Oil Galley plugs at Camshaft

IMHO, there is nothing guaranteeing that plate will always seal true to the block. It is machined flat on the back but who knows for sure. I can easily see one getting a kink, or a burr on the edge that raises it in one corner, from being dropped, poorly machined at the factory. etc. And the bolts are spread too far to make sure you get a good seal.

OP, IMHO, you are asking for potential trouble by not putting some short plugs in there. It's the same reason as above... the plate for the tensioner is not at all designed to guarantee an oil seal. One bit of warpage, a burr in the wrong place, etc., and you are losing pressure. I don't think those tensioner plates are machined flat on the back like the original plates tend to be.

Are the threaded plugs all the way in? If so, I'd find some shallower one, or grind those down 'til the fit under the tensioner plate. Then drill an oiling hole on one plug (in the driver's side IMHO, since any loss there is less critical to the engine) and another hole in the cover plate in front of it, or use a drilled jet like suggested.

BTW a 1/64" hole is only about .015" diameter.....maybe you meant 3/64" ?


I've got to pull the timing cover off a 340 on the stand in the shop. It's got a used 100k plus mile cam plate on it. Before I take the cam plate off I'm going to see if I can get a feeler gauge in there anywhere around the plate.

I'm beating it's .000 all the way around, but even if it's .010 how could that small leak, even if it's all the way around the plate drop idle pressure by 50%?

I'll also check the most likely chicom made chain tensioner plate the same way when it goes on and see how much gap there is.

I might as well get a straight edge out and verify the block is flat, as it ain't that hard.

Then hopefully later this spring FABO member Zigs and I will be be assembling his 340 and I'll do the same and post his results if it's ok with him.

And when I put my R block strokes together with the Milodon gear drive I'll do all the same measurements. Then we can see across several blocks with several different can retaining systems look as far as plate seal.

My best guess is there will be little to no gap on any of them.