trying to save my penny's for the 2017 race season

 

I've had to "punch" two valley pans in the last few years. I wouldn't drill anything. Too risky. The baffles in the valley pan allow too many places for the metal shavings to hide.

The best plan is to punch them with a sharp punch. THIS MUST BE AN INSTALLED VP. As IDIoit said, it will distort the pan. It is already hard enough to get it installed (the intake bolt holes are very small compared to the bolt, so it takes a while to get it all to line up with the head, VP, and intake). So if you warp the VP, it'll be even harder to line up the holes.

You want to punch thru both layers. You'll feel the first layer easy enough, but it'll take a bit of feeling around to make sure you punctured the second layer.

I first did this when I installed my hypermax turbo on my NA engine. The Hypermax instructions had this procedure:


3. Some intake manifold/tappet chamber cover gaskets do not allow adequate turbocharger oil drain back. This is due to a manufacturing variance. To ensure adequate drain back, punch three holes (1/8" to 3/16" diameter) with a sharp pointed punch or awl through the grommet hole to the gasket baffle chamber. It will be necessary to perforate two layers of the steel gasket. The layers are about 1" apart. The first layer is the top of the baffle chamber; the second is the bottom of the chamber. Be careful not to go any deeper than necessary to perforate both layers to avoid damaging the roller tappet retainer located about 1" below the baffled chamber.

4. Install the 3/4" I.D. grommet into the opening in the engine valley cover.


Hope this helps. I ended up putting in 5 or 6 holes. I didn't want to risk having three holes too small on the under-most layer.