Tubed block, EDM lifter thoughts.

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pittsburghracer

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Trying to round up a few pieces to drop off at my local machine shop while things are slow for them because of this Coronavirus crap. Something kinda popped into my head while laying in bed. I’m sold on the EDM oiling hole after seeing how well they worked out on my R3 (422) engine. Well I have a very nice solid lifter cam sitting here and I’m kicking around using it in the .030 over 360 block my son ran 6.54 in before it broke a roller lifter link bar on a Comp lifter trashing the engine. Question is if I tube the block and block off the oiling to the other side of the block that side would have zero oil going to the EDM hole right? Or do you think it would get a squirt of oil from the pushrod (top of lifter). Never using these before I don’t have one to study as they are still in my 422. I know the tubed side would oil normally.
 
can you get to the set screw? or dril it
i onder how big a feed hole 8 lifters would actually take
 
can you get to the set screw? or dril it
i onder how big a feed hole 8 lifters would actually take


Well on a big block Mopar I restrict down to .060 but we have the open hole to worry about like a stock small block Mopar has. I guess this is an added benefit of bushing the lifter bosses instead of blocking them off but the extra 600.00 estimated cost to a stock block seems crazy to me.
 
So with that side blocked there is zero pressurized oil going to the side of them.
I run the Howards with .021 hole. I don't know where you are plugged off, but if you could easily change a restriction orifice a .081 hole might be big enough to feed oil. I would guess only 4 lifters would be in the oil band at any point. Just a thought.
 
can you get to the set screw? or dril it
i onder how big a feed hole 8 lifters would actually take

I'm doing the same on a big block, I usually block the left bank but this time I'm drilling a .187 hole in the plug. Should be more than big enough to pump through all 8 lifters.
 
I really think that somebody should post a video so everyone here can see exactly how little oil comes through that hole and how easy it becomes blocked by sludge or a spec of rtv etc.
It is a cool idea though... drill a tiny dribbling dickhole in it and double the price.

Food for thought.
 
It is a cool idea though... drill a tiny dribbling dickhole in it and double the price.

Unfortunately you can't drill a 0.020" hole 3/4" through a steel lifter on the drill press with a jobber drill. It takes an EDM machine which is slow, and time is money. I wonder if grinding a slot or flat down the outside surface, creating a controlled leak, isn't as efficient for oiling? It is easy to do.
 
What is you tubed both sides? A pain yes but consistent oil feed to both sides once the holes are drilled for each lifter.
 
gigz
easy to do with a flat magnetic plate grinder and a v block
I do not grind the bottom 1/8 or so
lifters like that cam standard on the 229 v6 and some buicks- photo in the Johnson paper catalog
Crower (PM Dart19777 over on the fabo forum) he gives good guy prices to members
or
Rhodes
Howards has them for a brand that needs them more
 
gigz
easy to do with a flat magnetic plate grinder and a v block
I do not grind the bottom 1/8 or so
lifters like that cam standard on the 229 v6 and some buicks- photo in the Johnson paper catalog
Crower (PM Dart19777 over on the fabo forum) he gives good guy prices to members
or
Rhodes
Howards has them for a brand that needs them more
Yup. It's on my list of "things to do".
Curious if anyone else had done it, compared to the EDM hole.
 
EDM or something like the Crower cam saver lifters? Hmmm. I’d think the Crowers would be the better of the two ideas. As much as many are very particular and meticulous about assembly and keeping fresh clean oil flowing one would think plugging up the orifice wouldnt be that much of a concern but then again things happen and damn that hole is small! But then it would just be another regular type lifter that’s been used for decades but of the two styles I’d prefer the Crower approach
 
Trying to round up a few pieces to drop off at my local machine shop while things are slow for them because of this Coronavirus crap. Something kinda popped into my head while laying in bed. I’m sold on the EDM oiling hole after seeing how well they worked out on my R3 (422) engine. Well I have a very nice solid lifter cam sitting here and I’m kicking around using it in the .030 over 360 block my son ran 6.54 in before it broke a roller lifter link bar on a Comp lifter trashing the engine. Question is if I tube the block and block off the oiling to the other side of the block that side would have zero oil going to the EDM hole right? Or do you think it would get a squirt of oil from the pushrod (top of lifter). Never using these before I don’t have one to study as they are still in my 422. I know the tubed side would oil normally.
I agree with Rocket. I would tube both sides of the block.
I have an x block so I thought it was worth it to bush the bores,
But no reason you could not tube both sides to reduce cost.
I went one further and even bought the bushed axle lifter from comp. same cost as the needle bearing type.
 
I really think that somebody should post a video so everyone here can see exactly how little oil comes through that hole and how easy it becomes blocked by sludge or a spec of rtv etc.
It is a cool idea though... drill a tiny dribbling dickhole in it and double the price.

Food for thought.
Agree with you on the sludge concerns, disagree that a .020 hole is too small. At 70 psi steady pressure, a ton of oil comes out of that hole. My comp sportsman lifters were expensive, but you get way more than the edm hole. The link bars are a stronger material than the standard model. The best feature that I see on the comp sportsman lifters is that the axles are staked instead of "C" clips
Which I have seen pop out and allow the axle ears to spread apart.
I also went with the bushed axle model as there would be no needle bearings to get into the motor if the lifter were to fail at the axle.
Worth the money to me.
 
I agree with Rocket. I would tube both sides of the block.
I have an x block so I thought it was worth it to bush the bores,
But no reason you could not tube both sides to reduce cost.
I went one further and even bought the bushed axle lifter from comp. same cost as the needle bearing type.



I can guarantee you I will never tube both sides of a block. Guaranteed
 
Any particular reason, I have seen it done before.


I’ve been around a lot of years and read a lot of Mopar Performance material and I’ve never seen it done or the need to do it. One side yes, two sides I’ve never seen it.
 
Any particular reason, I have seen it done before.


Post it up though because I’ll read anything. But I’m telling you right now it will never be done to one of my blocks. Please post pictures and tech notes. Pretty please.
 
I’ve been around a lot of years and read a lot of Mopar Performance material and I’ve never seen it done or the need to do it. One side yes, two sides I’ve never seen it.
Not to come across as a smart *** but I would suggest that it was never recommended because at the time there were no edm lifters.
It was deemed adequate to use splash oiling and live with a possible lifter failure. But you said yourself, you see the advantage of the edm holes.
 
lube savers are the only choice for Hyd
we ground the flats before edm were available
edm holes come in different sizes, some have 2 holes
mike jones said splash was inadequate
 
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