340 oil galley question

[redlightrich1]

Hi All, I looked thru my factory service manual and searched here and can not find my answer, so please help if you can. I am working on a late 71/early 72 340 (steel crank), and after removing my cam thrust plate I noticed there were no plugs in the front end of the lifter oil galley. The thrust plate does block this off, and I don't think I had low oil pressure, as there were no noises or light. I do not have a guage in this car, just a light so it may have been low, just not low enough to cause problems. What I am asking is, should there be small plugs on the end? Something similar to small freeze or core plugs? Or did the factory rely on the cam thrust plate to block off the oil galley? It does not look right to me. Any help would be greatly appreciated .

Thank you,

Rich

 

[1wild&crazyguy]

I would use the plugs so that no oil psi bleeds off there, thats where the pass side lifter galley feeds the no.1 main and then go's back up to the driverside lifter galley.

Just what I would do.

 

[66fs]

...did the factory rely on the cam thrust plate to block off the oil galley? It does not look right to me. Any help would be greatly appreciated .

Thank you,

Rich

The factory did rely on the cam thrust plate to block off the oil galley in the early engines. I've done a lot of engines without the plugs and no problems. But I agree with 1wild&crazyguy, to put the plugs in for cheap insurance.

 

[340sFastback]

When I built my stroker I put plugs in there to eliminate leakage. If the passenger's side leaks the mains will get less oil; not good.