Oil restrictions for the FE

[mrtleavitt]

Has anyone used the oil restricting kits for our FE engines? I've read several articles from good sources (Car Craft and Ford Performance book) that says for any semi-serious FE build you should restrict oil flow so that more oil is available for the bottom end. I bought a kit from Precision Oil Pumps and I'm going to show it to the machine shop to get their opinion but has anyone done this or heard of this being done? Restricting oil makes me nervous but it sounds like it's the thing to do.

[fordman]

i have read something about putting carb jets in the passages? maybe i read it wrong. i assumed thats what they were talking about.

[DuckRyder]

Yep, Holley jets in the under the rocker stand with the reduced shank bolt.

[BRUTUS_T_HOG]

im not going to argue, but that sounds retarded. starving the top end isn't any better than starving the bottom end. add another half quart of oil to compensate for a high output pump.. if thats what you're trying to do

[DuckRyder]

im not going to argue, but that sounds retarded. starving the top end isn't any better than starving the bottom end. add another half quart of oil to compensate for a high output pump.. if thats what you're trying to do

You should endeavor to educate yourself about that which you speak.

What your solution will accomplish in an FE is half a quart more oil in the valve covers.

There is a relatively poor return path and large oiling passages, you are only restricting oil to the rocker shafts and 90 or so Holley jets allow more than enough oil to lubricate and cool the rockers/shafts and springs without flooding the top end. If you are running roller rockers you can run even smaller jets.

[averagef250]

im not going to argue, but that sounds retarded. starving the top end isn't any better than starving the bottom end. add another half quart of oil to compensate for a high output pump.. if thats what you're trying to do

If you're most familiar with belly buttom 350's and 302's then playing with the FE oiling system might sound retarded. The fact is that it is not and all that's needed to understand why this is a good thing is to remove your valve covers with the engine running at cruise RPM and see how much oil is pumped to the top end. If you have a HV pump (which you should never run in a 6000 RPM or less FE or a marine application) you will have a lake under the valve covers at idle.

The holley jet deal works great, but if you don't care to wait for them to show up or shell out big dollars for what's essentially a chunk of brass rod with a hole in it you can easily make your own from any sort of metal rod of the right diameter or even tap the holes to 1/8" NPT and install an 1/8" pipe plug with a hole drilled in it.

Keep in mind you have to tune the restriction hole size to the type of rockers you are running and your pump's volume. Make things easy on yourself and do not run a HV oil pump. HV FE pumps should not even be sold as a replacement item. Too many people think they're better.

FE's are great engines when worked on by people that understand you can't think the same as you would working on most other V8's. They have quirks, pros and cons, just like many other older engines out there like chrysler Hemis and AMC dogleg port motors.

[mrtleavitt]

I picked up a restriction kit for the FE for $20 from Precision Oil Pumps and it came with some good instructions, it even covered instructions for the Edelbrock 428 CJ heads that I'm going to use, so that gave me some comfort. I think I'm going to go for it. The kit was just a handfull of pipe plugs. I've heard bad things about the press-in plugs, that they come out and that's can't be good.

[DuckRyder]

Ah,

So we are talking about replacing the press in galley plugs with screw in as well. I'm sure Doug's instructions include it but remember you can't plug the lifter feeds unless you are using a solid lifter cam.

See also:

http://www.doveengineparts.com/documents/30.html
http://www.doveengineparts.com/documents/31.html
http://www.doveengineparts.com (click "jims toolbox")

[mrtleavitt]

Yes thanks, I'm doing the solid cam and lifters.

[robroy]

Hey MrTLeavitt, Robert, BRUTUS_T_HOG, Dustin and Fordman,

This is very interesting info that I've never heard of before.

My new engine has a Melling high volume oil pump in it. I'm going to check with the builder (Proformance Unlimited) to see if they did anything to restrict oil flow to the heads. If they didn't, it sounds like it might be wise for me to swap that out for a quality, regular volume oil pump next weekend when I'm changing my oil pan.

This new engine (I think) has roller rockers too, so this might be even more important. I don't like the idea of a lake of oil hanging out in the valve covers while sitting in a huge traffic jam!

Thanks!
Robroy

[mkpj1]

I did it all several years ago. I think the dove article goes into it. I opened up all the chambers in the block, had the correct oil filter adapter, Holley #9 jet (I think?), oil pan with a baffle, and run 6 quarts of oil. I did go with the high volume pump. No real issues here. My concern was a high PRESSURE pump especially over 6 grand. I run a good filter (no Frams) and change oil regular. No problems over 60,0000 miles with a lot of heavy towing/hauling and occasional dragging.

For what it's worth....

[BRUTUS_T_HOG]

well i did say "im not argueing".... but i just thought the point was to restrict the top end so that the oil would return to the bottom faster and the pump wouldn't starve itself.

maybe i didn't read the question very well.

[Redcap]

im not going to argue, but that sounds retarded. starving the top end isn't any better than starving the bottom end. add another half quart of oil to compensate for a high output pump.. if thats what you're trying to do

[convincor]

well i did say "im not argueing".... but i just thought the point was to restrict the top end so that the oil would return to the bottom faster and the pump wouldn't starve itself.

The reason to restrict oil to the top end is because for one, there's a lot more than what's needed, and two it's better to have more fed to the crank.

[Calvin Gunter]

I hate to hi jack BUT,do I need to put these restricters in my FE if I only have a mild hydraulic cam and it rarely sees any hi rpms?If so anyone got a good how to I can read?TIA,Calvin