1. The Turbo Forums - The discussion board for both hard core and beginner turbocharged vehicle enthusiasts. Covering everything from stock turbocharger cars, seriously fast drag racers, boats, motorcycles, and daily driver modified turbo cars and trucks.
    To start posting in our forums, and comment on articles and blogs please

    IF YOU ARE AN EXISTING MEMBER: You can retrieve your a password for your account here: click here.

How is the oil supposed to drain back on a dart shp block

Discussion in 'LS1, LS2, LS6, LT1, SBC Turbo and other GM Specfic Turbo Tech' started by actmobmar, Dec 23, 2017.

  1. actmobmar

    Joined:
    Oct 9, 2010
    Take a look at this, it looks like the whole lifter galley would have to fill with oil before it drains over the cam. I had issues with oil pressure at the end of a pass when hitting the brakes the pressure would fluctuate. I included pictures of a stock block and the dart shp.

    IMG_20171223_160552.jpg #ad
     
  2. actmobmar

    Joined:
    Oct 9, 2010
    Here's the dart

    IMG_20171223_163456.jpg #ad
     
  3. Drac0nic

    Joined:
    Feb 28, 2005
    Okay, so a few things here:

    1)notice the "hump" in the production block. That's the main oil galley. If you look at the dart block it has huge oil holes where that is. These were likely changed for "priority main" oiling.
    2)The oil should drain through the above mentioned slots.
    3)As much as I hate to say it, I wouldn't be a fan of the Dart style setup. I can see it being good for cam life on a flat tappet setup (more oil to the lobes) but having a negative effect on windage and possibly mean that more oil control is plausible in cases of a roller.

    Where historically this sort of thing has been a problem is pickup depth, oil pan control and possibly pump cavitation. Looking at the last pic on your thread you seem to have a decent pan, I'm guessing a bolt on pickup with checked clearance? They can get "sucked" into the bottom of the pan. Oil selection is another potential issue, and I'd give consideration to one of the "plates" they make that goes between the oil pump and the pickup to keep oil in the pan.
     
  4. kimosabi

    Joined:
    Dec 13, 2017
    Alot of people install oil screens on those oil drainbacks. I'm not quite sure it really matters on a street car but circle tracks or any extended time high rpm I believe screens would help reduce some windage and regain oil control.

    In OP's case though I'd look at oil control in the pan if the pressure fluctutations appear when braking at the end of a run. The valley return holes sit pretty low. You do get oil from the lifters in the valley but being a priority main oil block you usually get the most bleed at the crank, then the cam and last the heads.
     
  5. actmobmar

    Joined:
    Oct 9, 2010
    Here's what I have for an oil pump pickup, it's roughly 1/4" off the floor of the pan

    IMG_20171226_175736.jpg #ad
     
  6. Drac0nic

    Joined:
    Feb 28, 2005
    What does baffling look like
    I was under the impression those screens were to keep valvetrain shrapnel from the top end out in case there were problems up top.

    That said, you have a very valid point on oil control in the pan. It makes sense that there's enough braking force to pull oil away from the pickup.
     
  7. actmobmar

    Joined:
    Oct 9, 2010
    Inside the pan it has a trapdoor just forward of the oil pickup in the sump to prevent oil from going forward. I think I'm going to try and add an extra 1/2 quart of oil when I get it running again
     
    kimosabi likes this.
  8. kimosabi

    Joined:
    Dec 13, 2017
    Yeah quite often it can be the oil level. These leaky and sweaty old engine designs lose more oil than we think sometimes. If you have a windage tray be careful not over filling. Well that goes in any case. In your shoes I'd drain the oil, measure how much I drained, know how much oil the pan takes and fill accordingly. If the level is correct you might have a stuck trapdoor. I've even seen where some trapdoor pans are installed engine upside down, trapdoor open and when you turn the engine right side up the trapdoor is stuck in open position.
     
    actmobmar likes this.
Loading...
Similar Topics - oil supposed drain Forum Date
SBC guys I have a oil issue. Ran 11.0 @121 zero oil pressure. LS1, LS2, LS6, LT1, SBC Turbo and other GM Specfic Turbo Tech Jun 23, 2022
Turbo Oil return size? LS1, LS2, LS6, LT1, SBC Turbo and other GM Specfic Turbo Tech Jan 31, 2021
Oil supply from back of intake. SBC LS1, LS2, LS6, LT1, SBC Turbo and other GM Specfic Turbo Tech Apr 2, 2019
Loading...