Tubing the gallery with a twist

Ironmike said
I know, I know....should have just had them bushed from the start. But I didnt. Dammit. Honeshyly at the time, I was so worried about getting the decks perfect and the cam tunnel and the line hone.......I kinda didn't think about it at the time. Like I said it's the 4 th LA I've converted to roller, so I assumed I could get it done other ways.

So now it's impeccably clean, painted and clear coated and here I sit. He told me 5 to 6 hours now. Had I done it originally, probably "another 350 to 400 bucks.

Maybe I'll give him a call Monday to discuss it more, maybe not. If I could tube them the way I want, I'd be happy. Now you guys got me a little gun shy. But that's OK. That's why I ALWAYS ask here first.

Years and years of Chevy then 2008 I started the Mopar addiction. There's a whole lot more to deal with but it's worth it. I'll never go back! I just keep learning here...
Now I'm kinda stuck between gears.View attachment 1715007950

Hey, you can buy the tubing and the reamer from MSC for pretty cheap. If you aren't ham fisted, take your time and don't crowd the reamer, you can do it by hand. I have. Also done it with a drill press. You need very little press fit, if any because the preening holds the tube in. It's not hard. Guys don't do it because they hear horror stories from guys who did it once or whatever. If you were closer, I'd do the damn thing for free.

As for drilling the hole....there are a few easy ways. I just take a fine pointed scribe that is fairly stout and just put a prick mark where you want the hole. Then drill it with a 1/16 bit. Again, you can't be ham fisted and you need as much drill speed as you can get. Then finish with a 3/32 hole. It isn't really important what angle the hole is. Just as long as the hole in the tube breaks into the oil gallery it will get oil to the lifter.

Bushing the bores would be the best option, but I have never done a back to back test with the exact same block, going from non bushed bores to corrected bores. Unless I see it, I'm going to say that there is very little, if any power in it.

And to be totally honest, the small block Chevy and its big brother, have many many times more issues with lifter bore placement than any other brand. So how much would gain by bushing the bores? IDK. My guess is the same you'd gain by tubing the oil gallery.