Block cut in half?

[caveman]

Any chance of getting the pics of the block cut in half re-posted or if available could you email them? I'm still trying to figure out why I am not getting oil to my rockers. I pulled the intake and when I run the oil pump with a drill, the oil starts running into the lifter galley through the two holes in the front of the block (the two holes that are not supposed to be plugged). I thought these were for venting or something, not sure if oil is supposed to flow through these, or if a passage is blocked, forcing the oil up thru them.

[82Waggy]

There are NO holes, or vents, in the oil feed path or the lifter galleries that should be open to the lifter valley.

If the plugs are missing at the front of the valley, you are not providing pressure to any of the lubrication points including ALL bearings and the valvetrain.

[ironman_gq]

those holes should be plugged they are there to allow you to clean passages and for some oiling mods. get the right plugs they should just be a standard pipe plug and your problems should go away

[caveman]

The two holes I am talking about don't have threads. They are just above the lifter valley floor or bottom or whatever its called. They are on either side of the hump in the middle where the oil mod line comes out. There are two plugs in the hump, but I don't think the holes I am talking about get plugs.
I have a 304 with the intake off, it has these holes with no plugs either.
The holes I am referring to can be seen in the 2nd picture of this post: http://bulltear.com/forums/viewtopic...2924beb5f14355

I apologize for doing it this way, but I don't have any way of getting a pic.

[82Waggy]

Are you talking about the two holes that drain into the timing cover area from the valley?

[82Waggy]

Rotate the engine (by hand) while you are priming to align each of the lifter feed holes with the gallery.

The oil you are seeing from the front valley drainback holes is probably splash coming from the timing gear feed paths.

To ensure that oil is actually flowing into the lifter galleries, pull one of those fron plugs and then run your pump. Don't forget to duck!

[caveman]

Thanks for the feedback 82.
I hesitate to say that the two holes "drain into the timing cover area from the valley" as the engine slopes back, so I doubt anything would drain there, but yes I think we are talking about the same holes.
You also mentioned the oil I see coming through these holes may be "splash", but I would describe it as "gushing in" (possibly splash is the technical term rather than the descriptive). I turned the motor while running the drill/pump but I never got any oil thru any of the push rods (it seems it is all running into the drain holes in the valley). I replaced 2 of the lifter for a test, but I will try your suggestion to pull the front lifters and (remembering to duck) look for oil.
The one thing that puzzles me is the lack of pressure on the mechanical gauge. Oil is getting up the tube, and I did bleed it.
I read somewhere that there are 2 plugs into the block, behind the timing cover, which, if left out will cause 0 pressure. Not know ing what these are for or where they go, would having one of them out allow oil up into the the drain holes? Or if one was left out, where would the oil go?
I appreciate your bearing with me. Oiling has never been my strong suit, but I am trying to logically figure out what is happening in this motor.

[82Waggy]

There is a plug at the front of each lifter gallery (right and left side), on the front face of the block under the timing cover, behind the cams' timing chain gear. These need to be in place - if not, they may be the source of the gush through the two valley drain holes that I think you are describing - oil would be deflecting back off the timing gear through these holes .

There are also two aft lifter galley plugs on the back face of the block that need to be there.

It would help a lot if you could post a picture of what you are describing.

[82Waggy]

If the two front lifter galley plugs are left out, the oil will be gushing forward against the timing gear and down to the bottom of the timing cover into the pan. It may also splash back into the valley drain holes you are describing.

You will have no measurable oil pressure in the system if any of these plugs are missing.

Don't feel bad. You are not the first of many I have read about having this same problem.

[caveman]

I will pull the timing cover when I get a chance.
If the plugs in the rear are out, I assume oil will run out into the bellhousing?