Lifter valley vent tubes

alloy

alloy

Member
I've been looking around and ran across a few notes on lifter valley vent tubes and whether or not they suitable for street engine. If I were running a flat tappet cam I'd not even consider it because of the reformulation of oils, but I've got a factory roller block. It would seem that redirecting the oil flow to the front and back of the block might be helpful in that the oil rings wouldn't have as much oil throw off to deal with, and I don't think with a roller lifter the extra oil would be needed for cam life.

Any opinions?
 
GOOD QUESTION,
your correct with a roller cam theres at least the potential for some gains, BUT...
IVE never seen any advantage to installing them IF youve got a properly installed ,windage screen, deep sump , baffled oil pan and crank scraper installed as the crank rotation acts like a pump impeller sweeping almost all the oil mist/spray dropping from the upper engine into the oil pan in a 180 degree rotation,rather than allowing it to rotate with the crank assembly.
and with a properly set up oil scavaging system, installed Ive never yet seen a single bit of dyno data that shows they do a darn thing except add a bit of machine work and cost to the build.
BUT ID also point out that very few people take the time to install a windage screen and crank scraper correctly so its about 1/8" from the rotating assembly and install a high capacity baffled oil pan, as a combo and verify the oil level is at the level of the windage screen before the engines started, insuring that while its running the oil level in the pan is well below the screen so it can function correctly, seperating oil from the spinning assembly and controling oil flow back to the pump.

read info below

viewtopic.php?f=54&t=64

viewtopic.php?f=54&t=615
 
From reading the links you provided (yes I do read links) it seems that more good can be done by a good windage tray than the vent tubes. I picked up a diamond stripper tray some time ago and am hoping to be able to use it with my stock pan. I'm replacing the engine in my car and the pan I'm going to use is still in the car for now. I fully realize that for a everyday street engine there isn't really horsepower to be had, but making sure I have a constant supply of oil in the pan for the pump is worth the effort and $$$ to me.

I've thought about the vent tube idea as it applies to my project and standard vent tubes are too tall to fit under the stock SBC lifter plate hold down "spider". My idea was to get some 2-1/2" long 1/4" pipe nipples, cut them in half, drill a hole through both sides near the top, and deburr them. This way an allen wrench could be used to tighten them. Cheap and easy to make. I'd rather spend my free time making something like this than spending $$$ for them. It's relaxing to me to make things like this rather than buy them. Guess it's part of me being a hot rodder and ex jarhead. Adapt, improvise, and overcome as they say. Besides making things like this keeps me out of bars and from chasing wild women around ;)
 
the combination of a correctly designed high capacity baffled oil pan, windage screen like youve got and a properly installed crank scraper does an excellent job of quickly and effectively routing oil back into the sump and to the oil pump fore re-cycling thru the system under pressure.
many guys just think installing a high volume oil pump helps, in most cases THATS NOT a GOOD IDEA UNTILL YOU INSTALL THE OTHER COMPONENTS LISTED ABOVE TO CONTROL AND ROUTE the OIL RETURNING TO THE SUMP.
 
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