Small Block Oil Pick Up Tube Question

Regardless of the reason why you need to increase the volume of oil, it is possible to work on the problem from the opposite end - reduce the need for a greater volume of oil!

While it all has its limits, making sure bearing clearances are closer to the minimums, thinner oils, limiting oil flow to areas not needing as much, tightening rocker arm side clearances, making it easier for oil up top to return to the oil pan and better oil control with trays and scrapers in the oil pan will help in solving many problems. A side benefit of less oil being pumped is less parasitic HP loss, less stress on associated parts and lower oil temperatures! With less oil "leaking", the less there is to worry about getting caught in "windage" that the tray/scrapers have to deal with..

Don't take this as me picking on your approach. But perhaps an applicable analogy would be someone trying to fill a "leaky" barrel with a garden hose, but the hose can't keep up. So one gets a bigger, higher output hose to fill it with instead of patching some of the holes (even if all can't be plugged). Just trying to offer a different perspective.

Totally agree With tightening up loose clearances and using trays and scrapers. At the same time remember the escaping oil is also carrying away heat from the moving part to the oil pan where it is cooled.