Turbo 1915 Build

[56speedster]

Did you leave the oil pickup tube on that came with the new case? Is your extension for you extra sump the clamp on style? Just curios - I'm putting things together now and noticed that the end of the pickup tube is angled more than the pickup tube on my old case and I hope that I don't run into any problems clamping my extension to the new tube because of the angle.

I had the same oil hole issues that you and TMM had so I had to make the necessary modifications which were relatively simple but shouldn't be necessary for the money that they charge for the case. When I was checking the oil holes, I found that if you turn the bearing around with the dowel hole facing the crank that the holes line up with the slots in the bearing which leads me to believe that when they made the molds for the case that they marked the holes for the bearings with the bearings in backwards.

Did you open up the "windows" between the cylinders on the main bearing saddle at all? I've seen where others have done so and I figure I will while the case is still open.

[miniman82]

The pickup tube that comes in those cases is absolute trash, you can't use a deep sump (or even a stock drain plate for that matter) with it because the angle will cause the extension to 'miss' the strainer hole. It's poor quality too, get rid of it and get the awesome German one.

[Vee Dub Nut]

Did you leave the oil pickup tube on that came with the new case? Is your extension for you extra sump the clamp on style? Just curios - I'm putting things together now and noticed that the end of the pickup tube is angled more than the pickup tube on my old case and I hope that I don't run into any problems clamping my extension to the new tube because of the angle.

I had the same oil hole issues that you and TMM had so I had to make the necessary modifications which were relatively simple but shouldn't be necessary for the money that they charge for the case. When I was checking the oil holes, I found that if you turn the bearing around with the dowel hole facing the crank that the holes line up with the slots in the bearing which leads me to believe that when they made the molds for the case that they marked the holes for the bearings with the bearings in backwards.

Did you open up the "windows" between the cylinders on the main bearing saddle at all? I've seen where others have done so and I figure I will while the case is still open.

Yes, I am using the pickup tube that came with the case. Its a little wonky, but not as bad as some I've seen. My deep sump came with three different size extentions, and the largest one is the one that fits the pickup in the AL case. I am just using a standard clam to hold it on. My extension actually fits this new pickup better then the one in my old MOFOCO case. The angle comes out right about center on the opening of the deep sump, but would be off without the extra length. I know I'll probably catch a little flack about this, but I don't actually run the strainer plate. Didn't before, and don't plan to this time. Anything that the pump picks up will generally pass right through it and go into the filter (I'm full flowed) unless its something large and steel, which in that case you have other problems. This is one of those hotly debated topics, but to each their own.

I have heard good things about the German pick-up tubes, but I didn't have one. My pickup in the AL case looked pretty decent and was definitely fit very well into the case, so I left well enough alone.

Yea that bearing oiling holes on the mains are just sort of silly. They should be able to get them closer than that. I didn't open up the "windows" between the cylinders. I haven't actually seen anything about that, and nothing jumped out at my when building it, so no.

[56speedster]

I'm not using the strainer either and haven't in several years. I figure that the full flow setup works perfectly and like you said, if you've got large pieces, you've got problems....

I had read about opening the windows somewhere but don't remember where. It may have been on a case porting thread that I found somewhere. I decided to open them up though after seeing the difference between them and my 043 case because it was a big difference. Pretty simple work with a "Christmas tree" style tip on a high speed grinder. Hopefully I will have all of the shortblock back together this afternoon

[miniman82]

I know I'll probably catch a little flack about this, but I don't actually run the strainer plate. Didn't before, and don't plan to this time.

No flak, but you and 56 should think about this a little more.

You both state that if you have chunks in the sump, you have other issues anyhow. OK, I understand that. But there are foreign objects that get into the engine, and sometimes you just can't explain how. Like that time on The Samba, where that guy pulled an oily old frog out of his case? Yeah, strainer caught that. It's not just for the health of the bearings, it also makes sense to take care of the oil pump- after all, EVERYTHING goes through it, and the one thing that will take it out in a hurry is a large chunk of whatever, which is exactly what the screen is supposed to stop.

[Turbo_Manx_Maniac]

I'm with Mini on this. Over the years I've seen broken rocker shims, valve springs, parts of a cam gear, lash caps, valve stem chips, etc get caught in the strainer. All parts that did not stop the motor from running. Without the strainer these go in the oil pump, the pump gears will try and crush these parts. When the pump splits and pulls case studs ruining the case you will wish you ran a strainer. In the event things get through the pump and caught in the filter, then you have no idea your pump was just compromised and might be looking at low pressure issues down the road.

I am in the process of installing a sump, the extension tube you get is usually too large to fit in a strainer so most ditch the strainer. I'm documenting how to install an extension tube that's modified to accept a stock strainer and how to mount it to the stock pickup without resorting to a clamp. I'll have a big update to my build thread in about 3 weeks that will show what I did for the sump extension.

[Vee Dub Nut]

WOW... TMM and Mini actually agreeing on something.. the world must be ending soon LOL

You guys make valid points.. Like I've said, I've read both sides of the arguments. My other engine was shucking out metal, and the only thing I could find on my oil pump was two tiny little spots on the gear teeth that you could tell something had gone through it, no oil pressure problems. It would take something pretty beefy to hang up the pump completely (yes not impossible, but pretty small risk IMO), most everything else passes right through. As for the comment about an oily frog in an engine, the only way it could get there is if the engine was left open. That argument doesn't mean much to me. The majority of common debris in the engine is going to be soft and pretty non-threatening. If you have major hard parts floating around you have issues. A proper engine shouldn't be loosing any pieces large enough to cause problems. Like I said, a lot of different view points on this.

TMM, I will be interested in seeing the info you post up. I may get inspired and pull of my sump plate and start making some more changes. That is one thing that I did notice, my old tube was smaller in diameter and would fit into the strainer plate with no issue, but the new larger tube would take some sort of modification, as the hole in the strainer is smaller than the tube diameter.

[56speedster]

Like that time on The Samba, where that guy pulled an oily old frog out of his case?

Now that's funny and could be some competition for the 350 Chevy powered blender.

[Vee Dub Nut]

Ok.. so I thought about it through the day and figured I'd be safe rather than sorry.. Pulled the sump plate tonight and did a little modification and got the strainer installed. So no sucking up frogs for me I guess

[miniman82]

no sucking up frogs for me I guess.

LOL!

Gotta find a pic and link that thing up here...

[56speedster]

VeeDubNut,

What did your deck height check out to be? Reason I ask is because you had mentioned standard deck previously and while I was setting deck height on the new case today, I found .044" difference between my old 043 case and the super case. My old case with no shims measured .073" deck and the new case measures .029". Quite a difference between the two....

I know you're running the shorter stroke but if your old case versus new is anything like mine, you could possibly have quite a bit higher compression ratio than what you had before.

[Passatman]

Anymore updates on your build vdubnut.

[Vee Dub Nut]

VeeDubNut,

What did your deck height check out to be? Reason I ask is because you had mentioned standard deck previously and while I was setting deck height on the new case today, I found .044" difference between my old 043 case and the super case. My old case with no shims measured .073" deck and the new case measures .029". Quite a difference between the two....

I know you're running the shorter stroke but if your old case versus new is anything like mine, you could possibly have quite a bit higher compression ratio than what you had before.

My deck was huge on the Al case.. I ended up with .125 with OUT any shims. My heads are 54cc, so I ended up with a 7.3:1 CR. Just fine since I'm boosted, but way too much deck for N/A in my opinion.

[Vee Dub Nut]

Anymore updates on your build vdubnut.

Not much on the engine..

I just spend the last two days screwing with the trans and getting it installed. The engine should hopefully go back in tomorrow and be fired off. Wish me luck!

[MarioVelotta]

Wish you luck