Hi fellas,

Here's the dealy... I purchased a complete F4TE 351 engine out of a rolled 1997 Ford F-250.

Tonight upon removing the intake manifold I discover a small hole in the front wall of the oil galley opposite of the water pump. Curious, I stick my finger in the hole and a small chunk chipped off making the hole even bigger! Since the hole isn't really circular, I doubt this is a drain hole.

I am trying to build a s-trimmed 408w stroker for use in my '89 Mustang GT. Will this hole impede my efforts?

Here are pics:

 

Holy wallpaper.... You're gonna have to resize those pics to something a little smaller. I can't find what you're talking about in those pics but it sounds like a normal hole.. believe it or not.

 

All resized The hole is easier to see now.

 

i would talk to your machine shop. its gonna need to go there anyway for work to fit the stroker anyway.

 

It looks like a normal casting hole where the molten iron wasn't able to fill it in. As long as the hole is not in a oil gallery or all the way through the back of the wall it will be fine. You can take the extra step of cleaning the casting flash but that is not needed in my opinion.

 

Airharley... I *think* you're right... I've been trying to find pictures of late model 302/351 blocks and all I come up with are pictures with the camera facing the front of the block which do me no good.

Does anyone have a late model 302/351 block without the lower intake manifold on with this hole? What bugs me is I poked at this hole and a piece came off, which is the only thing giving me the notion this could be a defect.

Thanks!

 

Here's a shot of my 5.0 roller block. My '84 5.8 shortblock is on the stand in the garage I'll have a look at it tomorrow and post a pic if it has something similar.. which I think it does.

ValleyHole on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

 

Wow, that's a big one. I can't imagine these to be drainage holes being formed so roughly, it seems like they're more just common casting flaws which don't affect the strength of the block.

Please let me know if you see the same thing on the 5.8

Thanks!

 

My "Mustang and Small Block Ford V8" shows pictures of this rough cast hole in early small blocks and says that it's for ventilation of the timing cover area.

In the early engines shown in the book it's much bigger, but in the same place. I'd file it smooth along with any other obvious casting flash before the block went to the rebuilder's.

 

Very interesting and helpful technical data, thank you for sharing that with me Beancoot!

 

Opps. I thought that was at the back of the block. It wasn't until I read a few of the other posts that I actually noticed the blurry timing cover.

Ventilation of the timing area huh? So the opening that the timing chain and gears spin arounds in the front of the oil pan doesn't vent through the block all the way up to the lifter valley through any of the 6 other holes... I can see it as a semi efficient timing chain lubrication hole. It's not like there is an actual oil jet spraying the timing chain. Even saying the timing chain is splashed lubricated as the crank rotates doesn't fit too well with the physical barrier of the #1 main cap. Maybe oil from the cam plate slings out to the chain but I am not 100% sure that will make it either.

 

my 302 has a hole just like conanski's just not quite that big.

 

Thanks for the thanks, Eddie Bauer! The small block book is a gold mine of information on the early engine, but a lot is applicable to later engines as well. It covers the development of the small block in all its sixties applications. Check out the reviews under "more info".

The author is Bob Mannel, and the book's site is here:

Mustang & Ford Small Block V8, 1962-1969

 

Hello -

I just discovered a similar hole on a block that I am working with. First rebuild and I thought that I bought a lemon! ...Until I saw this thread, which gave me some hope. What is the final verdict on this hole? Will it need to be fixed?


Thanks!

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/45612591@N05/4282733097/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/45612591@N05/4283474590/