not recomend making two holes that big in them; they will be weaker after you do that. It's true that oil pools up in them, but has anyone proven that is a problem?
Yeah you could drill a pair of 1/8 inch holes in them; I wouldn't go bigger than that. If one of those lifters turns, you have an expensive rebuild coming up. But what did they say was the benefit of draining them, anyway?
We originally started drilling the return holes to help return the oil on a road race engine. In the early days of Motorola cup we had to use the stock oilpan in a Corvette. We were doing everything possible to keep the pickup covered with oil.
Currently this is our standard practice on gen 3 and 4 engine builds.
Kurt
Currently this is our standard practice on gen 3 and 4 engine builds.
Kurt
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From: I play with Sand!!
Man I'm glad W2W jumped in on this. So Kurt, Will drilling the 1/2" cause a lifter to turn? From the Picture it looks like it is above the area where the lifter (supposidly) locks in place when you turn the cam. I guess I need to take a good look at a set of cups to see where to drill. From Pics I have seen, The spot they drilled is above the webbing in the cup. So I don't think this would have an effect on a lifter turning.
I think you would be OK drilling there. The place you want to stay away from is near the "bridge" or part where the bolt goes. I think what happens is the plastic flexs up here, allowing a lifter to drop too low in the guide and allow it to turn. Aftermarket cams with their small base circle probably contribute to this also. If you can, post the picture.
Interesting . . . picture is good enough to tell what's going on. I wonder how much oil they hold. I've got the lifter guides out of my engine right now; maybe I'll fill one up with water four times and dump it into a measuring cup and see.
Joe,
Canton had a interesting looking street/drag pan at PRI. We have never used one though. Normally on the high hp cars we switch the engine to dry sump.
Kurt
Canton had a interesting looking street/drag pan at PRI. We have never used one though. Normally on the high hp cars we switch the engine to dry sump.
Kurt
Originally Posted by Ls1Joe
Kurt do you know anyone that makes a good drag race pan for a LSx type engine, wet sump.
That engine was sold to Ronnie and originally installed in his black convertible.
Kurt
Kurt
Originally Posted by Richiec77
Thanks Kurt. I'm really glad you chimed in. Out of curiosity is that 1200HP C5R build up Ron Dukes Motor?
