oiling issues

[bjornmk1]

hi there..guys i am new here

my name is bjorn..i live in belgium..and (drive) a 87 fiero.

my question is this;I bought a '89 3.1L engine with all.heads.
does this engine have the same oilchannels as the 87
2.8L(fiero)?

my knowledge is that the 3.1L has a seperate oilfeed
for the crank ,where the 2.8 has it's feed from the lifters.

am I wrong???

[fivepointhustla]

not sure on the details but the 3.1/3.4 iron heads share the same oiling revisions.

[bjornmk1]

well I meant the oilchannels from the bottom end...my mistake

thanx for the reply.B

[geoffinbc]

Yes the channels are the same. Only the 3100 and 3400 motors got the provisions.

If you have roller lifters you have priority main feed oiling. Otherwise you do not.

[bjornmk1]

improving oiling

ok,butt what can I do than to make sure my
engine won't eat itself ?(besides HV pump,smoothing the oil backflow)

I'm planning to supercharge my 2.8(1987) or 3.1(1989) with a m90.
already have forged pistons...supercharger...HV oilpump..etc..
looking for 200whp.(reliabale of course)

thanx for your input on this

[TurboZ24]

The early 2.8's had main bearing issues, which was resolved in 86'? GM enlarged the mains.

There are plenty of us with Gen II blocks with no oiling issues at all (including myself). MY 3.1 ran upto 23 psi at points, with upto 480 wheel HP (I hope when the motor is in it's new chassis, I'll go for over 500 WHP).

[geoffinbc]

Do NOT run an HV pump. Just run a good quality pump. That is more than enough. Smoothing oil flow and runing a large high quality filter like a WIX, Delco, or Purolator is a good idea. You can also have the pump machined for tighter tolerances. Use the larger 5/8" pickup tube found on later model engines. If you plan to run to 7000 RPM the add some shims under the pressure relief spring in the pump and eliminate the filter bypass.

There are even more tips in the 60*V6 power manual. But a HV pump is never a tip you will find in any power manual.

[bjornmk1]

well...my fiero 2.8 block has the HV pump..
so I'would better not install that one than right.

I am at the point to buy some conrods..but I'm not sure yet
wether to go with H or I beams.

the H-beams seam the strongest to me..but are a bit on the heavy side.

the I beams generally carry 50grams less weight but are they euqally in strength?

the will probably never see any revs higher than 6500-7000rpm.
ANY THOUGHTS ON THIS ONE?

B

[geoffinbc]

Get the I beam rods you are not going to be making 1000HP. Save weight here. Hell I would jut use stock rods with maybe a shot peen treatment and a de burr. Run them with ARP hardware tightened with a stretch guage. You wont break them. The crank will give way before the rods and no one has broken one from power yet. Only from running it out of oil.

If you are running to 7000RPM and that is it then I would consider adding a shim to a new stock pump. Run a 70 PSI relief pressure or close to it. But do not run any more or else your just wasting horsepower and making heat. Consider running a remote filter larger than stock. I run a Delco PF2 filter which is a full 1qt filter. Larger filters mean more surface area for flow and a bit of added cooling. Especially with a remote setup. Canton racing sells VERY nice remote adaptors which Ben may or may not be selling in the store. You can also improve reliability significantly by running a windage tray (ones from a DOHC motor bolt on) and a crank scraper. Also smooth out the drain back by claning up the casting on the top of the heads and the lifter galley. This drain back oil is what oils the cam lobes. Consider powder coating or painting these areas to seal the casting and improve drainback. Some racers also epoxy in screens over the drain back holes in the lifter galley in case of a valvetrain failure. I the event you do have a failure particles will not find their way back to the crank or sump and cause more damage.

All of these modifications are cheep and easy to do and will significantly improve reliability (not that these engines are really prone to problems) but there is no need to cause potential problems by running a HV pump that will just piss out the majority of its volume past the relief spring.

HV pumps are designed to run in an extra large sump on an engine that utilizes spray bars in the valve covers for extra valvetrain oiling and cooling. Engines like these may also be running piston squirters and extra larger bearing surfaces.
In the case of a Small Block chevy you would be better off to run a stock pump with a large pickup than running a Big Block pump.

[bjornmk1]

I have one thing going for me
I already have the large journal crank(10.000miles)

but about the conrods..I let my eye fall on the rods for a 327 engine.(small journal=2")
those forged pistons that I mentioned are .942 on the pinn so that using my 2.8 rods would be to risky I think.

the H beams should have no trouble to take 750hp.
but devided by eight(8cyl.) and multiplied by six(6cyl.)=560hp max.for a
v6.

those numbers would mean about 400hp max. on I beam rods.

so I guess your right..I could have the benefit of the weight saving and still
be on the safe side...up to 400hp.

[bjornmk1]

those I or H-beams would able me to let the piston-
pinn float(bronze bushing),which in my opinion is better.

the small end are .927 on those so that's only .016" to ream on the rod small ends to get my piston pinn to fit.
if i would do that with my original rods.......
I would not be sure how long this engines lifespan would be.

BTW about the oiling...
is the crank in the 2.8 cross drilled or is that an extra insurance?

[geoffinbc]

No the cranks were not cross drilled. But the 660 power manual recommends cross drilling the 2 center mains to improve rod oiling on racing motors.

I agree with your rod dilema you should step up to a larger small end rod in order to accept the pin. Unless bushing the piston is possible.

[bjornmk1]

nah..bushing the piston isn't worth the trouble.

besides that... the risk that they become loose is pretty big because
the alloy would expand more than a conrod would I guess.

I still saved a lot of cash using these pistons though.

custom forged pistons will cost from 160 up to 220$ over here.
that's why I looked for a cheaper alternative.

they are 0.2mm more on compression height,and ther is enough
"meat"on the top of these pistons to lower them.

BTW does anybody know the piston height of a 2.8 (H.O. iron head engine)?

thanx B.