well maybe not 10, but quite a few...

The shop that did my block work told me to be sure I remember the oil gally plug under the thrust bearing main cap. I think it was the thrust bearing main cap. anyway.. I got about 5 grub scrws in my "freese plug kit" so where do they all go?. I also got a bunch of what look like mini freese plugs.. they are tiny, smaller than a penny. I dont see where these go?. maybe not for my engine?..

I have this kit: Pioneer #787-830001

http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/store...erm=787+830001


I did break down and order the "how to build a LT1" book, since my alldata program does not cover it all in great detail, but I dont have it yet and I want to get this crank in.

Thanks

 

I've seen where it's a small ball that they punch down into that hole under the thrust bearing. It has to be in the right spot or you won't read any oil pressure. I could be wrong, though.

 

bump?. are they all listed in the lt1/4 book?.. if so, can someone give me a heads up on it!.. Thanks

 

They're most likely lifter galley plugs from your description.

 

you mean the mini freese plug looking things?.. that somehting I need to use?

I couldnt find it, but does SHbox have a drawing of where all the oil galley plugs go?

 

Theres three on each end of the cam bore. The little cup looking ones go on the timing chain side and the grub screws go in the bell housing side.

Honestly just have the machine shop do it and save yourself alot of grief man. Have them drill and tap the ones on the timing cover size for pipe plugs, and have them drill you a .030" hole in the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock plugs to lube the timing chain and water pump drive.

 

WS6 is absolutely correct on the placement of the plugs that go in the end of the lifter galleys. He's also correct in suggesting that the machine shop is capable of tapping the front galley ports so that you have the benefit of screw-in plugs on both ends of the block.

If you do a search on this site for the ball bearing that fits in the oil galley above the main cap, you'll find a bunch of posts about it. For what it's worth, i disassembled an LT1 4-bolt block this week that had the small freeze plug instead of the check ball, the first time I've run across an LT1 that had the plug instead of a check ball. If the ball has been lost, you'll need to replace it with a plug. I've tried to find a ball bearing that is exactly the right size (.473") but so far, no luck. I have a plug in the shop. If you need to know the size, let me know, I'll measure it.

 

ok. I found the info on where the plug goes under the main cap. I got that one all taken care of with a mini freeze plug looking thing.

now onto the other plugs. I will put three grub screws on the flywheel side of the lifter galley here: (sorry, blurry)







and I will put one mini freese plug here: (one plug circled in red, then leave the other 2 circled in blue open?)





then I found another hole that a grub screw fits into. but I dont know if one need to go here or not (it threads in):



and one here (Im prety sure that one needs to be here, otherwise oil would be everywhere!):




I only got 4 grub screw plugs back from the machine shop, and I got 5 in the kit. so thats got me a little worried..

I still have 4 mini freese plugs left, I dont know if i need to use them or not... but im making progress?.. am i missing anything?.. any plugs I need to remove?

 

The two circled in blue need to be plugged also. If you use the small freeze plugs, that's fine but make sure that they are snugly set in the end of the galley. Have you removed the rear main cap to locate the one that goes in the vertical galley? If it is out and the main cap is off, you can see all the way through.

 

those 2 holes circled in blue are to big for any plug that I got, and they are not threaded. Do I need to order some special plugs for those?

Also, if your talkin about this one (pictured) then yes. I have been educated on that, but how deep should I put the plug?




Other than that, do I have all the others correct?.. I didnt miss any.. and I do need all of them (including the one pictured with the T handle hex key in it?)

thanks

 

also, I noticed this:



LT1 oil galley plugs with small holes to allow air to escape the galley for quick lube of the valve-train. I should do that eh..

 

The plug above the main cap should be set deeper than the picture shows. It should completely uncover the intersecting galley. The factory one on the block in my shop is 1.450" from the surface of the block to the center of the plug. I realize that you probably haven't yet seated it but be sure that it is deeper. I don't think that the depth has to be completely precise, it just needs to clear that lower intersecting galley.

The plugs at the rear of the block, the one at the rear, upper corner of the driver's side head, and the one above the oil filter are fine.

I have addressed the front galley plugs by tapping the holes and using 1/4" pipe plugs on all three. The lifter galley openings have an inner step that can be tapped to 1/4" pipe. It appears that the picture you found of the expansion plugs with holes drilled in them shows a larger sized plug. The outer hole is definitely larger. The important thing is to avoid blocking any intersecting galleys with the plugs no matter which plug you choose to use. I've never bothered to drill the .030" hole in the plugs. Of course, all the motors I assemble are for drag cars so they see operation of limited duration. Someone else would need to respond regarding the need to drill the holes on a street engine.

Looks like you've about got it covered!

Good luck

 

Cnorton is right about the plug under the main cap, its just there to redirect the flow of oil. It just has to be driven in solidly and allow the other galley to flow past it.

I always drill the holes in the lifter galley plugs on every engine I build, drag or otherwise. Some people say you can get by without it, to each thier own. It doesnt have any negative effects and imo the lt1 stock waterpump drive is what needs the lube, not the chain really. Gears running dry against each other = lots of heat. I think it lets the lifter galleys also drain of air bubbles a bit faster. In any case the chain loves it, chevrolet actually suggested this for I think 327's at one point to cure a problem with chain breakage.

 

I did indeed find the larger plugs in my kit. but mine do not yet have holes in them. I think I will do it tho. I will go with a .030" drill bit as sugested. cant hurt and could help.

I was just going to come on and ask how deep to put the plug, because it was not gettin tight until a ways in there. is that normal?.. I tried a kinda bigger plug but it did fit, then the smaller one fell in a but. then I straigned it out and punched it down more.

The thing about that gally is it comes out on the other side, and the other side is threaded, you could easily get a grub screw in there and that would take the place of any plugs in that gally wouldnt it?.. or am i completly off here?. lol..

thats for lettin me know about all the others being in place. its good we have a thread to clear that up for anyone.

one more question. does anything go in the hole you can see next to the one above the oil filter?..

how about these?



there are things I got in a back back from the machine shop.. I dont know why I only got 4 threaded plugs, since i had to use 5 on the rebuild.. did they misplace one? or do I only need 4?.. hmm.. also, what are the bigger plugs for, these have regular bolt heads. and the thing curcled in blue.. where does that go? lol..

I know where the 3 little bolts go.. but I dont see a reason for them to go there.. they dont hold anything in do they?..


thanks again everyone for all the help.. I did order the how to rebuild lt1/4, and Im sure its discused in there, but i didnt get it yet and I want to move on.

 

Sorry to be a slug about this but my old eyes are having trouble identifying everything on the plastic bag. The hex-headed pipe plugs look like what I use as block drain plugs. Most LT1 motors have a knock sensor screwed into one side so I don't know where the other plug goes. Petcocks are convenient for draining water at the end of an event but they're nearly impossible to reach from the top of the block in an F-bod.

The three capscrews that I am guessing are 5/16" (1/2" wrench) look like the ones that hold the lifter guide retainer (spider) in place.

The four 1/4" pipe plugs (I believe that these are the items you refer to as "grub screws" but that are actually pipe plugs) are good to keep as spares. You already know that you need 5 of them to close up all the holes. That suggests that the shop had to drill one out or that it rolled under someone's bench.

I can't make out what the item circled in blue is. Sorry.

I'm not clear on your reference to the galley not needing to be closed on both ends. If, by that, you mean the horizontal lifter galleys or the vertical galley that runs from the manifold sealing surface at the top of the block to above the rear main cap, DO NOT leave any of them open on either end. My apologies for any misunderstanding but all the galleys need to be blocked on both ends or you will experience a catastrophic lack of oil pressure.

The hole above the oil filter pipe plug is, I believe, the place where part of the clutch linkage fastens. It doesn't access any oil passages.

I think this you're getting close to wrapping this up! Congratulations.