Posted By: ccdave
1/2" oil pick up on 440? - 12/10/13 01:44 AM
Is drilling and tapping the oil pickup boss to 1/2" still a common practice on street/strip 440's?
1/2" oil pick up on 440?
Posted By: Thumperdart
Re: 1/2" oil pick up on 440? - 12/10/13 02:33 AM
Had Pettis do mine about 13 years ago because it was the thing to do but apparently some think it`s not needed............. 
Posted By: therocks
Re: 1/2" oil pick up on 440? - 12/10/13 02:44 AM
It does no good unless you do the other mods.Mine was done at the machine shop and he did the other mods when it was done.That was about 12 years ago.He had a fixture made so that it was drilled right also as some of the castings are thin from the factory.Rocky
Posted By: Sport440
Re: 1/2" oil pick up on 440? - 12/10/13 02:50 AM
Good question, it used to be the thing to do. But some have proven its not needed and the 3/8s pickup is fine.
I have seen pics though where it would be benificial to port match the pump to the block. In some cases some very bad mismatches.
The 1/2" oil pick up cant hurt though IMO
But is it really needed, probably not. I guess I will find out as Im not using one on my new build.
I have seen pics though where it would be benificial to port match the pump to the block. In some cases some very bad mismatches.
The 1/2" oil pick up cant hurt though IMO
But is it really needed, probably not. I guess I will find out as Im not using one on my new build.
Posted By: Cab_Burge
Re: 1/2" oil pick up on 440? - 12/10/13 04:51 AM
Quote:No
Is drilling and tapping the oil pickup boss to 1/2" still a common practice on street/strip 440's?
It was and is a bandaid to help correct other things in the oiling system Get the bearing clearnances right, not to tight, get the pressures and flows correct and use the correct modern oils, not to thick You'll be golden 
Oil needs to flow to do what it is designed to do, lubricate and cool the contact surfaces on rotating and recriprecating (SP?) parts
Posted By: barracuda7199
Re: 1/2" oil pick up on 440? - 12/10/13 05:04 AM
Quote:Quote:No
Is drilling and tapping the oil pickup boss to 1/2" still a common practice on street/strip 440's?
At what performance level is an external pickup considered mandatory? What is the best external setup?
Posted By: CHAPPER
Re: 1/2" oil pick up on 440? - 12/10/13 03:36 PM
Like others have stated, the 1/2" tube is probably not really needed.
As to your question, I would reccomend the external pick-up. The internal pick-up tube is long and prone to breaking where it threads into the block. I went to the external pick-up after breaking 2 of the internal. I believe that normal vibrations and wheel stands contribute to the tube failures. For the record, both of my tubes were 1/2"..
As to your question, I would reccomend the external pick-up. The internal pick-up tube is long and prone to breaking where it threads into the block. I went to the external pick-up after breaking 2 of the internal. I believe that normal vibrations and wheel stands contribute to the tube failures. For the record, both of my tubes were 1/2"..
Posted By: racealittle
Re: 1/2" oil pick up on 440? - 12/10/13 04:36 PM
Quote:
Is drilling and tapping the oil pickup boss to 1/2" still a common practice on street/strip 440's?
I do it because I can. It is one of those mods you either choose to do or not. To me it is part of getting the oil system up to a standard where I think it should be.
Take a look at any modern engine today. I have seen many very small displacement engines that have oil pickups the size of a hemi delivery system. Many of these modern systems use lower oil pressure, very light grades of oil, and likely many other things that I have not yet learned.
I now try to run lighter oils that return faster and lower pressures. I now believe that good solid oil volume is a must.
Just because others get away with sucking oil through a straw and have had no failures, doesn't mean you won't. I am certain most of the people who build engines that live, have come up with many ways to improve all the little things in their engine building practices.
I know most of these builders go through their engines and look them over more than I do. I am just saying that the old modification was done to one of my first builds almost 30 years ago and it still lives with the original build components.
I no longer run 40, or 20w50 weight oil like I did back then. I have evolved into different thinking, and I personally believe that some of these old school mods still have a place in engine building.
Posted By: dannysbee
Re: 1/2" oil pick up on 440? - 12/10/13 05:57 PM
This is my opinion. Based on my experience I would look at the 1/2 pickup if my shift points exceed 6000 rpm. If your engine is a low rpm affair and does not exceed 6000 rpm I think a stock system with an attention to detail will live a long life. The reason the 1/2" pickup is so popular is the hemi's came with one. The rpm levels the hemi's max hp were produced made the larger pickup necessary especially when you consider the first two years of production the hemi was a strictly race application. When the engine was civilized for the street it retained the 1/2 pickup developed in its racing trim.
Posted By: John_Kunkel
Re: 1/2" oil pick up on 440? - 12/10/13 09:46 PM
The suction side of any hydraulic system benefits from a larger inlet.
Posted By: maximum entropy
Re: 1/2" oil pick up on 440? - 12/10/13 09:50 PM
ime, it's not needed. the last all out bracket engine i built had the 3/8" pickup, and is in a 'cuda that runs 9.60 all day long, with absolutely no issues. my personal car has an external pickup, because it HAD a 1/2 internal pickup, but the boss cracked during a freshen up. remember that the milodon 3/8 pickup has the same diameter tube as the 1/2, only the end is different.
Posted By: HPMike
Re: 1/2" oil pick up on 440? - 12/12/13 01:07 AM
IMO...
Its not necessary...
To use the HEMI as a comparison isnt really valid..The HEMI had a much more complicated oiling system to the top end and needed the full grooved cam journal and 1/2" supply..
The other thing to consider is when you go stroker, even with a Chevy rod journal you have to clearance the pickup boss, which takes the meat away if you want to enlarge it. If its already enlarged, you are going to have a real potential of a crack there..
If your clearances are right you wont have any isssues..
If you want better money spent on a street/strip motor bush/correct the lifter bores..Many OEM Mopar blocks either have oversized or worn out lifter bores. This is a critical area when looking at oil control.
MB
Its not necessary...
To use the HEMI as a comparison isnt really valid..The HEMI had a much more complicated oiling system to the top end and needed the full grooved cam journal and 1/2" supply..
The other thing to consider is when you go stroker, even with a Chevy rod journal you have to clearance the pickup boss, which takes the meat away if you want to enlarge it. If its already enlarged, you are going to have a real potential of a crack there..
If your clearances are right you wont have any isssues..
If you want better money spent on a street/strip motor bush/correct the lifter bores..Many OEM Mopar blocks either have oversized or worn out lifter bores. This is a critical area when looking at oil control.
MB
Posted By: Chris2581
Re: 1/2" oil pick up on 440? - 12/12/13 01:10 AM
We have never done that mod to any of our 383 or 440 engines.Ran them up to 6800 with no problems at times.A good engine build,with proper bearing clearances,and good oil,will be all that is needed.
Posted By: Cab_Burge
Re: 1/2" oil pick up on 440? - 12/12/13 03:45 AM
Quote:Any motor I build that will be shifted above 8000 RPM would have a good external oiling system on it, preferably a dry sump systemQuote:Quote:No
Is drilling and tapping the oil pickup boss to 1/2" still a common practice on street/strip 440's?
At what performance level is an external pickup considered mandatory? What is the best external setup?
My current low deck stroker (505 C.I. 400 block) bracket motor has a Milidon pump and dual line oiling system with the swinging pick up in the Charlie SS style fabricated aluminum oil pan, Charlie extended the dual line Milidon swinging pick up for that oil pan.I used it, the sytem, because I had all the parts hanging on the wall and on the shelfs 
It, this oiling system, has NOT given me any problems (like no oil pressure on start up after sitting for a while 
) since the motor was built and dyno tuned three years ago 
Unlike some other dual line Milidon oiling systems I have used in the past 
Posted By: 383man
Re: 1/2" oil pick up on 440? - 12/12/13 06:01 AM
I did mine to 1/2" but I see alot of street/strip cars that have not done it and they are fine. But thats 11 and 12 second cars. It cant hurt but if you are not going to run it hard alot you really dont have to do it. I like to run my car hard at the track so thats why I did mine. Ron
Posted By: HYPER8oSoNic
Re: 1/2" oil pick up on 440? - 12/13/13 05:36 AM
Quote:
I did mine to 1/2" but I see alot of street/strip cars that have not done it and they are fine. But thats 11 and 12 second cars. It cant hurt but if you are not going to run it hard alot you really dont have to do it. I like to run my car hard at the track so thats why I did mine. Ron
100% with ya! 
