Oil Galley plugs at Camshaft

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Ivoryk3ys78

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Good evening everyone.

We have started putting together my 408 stroker and the block has nice plugs threaded into the two galley plug holes that go behind the timing chain tensioner. Those holes are covered on the timing chain tensioner. So I am wondering should we take them out of the block or open them up on the timing chain tensioner?

On the 318 that we took out of the Duster those holes are not even machined with threads and so the plate just covered them.

Thanks a lot
 
I'd keep them. Low oil pressure is a constant issue with the SBM and keeping leaks out of in the oiling system is always a good idea.
 
Okay so just punch or drill the holes out of the timing chain tensioner then.

Thank you
 
No access holes in the cam sprocket? Wait...covered by the tensioner?
 
You'll have to do some checking on that block to see what the previous builder has done with it , are the plugs only shallow as not to cover the oil holes to the mains.
 
I drill small holes in them to bleed foam and air and to lube the chain
holes through the cover too
want more oil to the rods block the feeds for the heads and feed from the back of the block
lots of other oiling tricks- see the stickie
 
I am saying that these two pipe plugs that are in the block surrounding the camshaft can not poke through the timing chain tensioner. On the plate those holes are not opened up. I assume to cover it up on all blocks because some are not threaded. My 318 the block is not even threaded on those holes.

20200104_135453.jpg
 
So I just want to know if it is best to leave those pipe plugs in and open up holes in the timing chain tensioner plate or to take the plugs out and let them be plugged by the timing chain tensioner plate. I am not sure what people normally do. On the 318 there is not even threads in the block so they would have had to have been just covered.

Thanks.
 
I am saying that these two pipe plugs that are in the block surrounding the camshaft can not poke through the timing chain tensioner. On the plate those holes are not opened up. I assume to cover it up on all blocks because some are not threaded. My 318 the block is not even threaded on those holes.

View attachment 1715447955
They must b flush
 
So those pipe plugs that the machine shop put in are not right?

I have a picture posted above and you can see they are far from flush.
 
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I am saying that these two pipe plugs that are in the block surrounding the camshaft can not poke through the timing chain tensioner. On the plate those holes are not opened up. I assume to cover it up on all blocks because some are not threaded. My 318 the block is not even threaded on those holes.

View attachment 1715447955

If you buy a freeze plug kit...those plugs are included in the kit...they are not threaded...they are tapped in...watch the driver side as there is a oil passage there that you do not want to block....with the plug flush with the block the cam retainer or tensioner bolts on...
 
Oh okay. Yea it was confusing. We went and looked at the 318 and it was not threaded but those looked like threaded plugs they have in there. Will have to get them out.

On the 318 there was nothing in the holes at all and we had no issues with that block. Is there any consensus as to if those should have plugs in them?

Thank you.
 
There shouldn't be threaded plugs. There are Welch plugs in those passages. (soft plugs) if yours are threaded I doubt that you can go back to soft plugs. The threaded plugs need to be flush or less. Let us know what you find that works. Who did this and why??
 
We had boring and line honing and rotating assembly balancing etc done at a machine shop in Oregon City. They from what I understand deal with performance engines though I do not believe specialize in mopar blocks. I did provide a soft plug kit when we brought everything in to be worked on.

I am not sure what the thinking would have been on this.
 
Some engines came from the factory without the plugs. A mistake? Maybe... or laziness.

The small block tends to have some oiling issues at higher rpm but that's not where most guys runs their cars. I guess it's at 6500+ on the tach. If you run those speeds you need to be aware that any "leaks" in the internal oiling system may lead to a spun rod bearing.Too much lifter bore clearance, loose bearing clearances, a loose or missing pipe plug, leaky cover on the oil pump... (there are more!) Any and all can give trouble.

My advice is to eliminate any and all potential leaks even with a daily driver. Doesn't really cost anything and it's peace of mind if nothing else.
 
Who was the brain surgeon who did that.

Take the pipe plugs out and throw them in the drawer for something else.

Don't bother with the soft plugs either.

Bolt the cam plate or tensioner on there and forget the oil gallery is even there. You don't need to plug that off and tapping those holes is beyond idiotic.
 
Need thread....Why do I have low oil pressure...lol

why chance it...put them it...
 
Need thread....Why do I have low oil pressure...lol

why chance it...put them it...


I have never used a plug in those places and never will. Unless the block is junk or the cam reasoning plate is garbage there won't be a lack there.

Jesus guys make **** hard.
 
There shouldn't be threaded plugs. There are Welch plugs in those passages. (soft plugs) if yours are threaded I doubt that you can go back to soft plugs. The threaded plugs need to be flush or less. Let us know what you find that works. Who did this and why??

Mike, I've torn down factory engines with short pipe plugs there. Admittedly, most have had the small freeze plugs.

To the @Ivoryk3ys78 if you want oil to the timing chain area, here's what you do. Look at the engine from the front. The upper passenger's side cam thrust plate/chain tensioner hole goes through to the bottom of the intake valley. The bolt that goes in that hole needs to be drill right through the center all the way through with an 1/8" bit. Then oil will drip onto the splash point on the tensioner, or the sheet metal point you bolt to the cam thrust plate.
 
Who was the brain surgeon who did that.

Take the pipe plugs out and throw them in the drawer for something else.

Don't bother with the soft plugs either.

Bolt the cam plate or tensioner on there and forget the oil gallery is even there. You don't need to plug that off and tapping those holes is beyond idiotic.

Then call Chrysler idiots, because I see a lot of factory blocks with short pipe plugs there. Sometimes it's not about "makin stuff hard" it's about "puttin stuff back like you found it". Just because you haven't seen something, doesn't make it NOT so. You crusty old geezer. lol
 
To the @Ivoryk3ys78 if you want oil to the timing chain area, here's what you do. Look at the engine from the front. The upper passenger's side cam thrust plate/chain tensioner hole goes through to the bottom of the intake valley. The bolt that goes in that hole needs to be drill right through the center all the way through with an 1/8" bit. Then oil will drip onto the splash point on the tensioner, or the sheet metal point you bolt to the cam thrust plate.

Doesn't the timing chain get oiled from around the front of the camshaft and drip onto that tab from there?
 
Doesn't the timing chain get oiled from around the front of the camshaft and drip onto that tab from there?

It's supposed to come from that hollow bolt. Most everybody throws the thing away. If you look in the How To section, @krazykuda Karl has a write up on it I believe. It's a factory modification. I don't know when they started doing it, but I've torn down lots that were factory engines with that mod done. No way would I put one together without it. To answer your question more directly, no, there is no "purposed" oiling of the timing chain without that. It just "gets what it gets". If you can improve upon that with one drilled hole, why not do it?
 
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