Rods hitting windage tray?
 

What would the symptoms of the rods hitting the windage tray be? I'm trying to chase down some problems with my latest build and want to narrow it down. I have a 4.125 stroke crank and clearanced the tray but it has always been in the back of my mind if I clearanced it enough.

My power is dropping off at 5800 everytime. It seems like valvefloat but it shouldn't be with my softer cam lobes. My other thoughts are that with my high volume oil pump, ls7 lifters, oil restricting pushrods and 20w50 oil that I am getting lifter pump up.

Ticking or knocking sound that varies with RPM. You can usually narrow it down to the bottom end by crawling under the car with it running on jackstands, and might even be able to feel it if it's bad enough. Have you checked your oil to see if you've got a bunch of metal shavings in it?

I can't hear anything at idle. I'm just wondering if it doesn't hit until higher RPM's. I haven't noticed metal shavings after the 1st change. But it's about time for another oil change so i will check again very soon.

Get a mast black label stroker windage tray and be done with it.

So spend a whole buncha money on a part that may or may not help his problem?

Why not help the guy diagnose his problem before offering a solution for 1 of the many possible problems he's having?

My arp main studs came with a thick washer to install on the studs before the tray went on! Did yours have that?

Why are you running 20-50? What are the mains and rods set at to warrant that thick of oil.

The rods are only going to hit the oil pan 1 time at you will know it. I would drop the oil and check it but is unlikely.

Tim

Peace of mind is worth its weight in gold. A $55 windage tray designed for large cranks is what should be in that engine to begin with, not a hackjob modified tray, especially if the op has any second thoughts. Power dropoff? Strange noise? Hello windage tray not working properly

Mains are .0019 and rods are .0022 on a aluminium block.

Put some lighter oil in it. That is way to thick. The pressure must be up there when the oil temps are down.

If the try cleared during mock up the only way it is hitting is if it is flexing not likely.

Tim

So would a 10w40 be better? Seems like the 30 weight might be too thin.

I run 5-30 in mine. Idle is 25 psi at 850 rpm with oil temps 195-205 WOT is 105-95 with same oil temps. cruse is 65

My mains are .002 rods .0025 alum block

The thick oil takes longer to get thru the engine, return to the pan

I would try some 10-30 and see what it looks like. You can always drain a little out and add some thicker to it.

Tim

If the crank was hitting the tray you would have noticed rite away when you were putting the engine together, while turning it on the engine stand. the power dropping off... small cam will do it with the kind of stroke you have, it would just quit making power, now if the valve float was present, is different, it will sound similar to hitting the limiter, but a bit more dangerous...

I got it to clear on the engine stand. What I don't know is how much the engine parts will grow and expand, and with RPM's.

Cam is a 243/247 with AFR 230v2's. So it's not real small, but not a big cam either.

what clearence did you set the windage tray to when you assembled it? I highly doubt the windage tray is causing your issues.
Id take Gray86hatch's advice and run lighter oil first - like 5-30 with your clearences