oil in valley pan, lots of it

JackpotJim · Oct 2, 2020

I'm using a 440 Source valley pan and during normal use the pan stays pretty clean but on Wednesday night racing after 5 or 6 runs I'll get some oil puddling on the pan. I believe it's pushing up from the lifter valley at the 4 corners. Not enough grey ATV.

oldbee · Oct 2, 2020

Could very well be.

Cranky · Oct 2, 2020

An engine with just some blow by can push oil out of just about anywhere there is a 'slight' possibility of a leak including bolts that go into places like intake bolts, corners of where gaskets meet etc etc etc. Anyone ever see a dip stick being pushed up 2" from the tube? A PVC system that's not doing it's job or even it if is but someone ran the RPM up to 6200 on an engine that doesn't have really good ring seal can and will push oil out of places or even push out front and rear intake gaskets (small block for example) from under the intake manifold. Big blocks are notorious for pushing oil into the valley pan too. For example, if the front 'China Wall' valley pan gasket is leaking a tiny bit at the corners, the fan will blow it back onto the pan and there's your small puddle.....

kiwigtx · Oct 2, 2020

If the engine has had any big backfires, you will need to check the valley pan for cracks. A 440 can make enough pressure inside the block to crack a valley pan gasket with a big enough backfire. Trust me, I have done that myself.
Oil will pool in there under normal to hard driving once the pan is cracked.

Daves69 · Oct 3, 2020

kiwigtx said:
If the engine has had any big backfires, you will need to check the valley pan for cracks. A 440 can make enough pressure inside the block to crack a valley pan gasket with a big enough backfire. Trust me, I have done that myself.
Oil will pool in there under normal to hard driving once the pan is cracked.

I think you can feel the valley pan try to flex as your engine idles, especially as blow-by increases. A fatigue crack can happen. An insulation pad may help dampen it.

toolmanmike · Oct 3, 2020

marcs35ply · Oct 3, 2020

hey thanks, I had a medical problem. I am going to take the intake off mon. I'll take pics.I do have blow by and a big back fire or two, thanks holley. I'll check back! thanks!!!!!!!!!!

toolmanmike · Oct 3, 2020

marcs35ply said:
hey thanks, I had a medical problem. I am going to take the intake off mon. I'll take pics.I do have blow by and a big back fire or two, thanks holley. I'll check back! thanks!!!!!!!!!!

Holley power valve is gone. You will need to replace I bet.

marcs35ply · Oct 3, 2020

been there don that! more than once

Bee1971 · Oct 3, 2020

BSB67 said:
I'm not sure how a bolt "wicks" oil. I'll have to hang a bolt in a bucket of oil and see if the top of it gets oily.

How does the oil wicking up the bolt exit out the bolt hole between the air tight sealed intake manifold/pan gasket/head?

How come only some bolts on some motors wick oil?

It seems to me that if oil ends up on top of the pan, in can only get there if there is an intake leak.

Last time took this position on this subject over the majority (which seems to happen on most subjects more often than not) I got a little shinged, but that's okay.

This

I had a discussion with you about my valley pan paper gaskets moving and tearing with the expansion and contraction of my aluminum heads and aluminum intake

I had a serious amount of oil on top of the valley pan under the intake manifold
Also in the intake ports of the cylinder heads

Took a few summers since rebuild for this to happen

Anyways

My intake manifold bolt threads where dry dry dry and the tin valley pan looked perfect other then those paper gaskets

Now I used gasket adhesive to glue those paper gaskets to the valley pan like a tin sandwich

And a little lithium grease on the intake manifold face side / gaskets

Perfection this summer

RJRENTON · Oct 3, 2020

FYI.....
Holley power valve blowout protection kiT..
www.holley.com/products/tools/carburetor_tools/parts/125-500
Available thru Jegs or Summit .... inexpensive insurance...easy installation.
BOB RENTON

BSB67 · Oct 3, 2020

Bee1971 said:
This

I had a discussion with you about my valley pan paper gaskets moving and tearing with the expansion and contraction of my aluminum heads and aluminum intake

I had a serious amount of oil on top of the valley pan under the intake manifold
Also in the intake ports of the cylinder heads

Took a few summers since rebuild for this to happen

Anyways

My intake manifold bolt threads where dry dry dry and the tin valley pan looked perfect other then those paper gaskets

Now I used gasket adhesive to glue those paper gaskets to the valley pan like a tin sandwich

And a little lithium grease on the intake manifold face side / gaskets

Perfection this summer

Glad to hear it. The endless discussions on how to glue the intake/pan/head together with the latest and best sealant are amazing to me. Now the bolts leaks - more sealant. Lithium grease for the intake sealing surface and oil on the bolt threads. Nothing leaks. Plus I can do 3 intake swaps in an evening on the dyno, and a couple at the track. No scraping, no leaks.

So now people are using sealant on the theads because the intake gasket is leaking oil onto the pan. Talk about putting a band aide on a symptom.......

furious70 · Oct 3, 2020

Fwiw I've had the underside of the intake ports leak oil on the pan with the top of the ports sealed. Turbocharged engine.

rolling_Thunder · Oct 3, 2020

Oil is either coming up the intake manifold bolts - or your valley pan cracked... I actually had the latter happen to me once... never figured out why - the engine never had an issue running and never showed signs of any issues besides oil all over the valley pan. Replaced the pan and changed nothing else - car has been on the road for over a decade since without issue

BSB67 · Oct 4, 2020

furious70 said:
Fwiw I've had the underside of the intake ports leak oil on the pan with the top of the ports sealed. Turbocharged engine.

Cracked pan and china wall leak aside, this is the likely cause for the oil on the pan. It's not uncommon.

Bee1971 · Oct 4, 2020

Anyone run these
http://www.hughesengines.com/Index/...QmlnIEJsb2NrICAoUmFpc2VkIERlY2sp&partid=33979

furious70 · Oct 4, 2020

BSB67 said:
Cracked pan and china wall leak aside, this is the likely cause for the oil on the pan. It's not uncommon.

In my case pan not cracked, just poor seal on the underside

oil in valley pan, lots of it

JackpotJim

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oldbee

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Cranky

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kiwigtx

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Daves69

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toolmanmike

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marcs35ply

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toolmanmike

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