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Drilled out lifter cups?

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Old Sep 8, 2006 | 07:51 PM
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Default Drilled out lifter cups?

My brother said he was watching an LS1 build on Horsepower TV and they recommended drilling a hole in the lifter cups/trays to provide more oil drainage. Anyone know if this is accurate and why?
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Old Sep 8, 2006 | 07:57 PM
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Saw the same show, said that oil would accumulate there and drilling 1/2" holes gave it a way out. Was new to me, love to hear from someone in the know.
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Old Sep 8, 2006 | 08:11 PM
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I did it on my new engine. When you are in there and see the trays and the angle at which they sit it seems like a good idea.. There is still a 3/4" deep puddle at the base to feed the lifter. The idea is to get oil back to the pan faster. Did it work or provide any advantage --who knows?

Last edited by see5; Sep 8, 2006 at 08:13 PM.
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Old Sep 8, 2006 | 09:36 PM
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Well, I don't like the idea. The lifter retainers are a nylon type plastic and I am afraid of them cracking on a street driven car. One of the LS1 books also talks about adding these holes. I left mine alone. Just my opinion.
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Old Sep 8, 2006 | 09:51 PM
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The trays are really tough and the stress point is where the lifter is held which is well away from the drilled hole. The holes I drilled are smaller than 1/2" however. I would say 3/8". 16 3/8 " holes can drain a LOT of oil. My guess is more that the pump puts out.
The LS engines tend to build up oil in the heads under high rpms. I briefly ran a breather in the oil fill tube and during track days under breaking, oil would puke out of the breather.
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Old Sep 8, 2006 | 11:35 PM
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did that on my engine rebuild haven't taken it on track yet but , with 2k miles including some spirited driving , no issues with excessive oil in catch can . good oil pressure, used the 1/2 " holes kinda scary drilling em
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Old Sep 8, 2006 | 11:53 PM
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Do any of you have pictures of where you drilled the holes? The cups of course are angled in the shape of the V of the motor. So it would seem you'd want to drill the hole on the "side" of the cup, when the cup is out of the car and facing straight up so that when it angles down in the V shape the side is actually pointed down (where the drilled hole is, facilitating drainage).
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Old Sep 10, 2006 | 03:19 PM
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Old Sep 10, 2006 | 05:32 PM
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Originally Posted by diynoob
Do any of you have pictures of where you drilled the holes? The cups of course are angled in the shape of the V of the motor. So it would seem you'd want to drill the hole on the "side" of the cup, when the cup is out of the car and facing straight up so that when it angles down in the V shape the side is actually pointed down (where the drilled hole is, facilitating drainage).
I think I follow you. I drilled on the low or piston side so the oil will run down the block wall to pan. So just above the reinfocment ribs on the side closest to camera in picture below.

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