Need input! Block back from machine shop. LOTS OF PICS!

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Krazed

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I have some questions regarding this block. I just got it back from the machine shop and theres a few iffy parts. See pics below for additional information/details.

First: I would like to know if there's any special parts to the oil galley plugs, and such that have been missed? I took pics of rear oil galley by the distributor, as well as the rear main cap. (#5 cap) as some say theres special plugs that go in there. I just can't see where or what there is?

Secondly: There is a picture of a cam bearing that looks half-covered. Would this be ok to leave? Can I file it open more or should I just take it back to them to install a new cam bearing.

Third: The front cam bearing is very scratched. In fact, it looks like the one that was in there when I took it to their shop. A Cam bearing install tool cant really do this, can it?

Fourth : The front cam plate area, where the two small plugs are. Is it common to drill out small holes in one or both sides for oil to get through to the timing chain? I bought a new cam plate, and want to do this right as the old one burned up.

Thanks for any help! Hopefully this answeres questions for others too.

engine5.jpg


engine6.jpg


engine7.jpg


engine3.jpg


engine2.jpg


engine4.jpg


engine1.jpg
 
I wouldnt touch the cam bearing with a file then you have a chance in leaving a bur on it and messing up your cam.
 
(1). Looks OK to me.

(2). I'd clean up the goobers and run it.

(3). Think I'd have this one replaced. From the looks of it, it's your old bearing. Installation tools don't leave marks like that.

(4). This area is oiled by a hollow cam plate retaining bolt. Don't remember right off which one it is but it is in the service manual diagram. Drilling the plugs will only spray oil where you don't need it and lower your oil pressure.
 
Thanks for the replies. Still not sure what to do about that half-covered cam bearing... will wait to hear more.

As for the cam plate and plugs, I didn't have a hollow bolt with my original cam plate. Nor did the plugs have holes in them to allow any oiling to the timing chain.

In the How-To books I have (2 of them) for Small block mopars, they say an alternative to a hollow bolt system is drilling a tiny hole in the left plug to allow a small bit of oil to squirt out and help keep the chain cool.

Just curious if anyone has actually done this or if i should go find me a hollow bolt!
 
The bearing is soft enough to use a pen knife to open it up; But I would take it back, due to the front bearing, just on general principle. And have them do it while you wait.
 
Krazed said:
Thanks for the replies. Still not sure what to do about that half-covered cam bearing... will wait to hear more.

As for the cam plate and plugs, I didn't have a hollow bolt with my original cam plate. Nor did the plugs have holes in them to allow any oiling to the timing chain.

In the How-To books I have (2 of them) for Small block mopars, they say an alternative to a hollow bolt system is drilling a tiny hole in the left plug to allow a small bit of oil to squirt out and help keep the chain cool.

Just curious if anyone has actually done this or if i should go find me a hollow bolt!
Click to expand...

The kits for the thrust plate you are referring to only come with three bolts i guess leaving the top pass side one out will get your oiling done. That is where the bolt with a hole in it was.

I posted a thread on it a while back and this is what i found.
 
It all looks ok. Not the best on the cam bearings, but that is fairly common. I dont believe that cam bearing was ever used. It's an odd set of marks... but that's not a used bearing. It's also extremely unlikely they will want tto replace the cam bearings. They are one use only.
 
Dont do the drilling thing on the thrust plate. You dont need it there is plenty of oil that comes out of the front bearing to oil the chain.
 
So where is the oil suppose to come out of? Should I leave the top left hole open? Or go find a hollow bolt? The thrust plate that I have has 4 solid bolts, and the holes above the cam plate (the large openings) are raised, so oil wont be just dripping out of them. It would have to be shooting out to allow any oil down to the timing chain.
 
one of the holes the oil slinger tab kinda reaches in to keep it from ever turning i have never used a hollow bolt i just always use the oil slinger i will try to get some pics up shortly
 
The chain is oiled by splash. In soem years, a top bolt is left ou. in others, a hollow bolt is installed. Usually its the pass side hole regardless. The valley fills with oil draining back from the ehads, and it spills out the hole and either onto a small wedge shaped metal tab, or the windage from the chain whips it all over. Some builders like to use a very small hole to pressure feed the chain. IMO, this is way over kill, and it tends to reduce the volume available for the lifters. If the lifter bores are a little worn, any loss can make hydraulic lifters noisey or not work quite right. It's just not needed.
 
Alright. I dropped my block off at the machine shop and they fixed the oiliing holes lining up. In fact, they replaced All the bearings and now they're perfectly aligned. I also got my new crank in and they are balacing that as we speak. Should be done next week!

As for the oiling hole, I see now that my block was setup for a hollow bolt, of which I do not have. I suppose I can drill a bolt out and get the same results.

Thank you all for your help! Its appreciated.
 
Good call taking it back, alot of work and money goes into putting an engine together. If you don't feel confident in something have it done right. As for the timing chain oiling - I don't know much about small blocks but I reccently rebuilt an early hemi (354). It gets its oiling from a hole in the front of the cam. I primed the oiling system with the timing cover off and found that from the hole in the cam and the oil from around the cam bearing, there was alot of oil. no need to drill holes. Check your cam to see if it also has a hole in the front.If you prime your oiling system with the covers off the engine and turn it over slowly you will be able to check all oil passages. (have plenty of rags handy)
 
i wouldnt even try drilling a bolt out i would just leave it empty i personally have never had a cam walk on me anyway and i always leave a bolt out for the oil slinger
 
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