Michael,
Drilling out the oil gallery feeding the center main and rods #2 and #3 is
documented in the Triumph Spitfire 1500 Competition prep manual. It is
intended to increase the oil flow to rods #2 and #3, it does not increase the
oil pressure. If your bearings are loose, your oil pressure will be low, if
your oil pump is worn - etc. etc. etc.. Pumping more oil may postpone the
inevitable, but so will 5w50 Castrol Syntec!
( see 1980 Ford F-100 TSV below - 4 years on rattly rod bearings &:o)> )
I have run into several 1500 engines in the past few weeks that have spun,
thrown or otherwise mangled #3 bearing/rod/block. I have two 1500 engine
builds that I will be doing this year and I plan on drilling out the oil
galley on each one, the rod bearings will also get special treatment.
I would not do this procedure without tearing the entire engine down. Even a
small metal shaving left over could ruin your whole day (not to mention the
engine). Check out the 1500 Prep manual, read it a couple of times. After
reading it (and the number of bad 1500 blocks I have seen lately) I came to
the conclusion that the lower end of the 1500 engine is inadequate for the
stresses put on it. I believe (flame retardant coat at the ready) that this
is not only a design flaw, but it also relates to the way that people have
used and abused these cars. I know I do and I love every minute of it!
I won't be going to the all out race specs contained in the manual, but I will
be using the parts that 'beef-up' the bottom end. I want my engines to last
as well as perform well (on the street and on the track).
Thanks,
Paul Mostrom
'77 Spitfire 1500
'80 Ford F-100 (Triumph Support Vehicle)
'Black holes, where God divided by zero......'
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