512 B Underway

The only way the thrust gets pressurized oil is to drill that hole. Otherwise the thrust gets fed by the leak from the main bearing.

So what you are doing is the most simple, easy way to get pressurized oil to the thrust. I can’t see how that small hole would cause a block failure.

Yup, you're relying on splash and overflow just like my 3600 rpm Briggs & Stratton. A hole 1/16 or .0625" is tiny, I have zero concerns. J.Rob