445 Build

[RICK LAKE]

Mark M Mark couple of machinist thoughts on the build. You have not said which rockers you are using for this motor, Complete roller, this is at the shaft and tip, roller tip with a solid bushing in the body of the rocker, Stock FE rockers? You have not giving a camshaft either, solid lifter, solid roller lifter, flat tappet hydraulic, roller hydraulic, ?? Valve springs for the heads?? Betfore you start cutting off oil to the heads you REALLY need to have these answers? .060" depends ALOT on the clearances of the rocker arm to the shaft. You can get away with a rollerbearing body and tip, not recommended with a bushing setup. You have to remember that there are hole to lube each rocker. The ones closest to the oil supply will get the most oil. The one farest will get the least. Valve springs, No one seams to care but they need oil to cool them. Opening and closing at 40-60 cycles per second produces a huge amount of heat and oil is the ONLY thing cooling them off. Rocker oil shields, do you have a set and are you running them?? They help control the oil and help with return to the oil pan. I have run Ersons for 9 years and can tell you that running .060" turn the rockers blue with high spring pressures. I am not talking about 700 pounds on the valve, We are talking about 450, which is not alot in todays motor world. .080" is safe and this is where I run them. 6,200 rpms and no problems. Other things you might want to look into.
There is an allen head behind where the distributor gear and camshaft gears meet. It's in the block. This is a main supply oil channel. Drill a .010" hole in that allen head. This will supply a small stream of oil to lubed these gears. Other wises they have splash only. If you have any plugs in the oil galleys replace them with allen heads. this means you have to drill and tap the holes for threads. Add a touch of loc-tite so they don't come loose. Oil pump, I hope you are running an HPHV 57. Run a min of a #60 pound spring. 70-80# spring would be better. Have you thought about which oil you are looking to use? Oil pan? which ever one you run, over fill by 1 quart. If you do long high speed turn the oil is very slow to return to the oil pan and pump. Windage tray is a choice thing. Yes I run one that is modified from canton. Small 1/4" hole to help oil drain back into the oil pan quicker.
Last thing and this idea is still out on the table of does it help. I can't see why not with a good oiling system. Guys are drilling a .010" hole that goes through both sides of the thrust bearings in the block. This small spray helps keep the crank shaft from rubbing against the bearing. Also helps with a shifting car, abuses some of the crank shaft beening pushed back and forward when running. This is one of the newer motor modes.
This is the IMO most inprotant thing with an FE, In the old days, 1960-1970's Fe motors that where not in trucks or boats ran a high oil pressure to live. We had better oil with more protective elements in it. If you want the same oil from the 70's, It's about $7.00 a quart. They added zinc and phos-----. can't remember how to spell that word. They also had cleaners in them. Today we are only worried about pollution, and damage to the earth. I agree with this to a point. Old days I have seen many an oil change done in a back yard and it goes into the ground. How stupid can someone be. That same person also has a water well and drinks that water?? Think you get the point. Back to oil pressure, You have a gauge that reads oil pressure inside the motor, Here's where it gets interesting. The pressure reading is at the begining of the flow of oil to the motor, NOT the back of the block that has to wait for it to come. There is also a bled off and it goes to the back of the block. You may have say 60 psi in the front but have only 20-30 psi in the back. This applies to rear main bearings #4, #5 and the back 4 rods, #3,#4, #7,#8. Has the motor wears the clearances become just a little larger. Sam applies for when the motor is cold and it heats up and expands. Iron motor expands about .0008"-.001" Aluminum motor is a whole different animal. John Conley did a test on the FE forum and proved that lossing oil pressure is a fact of about 20 psi, give or take 5 psi pounds. I have had guys here and on the FE forumn tell me that it is not needed to run 100# spring in the motor. I race and run about 75 psi and idle at 35-40 psi depending on the oil temp. I have NEVER seen a motor damaged from running high oil pressures. Low pressure alot. Running 75 is hard on the gears of the distributor and camshaft. IF the setup is done right, there is not quicker wear out that running 100k miles.
We are all trying to give you good ideas that are tested and work. We all build motors different. I have been doing this for 30+ years, Last 15 years on FE motors. I have talked to some of the best old school builders from the 60's. These guys know how to build and make an FE motor live through alot of abuse. Some of the FE racers where running HEMI bottomend in FE blocks. Hemi was stronger and lighter that FE cranks and rods. Today if you are running a FE stoker, You have BBC rods with a 2.20 bearing easyier to get lighter weight, just as strong. Couple of the real FE builts are running 2.00" SBC rods and even 1.88" honda rods. It only takes money.
Good luck with the build. Rick L. Ps off the soapbox. I didn't stay at a holiday express last night either. I do have 40+ years of trail and failures and what works, without going broke. What warrenty are you getting with this motor?? Is the machist doing a dyno breakin? Setting up the Carb? Hope so. More to think about.