Screen in lifter valley?

I want to put some form of screen into the lifter valley, but don't want a lot of oil piling up. Can anyone show me pictures, and what materials you used to do this to an iron block?

like this you mean?

i did it to this block as well.

Nice work, Rebel.

I know it's hard to see, but this is the only pic I have of it. This is the screen setup I have in the 436" sb chevy.

That is so cool!!!

I can understand why you want to do this trick. I built a 460 Ford motor for a truck swap and one of the retainer rings that restricts the cup in a hydraulic lifter came out and ended up jammed in the oil pump gears. Fortunately the oil pump drive shaft broke and the engine stopped

I dodged a bullet there.

Nice work on those screens I need to go smaller mesh to stop needle bearings from getting down to the oil pump ,gear drive or oil pump gear. Anybody run anything with smaller mesh? I figured that it might work to put a finer mesh over the screen in the oil pan, but that might not protect the gear drive?

I've been putting screen in the valley for years..
I use a 1/8 mesh that I buy at the hardware store..
its metal(sorta like large screen door screen).. I
cut it to fit and run it up the back wall on my small
blocks..JB Weld to glue it in place... its saved my butt
a couple of times when stuff broke.. rocker parts and push
rods and lash caps.. I'll see if I have pics but I doubt
it.. no one normally wants to see stuff like that

Moroso sells a kit for a BBC that works. Comes with screens and epoxy.

Good Luck

You could easily replicate this design with a finer mesh. I had seen a rocker arm break, fall into the valley & jammed the cam, snapped it so a whole lot of valves took a hit. A lot of damage from a minor incident. You can mold the end of the mesh to make a nice clearence guard for the cam drive. Sorry no pics.

The needles from the bearings are only about .060, so I will see what is available for screen that size.

Greg, here is where you can get some small mesh screen:

http://www.mcmaster.com/#stainless-steel-mesh/=122nkc6

I would be tempted to use the 30x30 mesh size found in the Strainer-Grade Type 304 Stainless Steel Wire Cloth listing.

Thanks M-D I just ordered the 30x30 strainer mesh. Makes the most sense, will stop anything big enough to shear off the oil pump drive or do major damage

one question keeps reoccurring to me. how small can you go before drain back problems crop up ? could that some how be helped if there were more drain back [hole] area added to the valley ?

Make sure you attach it with screws. Epoxy won't work with your alky.........

Drain back won't be a problem as long as the oil is at operating temperature. Preheating the oil is best.

Thanks for the tip on screws Greendart. I may try and come up with something that will snap into place, we will see how creative I can get. I run my motor hot, so drain back during a run shouldn't be an issue, and I have an Acusump as well.

Gregsdart thanks for starting this thread i was planning on starting a similar thread last week but you beat me to the punch.
Ive been doing some thinking about this and i ordered some of the SS mesh as well, im going to incorporate both the larger mesh for a top layer and for support and use the tighter mesh under the heavier mesh so it will hold its shape. Then sandwich some kind of a mount like what rebel posted to hold everthing together.
Does drilling and tapping the block in this fashion weaking the cam tunnel?
Thanks all

No the drilling and tapping doesnt hurt unless
it was a BIG bolt.. 3/16 or 1/4 is plenty big
enough to hold that stuff

Thank Pbody 1/4 20 should do the trick atleast thats what i was planning on using
Im planning on using some small tubing and some fender washers for my mount

My block is done in four sections with Moroso epoxy. Three smaller, rectangular pieces cover the openings over the cam and on larger "T" shaped piece protects covers the opening in the front near the tower shaft bushing.

I was mostly mitigating the cam or oil pump drive from accidentally digesting a 7/16" pushrod and not too concerned with a small mesh size due to bushed roller lifters and non-needle bearing rockers. It would make sense to use a mesh smaller than your smallest part.

For a supplier check ebay. There was a guy selling smaller sections of stainless in any mesh size you can think much cheaper than the typical industrial supply shops.

Putting mesh above the roller wheels won't stop the needles from falling out the bottom of the lifter bores, will it I had two Mopar brand solid roller wheels break in half and get the cam, luckily I shut the motor off before sucking any of the needles bearing up into the oil pump

I used aluminum window screen on my X block. There were enough holes and area that I was not concerned about the small mesh. I even build a dam for the rear of the block and screened a couple holes in it to give additional exit space. I did all this after a lifter came apart and thankfully no major damage was done. I used JB Weld to glue the screen to the block. Has worked great.

I have a basic concept of securing the screen without screws or epoxy. I'll make a drawing and post it here. With the various blocks (e.g. factory, megablock, KB, and etc.) there are differences in the shape geometry around the drain holes though.

Why bother with valley screens?
Put a hydraulic filter strainer on the suction line in the pan and all your issues are solved.
Ran my milodon pump that way for 10yrs and the pump was like new inside.

you would not believe the amount of damage something like a broken lashcap can do to an engine if you're also running a windage tray. they chip away at your rods leaving potential stress points for a crack to develop into a break. Also broken rocker arms falling into the oil return holes tend to break cams & that in turn does other damage. Valley screens are worthwhile if you're a regular racer.

Thanks id appreciate it, i fabbed up a hold down today like what rebel posted the pics of and received some screen today but haven't started any block mods but im hoping to get the block in this week or next for final machining so I'm trying to dot all my eyes and cross my teessss.

^^ Love you car man..

Wont stop the needle bearings, but the screens are a good idea.

Greg has had issues with rocker arm failures and is focused on keeping broken rocker parts contained.

I've never broke a rocker that the needle bearings
came out(knock on wood) but have had lash caps and
broken PRs laying in the valley.. I dont want that
trash getting hung up on a cam or have it fall down
onto the crank/rods at 8000+ rpm.. that screen has
done its job for me a FEW times... the lifters are
below the screen so it might not help with them
but it does help for stuff up in the heads

Afterr reading Cab's comment about the roller lifters, though I haven't lost any, I may opt for a finer screen in the pan to go over the one that is there. That one though will need to be sized as big as possible and still stop the needles. Anybody know what size roller lifter bearing needles are?

Greg.. myself I wouldnt do that.. if you make that small
enough to stop anything that could get there I dont think
you would get the flow you would need.. specially on cold
oil... JMO.. at some point you just have to take your chances
and hope it doesnt happen

On my roller lifter failure it was the upper part of the lifter that failed and left the 2 lifters untied. Even tho small parts got down in the rotating assembly I was fortunate enough to discover the problem before either lifter turned so the damage was not nearly as bad as it could have been. I will not run another without some fine screen to keep the parts on top.

I should have clarified in my first post that screens are a good deal Not intending to keep anyone from using it, sorry I've had lash caps and psuhrods drop down into the lifter valley when a valve spring broke

Why not use a bushed roller lifter? Safer & a lot stronger. Personally I don't trust needle bearings at any level
https://www.lunatipower.com/News.aspx?id=121

When I bought all my stuff they didnt make the bushed lifters..
if I were buying something now I MIGHT look at them.. but
as I said already.. I have never had a needle bearing come
apart on me.. been using them for years now

Thanks DARTH if that thumbs up was for my bucket of bolts...

Heres what i came up with using the design rebel posted and I ended up using a 1/4 20 bolts, I had to take it slow drilling the first 1/4 inch making sure it was straight it could of blew out a side every easily as theres only a tad over a 1/4 inch of meat on the rib.

you did well. i used a 7/16 drill for a pilot hole first but you got it done. now loctite in a stud & you're ready for a nylock nut to seal the deal.