BBC windage

[sdroadster]

I have installed  a wet sump 454 BBC in my Studebaker. It appears that the oil pressure is deteriorating during the 1.3 mile run at El Mirage. My peers have said most of my oil is going upstairs, and is filling the valve covers. I have Moroso .062 orifices in the oil gallery's going to the rockers.  Does anyone know how much oil flow can go through a .062 orifice at 70 psi or so?
Both valve covers have breathers, and there is no indication any oil has backed up that high.
Currently I don't have any drain back hoses, however I could put some in the valve covers at the front of the motor, and drain back to the Mark IV fuel pump hole. Or pull the pan, and weld on bungs..
I am also concerned about the windage that is created by the oil return in the valley dropping down on the spinning crankshaft. I am thinking about closing up several of the casting holes in the block, and using the one at the rear most location for drain back. Any Suggestions would help. Thanks #352 yellow Studebaker...

[kiwi belly tank]

With no trace at the valve cover breathers the two likely situations are.
Is the oil foaming?
Do you have a crank scraper & return baffle?
  Sid.

[jimmy six]

I believe Mike Cook solved this same problem many years ago with external lines at the rear of his BBC rocker covers. As I remember he used 2 dash 12 lines to the pans kick out.
I did this on Joe Fontana?s engine in my car too since the cylinder head was flat. I entered the pan on a flat part of the left kick out at the rear. I use a scraper and an angle welded on the right side just above the full length opening. The wind age tray had a 1/2? opening on the left side with a 45 degrees angle down full length so that the swing of the crank put oil down into the lower part. There were no louvers or screen and the right side kick was higher so the oil was thrown into it. The sump was full length and I use an external belt driven oil pump. There are 3 compartments and the front 2 have holes and doors. Solved a major oil deliver problem in our engine. Went from 20psi at the 3 mile and shutting off to 70psi at the 5 mile.
Stan Shmuria custom made it for me.

[salt27]

My wet sump 427 would puke oil out the valve cover breathers at 7600 rpm.
I never solved it but it sounds like Jimmy Six has a good solution.

I don't know if it will be the same on a big block but I tried to use the fuel pump opening on a small block for oil return and it did not work.
It seems maybe the crank rotation fills it full of oil, I even hogged out the drain back hole still no luck.

  Don

[racergeo]

  I had a bad experience with oil pressure with a wet sump BBC. I read David Vizard's Chevy Big Blocks Max Performance on a Budget. Chapter 3 solves your oil problem, the rest of the book gets you a red hat. Blocking the oil from returning on the crank is the trick. Oil spinning on the crank costs  power and worse, causes aeration. Aerated oil makes no pressure. Too much oil contributes to the problem by being to close to the crank. Everything works better in a vacuum as apposed to pressure.I'd bet Mike Cook read the book, as it's been out for years and is the Bible of standard 24 degree BBC performance

[sdroadster]

Thanks, I have seen David Vizards book on line. I'll buy one. Just so I'll know, do you think I should block off the casting holes in the valley with sheet metal, or epoxy screens over them? I assume the oil in the lifter valley is the drain back from the heads/ rockers, and roller lifters. I'll need to drain this area back to the sump if I block off the casting holes. Is that what I need to do? Thanks!

[kiwi belly tank]

I've built & run a lot of wet sump BBC's over the years & managed to keep the oil in front of the pump where it belongs. The only thing I've ever done at the valley drain back slots is to bend up a hat type baffle & bolt it down above the cam bearings with 1-1/2" spacers & studs. My theory is any oil trying to come up will deflect back on it's self but will still allow top oil to drain down & it's never been a problem even with big cranks. But if you don't have an effective crank scraper & baffling to keep the oil in the pan, then nothing you do upstairs is going to mean $hit.
If you're doing valve cover drainbacks, they both need to be on the leeward side of the pan to take advantage of windage.
Oil ain't oil when it foams but it's usually not the oil's fault unless you've shot it full of fuel, it's usually because your big a$$ blender beat the $hit out of it.
  Sid.

[sdroadster]

I purchased a new pan and pump assembly from a name brand manufacture. Today I discovered the pump pick up is a 1/2 inch from the bottom of the pan. The pick up is welded to the pump. If the distance needs to be adjusted, I'll build a false bottom in the pan, to decrease the depth. Is there a measurement that you guys are happy with? Thanks

[racergeo]

  In a lot of pans with a deep sump 1/2 inch wouldn't hurt. I'd like to see 1/4 to 3/8.

[panic]

As long as the pickup is always covered (regardless of G force) 1/2" is safe.

[toclub]

If you are having problems  at the three mile wait till you get to the five. We always added another guart. 6 quarts just isn't  enough. An additional guart won't  hurt anything.

[sdroadster]

Just to give you an up date.
I inherited a 14 quart aluminum oil pan that a fellow racer gave up on, and went to dry sump. I discovered that there are windage trays or screens, and anti slosh baffles. The anti slosh baffle is the one usually fixed in the oil pan. The windage tray/screen is the one attached to the main caps with studs. So now the picture has become clearer in my head. I ordered a windage screen from Milodon, and am working on a slosh baffle that will control the oil slosh, as well as allow liberal drain back to the sump. Apparently my friend was running with a baffle, but no windage control. I'll keep you posted as to the dyno results. Thanks Terry...

[sdroadster]

I have 20-50 Lucas synthetic in the motor, and a new 13 qt pan. I followed common logic and installed a new Moroso (Mellings style) high volume oil pump. Admittedly the oil wasn't up to temp, but my son reved the motor to 5000 rpm and the oil pressure went to 100 psi. So based on that, here's a couple questions. Should I have installed a standard BBC oil pump, as opposed to the high volume?
And, I have been concerned about the oil restrictors with .062 orifices going to the top end. I have read that we need the oil upstairs to cool the valve springs. Apparently drag racers can get by with this, but we are on the throttle way longer than a 1/4 mile. Should I drill out  the orifices to a .100 or so in an effort to direct more oil to the valve springs? 

[racergeo]

  Did you get David Vizards book??? your questions indicate, NO

[wobblywalrus]

Excessive valve spring temperature is a frequent problem in bike motors.  Thermal barrier coatings on the combustion chamber and port walls and valves helps to keep spring temperatures reasonable.