The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 235 Oil Pressure Modification question

We're thinking of doing this oil pressure modification as seen in the link: http://www.stovebolt.com/techtips/full_pressure.htm

My father is really the one thinking of doing this, but he doesn't like to use the discussion type sites so he asked me if I would ask a question. He liked the idea from the stovebolt site, but wanted a little better description so I sent him the link from the inliners site:

http://www.inliners.org/tech/fullflow2.html

His question is about the inliners site and is as follows:
[On the "Inliners International Tech" instruction sheet that you sent to me Item E reads "If core plugs are present, ream and tap for 3/8 pipe plugs and seal with Red Loctite." Can you ask some one why that has to be done. This engine has run for years with oil pressure against those plugs with I'm guessing little problem so that shouldn't be the reason and if they are removing them to clean shavings from tapping threads why not just put the plugs back in. Just seems like it would be easier.]

Any advice I can send back to him?

Which engine exactly are you considering this modification for?

Most likely a 1956 235 (car or truck?), but people often post questions about an engine that is different from the engine in their signature.

Since he said he was asking for his dad, I didn't know if the one in his signature was relevant to this or not.

You are right - the make, year, model should be posted to make sure responses are for the correct vehicle.

The removal/replacement of the end plugs has nothing to do with leaking but everything to do with making certain that no speck of material generated by metalcutting is left behind to ruin the engine. The research I did into modern spin on filters convinced me this modification is just not worth it especially if one uses a high performance bypass filter. Tell him someone in cyberspace said "don't do it Dad, just change oil regularly".

Is the how-to on my site the very same one you are looking at? I have heard its a very successful mod if done right. I am a proponent of this idea because your bypass filter doesn't filter ALL of the oil, just a very low percentage. Since the very same engine, the 261 does have full flow, the 235 is almost already there. A good machine/engine shop could do this very reliably and You can even use the old bypass canister to make it look like original with a little work.

You are advertising it as a restomod. In that light, mod it so it cleans ALL of the oil, not just a small percentage.

Many of these vintage engines didn't even have oil filtering systems of any type on them, like the Ford V8-60, and they have proven to last decades with untold bazillion miles and still run strong. But having said that, it never hurts to embrace 21st century thinking and update or upgrade to modern concepts and thinking.

We can't solve our problems today using the same thinking we used when we created them!
Albert Einstein

sorry about the late response - never enough time. Yes, it's a 1956 235 out of a Bel Air with a powerglide. I would appreciate any answer to his question. We've had mixed opinions on this - one mechanic says it will do nothing for it, but I've heard some people swear by it. I don't think we need a shop to do it - dad was an aviation mechanic for years and then a traveling machinist for the railroad even longer. I'm very confident he could do it. I would like it to look more original, but having cleaner oil would be worth it if this accomplishes that. I don't mind changing oil every thousand miles if that accomplishes the same thing - but just like my late response to this post, sometimes I run out of time and things I should do right away gets put off just a little longer than I want.

What this modification does is simple, It puts all of the oil through the filter( which is a good thing). You can put the factory type core plugs back in the engine, They worked fine from the factory. The screw in plugs are overkill, just my opinion. Your dad was a machinist, he should be able to do this in his sleep. Good luck, and keep us informed of the outcome, we like to hear sucess stories.

Unless you plan to run the engine at sustained high revs (maybe 3500+ RPM), the full-flow conversion is cool but I doubt that it would increase performance or reliability. The by-pass filter does work fine.

Any claims that the oil will be cleaner after drilling/tapping the block as opposed to a bypass filter are nonsense. Most particles that do damage are too small for the filter and with my bypass filter catching particles down to 2 microns I can live with it taking a few minutes to process all of it. This project is more about a false sense of security.

Paul's53Chevy, I have essentially the same truck/engine combo you listed and I run no oil filter of any type. Not that I don't agree that filters are a good thing it is just a waste of time and effort to invest in an item that won't return anything to me in the way of performance or longevity since I'll be gone before the truck is. IF it was driven everyday in all type of conditions like my new pickup of course I would have a different opinion. But for 1000 miles a year I'd rather change the oil. Not to mention that the oil is so much better than the old F*%d flatheads mentioned above used. I'll save the money and trouble and buy a couple of bottles of Crown Royal or one bottle of a good single malt.