Lost oil pressure twice in a month.

[Jimmysidecarr]

The short block is at the machine shop. I plan on cleaning both the block and heads with the brushes described above. The are going to check out the crank and see if some crap was/is in it.

I bought a canton pan already but will need to weld on some type of skid plate to the k-member just in case i go off track, don't want to tear up the pan since it does hang down below the k-member.

Good deal.

Carlos you are running an air to oil oil cooler right?
The OE pancake(oil to water) oil cooler is impossible to clean and would need to be replaced.
Even with the superior air to oil set up cleaning may be a challenge. A worthwhile task none the less, as are the lines.

I would be compelled to compress a lash adjuster or two on a white paper towel and see what comes out. If they don't puke out any metal then the rest are probably OK. But it would be nice to know that no metal could be sourced from ANY OF THEM when you re-fire it. Same goes for the timing chain tensioners, though they are a little more challenging to do and still get re-pinned afterward for re-installation.

EDIT:
I wonder if it would be possible to open up the drain back holes in the heads and block a tad, with out wrecking the new head gaskets in the process. If the diameter of the head gasket oil drain is already larger than the drain, then maybe just go to that size and leave the gasket alone.

 

[racebronco2]

Good deal.

Carlos you are running an air to oil oil cooler right?
The OE pancake(oil to water) oil cooler is impossible to clean and would need to be replaced.
Even with the superior air to oil set up cleaning may be a challenge. A worthwhile task none the less, as are the lines.

I would be compelled to compress a lash adjuster or two on a white paper towel and see what comes out. If they don't puke out any metal then the rest are probably OK. But it would be nice to know that no metal could be sourced from ANY OF THEM when you re-fire it. Same goes for the timing chain tensioners, though they are a little more challenging to do and still get re-pinned afterward for re-installation.

EDIT:
I wonder if it would be possible to open up the drain back holes in the heads and block a tad, with out wrecking the new head gaskets in the process. If the diameter of the head gasket oil drain is already larger than the drain, then maybe just go to that size and leave the gasket alone.

I will be taking the heads apart completely, so i can inspect and clean the oil galleys, inspect the lifters and so i can clean-up the ports. Yes i do have an air to water cooler.

edit: i was thinking the same thing and will let you know if it can be done.

 

[racer]

Carlos. Stick a dry sump set-up in that sucker. Given the amount of track duty it see's do an ackusump (sorry about the spelling) at least.
Cheap insurance :shrug:

 

[racebronco2]

Here's the lastest, seems like i had excessive clearances on the cam journals. I found three places to install cam bearings. 2 were out of state and cost 450.00 for both heads. I found one close and will be alot cheaper because he only installs the bearings in the cam saddles that are damaged. Mine was the worst he's seen, one cam was alot worse then the other. He had to weld and then machine the saddle. Appartently when you spin a bearing it usually wears out the cam saddles but i had no idea but i did notice that one of the camshaft caps looked darker but didn't pay any attention to it. I took the heads apart at a friends shop and one of the cam caps were darker (it was the one with damaged cam saddles). It then cam apparent that the reason they were darker was because they were getting hot and the oil was cooking on them, similar to spun rod bearing. I did notice my power was down (444hp) before the first bearing went out so this damage mostly was caused about 2 years ago when i spun a rod bearing.

 

[racebronco2]

Nobody to blame but me but a few lessons learned, get a real oil gauge and a big red warning light. Thanks to derrin at wildponymotorsports.com for bugging me to check the heads and allowing me to use his tools to take apart the heads( he did tell me before to check the heads also).

Parts update .... no gt cams, cams plus springs are over 800.00 for maybe 10-15 hp but higher rpm hp would be nice. I am looking for some 96-98 cams. Lt should be here next week. Head work is almost done, can't believe the intake ports are so course, intake ports match the gaskets almost perfect but the exhaust needed alot of grinding . Roadrace oil pan arrived along with a new oil pump. Short block is ready to put together but need to finish the heads first.

 

[racebronco2]

Here are a few pictures of the heads, i already traced out the ports as you can see. Intake ports

Exhaust ports

 

[LargeOrangeFont]

Wow, those look more rough than I would have suspected. After a gasket match and a bowl blend and you will be ready to go!

 

[Maynor]

Carlos,

Sounds like you were running the stock oil pan? If that's the case, maybe the cam journal clearances increased because the oil pump was losing suction and oil pressure momentarily during turns... (shallow, unbaffled stock pan will do that).

??

John

 

[racebronco2]

Wow, those look more rough than I would have suspected. After a gasket match and a bowl blend and you will be ready to go!

I am done with 1 haeds so far and about half done with the other, will post pictures soon.

Carlos,
Sounds like you were running the stock oil pan? If that's the case, maybe the cam journal clearances increased because the oil pump was losing suction and oil pressure momentarily during turns... (shallow, unbaffled stock pan will do that). ??John

Stock oil pan has baffles and i added another baffle along with a canton windage tray. This engine had 26,000 miles on it before this episode of spun bearings. Maybe when i spun the bearings and blowing off oil lines two years ago had some effect since i never checked the cam journals. I know my car was down on power recently but still had over 400rwhp.

 

[racebronco2]

The heads are done so here are a few pictures.