All Small Six Oil squirter hole or no oil hole on rods?

[mad_science]

I'm putting together a 250 to race in Lemons. I blew up the last one due to some oil starvation issues.

I've got 2 different sets of rods I can use, one set has an oil squirter hole drilled at the big end and one does not.

The squirter points away from the cam, down the thrust side of the cylinder wall.

Seems like more oil into the cylinder wall on a race motor is a good thing?

The "no squirter" motor is a D5 block, and I'd read that the elimination of these squirters had to do with emissions stuff. Not relevant in my case.

So...any reason to use the non-squirter rods that came of out this block?

 

[drag-200stang]

I have never had a problem with the rods breaking at the oil hole on a short stroke 200 but, the 300 people have had problems and the 250 has about the same stroke but a little lighter piston, so there is that.
After market rods do not have oil holes but I run at little more clearance on the rod and main bearings so I figure that there should be plenty of oil to cool and lube the piston. One day for my turbo 200 I would like to try piston oilers but not this go around.

 

[pmuller9]

As "drag-200stang" posted, the connecting rod big ends will flex at the oiling hole and eventually fatigue and break.

Does the connecting rod without the oiling hole still have the hole inside the bearing area as show by the lower rod or does it look like the upper rod in the picture below?

 

[bubba22349]

I'm putting together a 250 to race in Lemons. I blew up the last one due to some oil starvation issues.

I've got 2 different sets of rods I can use, one set has an oil squirter hole drilled at the big end and one does not.

The squirter points away from the cam, down the thrust side of the cylinder wall.

Seems like more oil into the cylinder wall on a race motor is a good thing?

The "no squirter" motor is a D5 block, and I'd read that the elimination of these squirters had to do with emissions stuff. Not relevant in my case.

So...any reason to use the non-squirter rods that came of out this block?

Something else for you to look into, what are you using as an Oil Pan for your 250? Oil starvation issues are a known issue on all of these Ford small Six's when they are used in a Street Performance, & especially in a Road Type, or a Drag Racing. venue. Good luck.

 

[mad_science]

Does the connecting rod without the oiling hole still have the hole inside the bearing area as show by the lower rod or does it look like the upper rod in the picture below?

It's solid on the inside, no hole or dimple or anything.

 

[mad_science]

what are you using as an Oil Pan for your 250? Oil starvation issues are a known issue

Was thinking about some kind of diy deep sump and Home Depot sourced trap doors...

 

[drag-200stang]

Opening up the three oil drain back holes in the lifter galley helps. Oil draining back to the pan is competing with blowby escaping holding oil in the lifter area. Racers that do not run the stock fuel pump make a riser vent there, to cut down on blowby that has to escape out the valvetrain area.

 

[pmuller9]

You have the option of using the Molnar 4340 steel "H" beam rod for the Ford 300 six with a Autotec/Racetec 4032 alloy forged piston.
The 6.21' rod length will improve the rod angle and the piston will have a 1.3" CH height for a reduction in piston weight.
This will also give you a full floating piston pin.

Ford 300 Inline 6 Rods | Molnar Ford 300 Power Adder Rods

300 Inline 6 connecting rods for high performance and racing Ford 300 engines. Molnar billet H beam Ford 300 Power Adder rods for press fit and floating pin

molnarrods.com

 

[wsa111]

Make sure you have baffles in your oil pan.

 

[wme013]

You have the option of using the Molnar 4340 steel "H" beam rod for the Ford 300 six with a Autotec/Racetec 4032 alloy forged piston. The 6.21' rod length will improve the rod angle and the piston will have a 1.3" CH height for a reduction in piston weight. This will also give you a full floating piston pin.

Ford 300 Inline 6 Rods | Molnar Ford 300 Power Adder Rods

300 Inline 6 connecting rods for high performance and racing Ford 300 engines. Molnar billet H beam Ford 300 Power Adder rods for press fit and floating pin

molnarrods.com

Is Lemons a claimer race?? Wouldn't do to have a $2000 engine and a $750 claimer price

 

[drag-200stang]

Looks like it, $500

 

[pmuller9]

Looks like it, $500

If that’s the case then “never mind”

 

[mad_science]

Lemons isn't a claimer race but the idea is you spend $500 on the car. They used to enforce that, but now it's more of a holistic thing... basically "brings terrible car". Hence 1962 Ranchero with a 250.

So not going as hard on the engine as suggested above, I do have a 2V converted head that I'm putting 255 V8 pistons into.

I think drain back might have been my issue before. I was running at high rpm for a while then suddenly went to 0psi. Twice. Each time after I let it sit for a bit then pressure came back.

I think I pumped all the oil into the valve cover/head, as there was nothing wrong with the pick-up and nothing in the pan that could've blocked the pickup.

 

[Frank]

I think drain back might have been my issue before. I was running at high rpm for a while then suddenly went to 0psi. Twice. Each time after I let it sit for a bit then pressure came back.

I think I pumped all the oil into the valve cover/head, as there was nothing wrong with the pick-up and nothing in the pan that could've blocked the pickup.

I've witnessed this on a well-worn street 250 as well during a high speed interstate cruise. The PCV began picking up liquid oil, as the VC was almost full. Suddenly a loss of power with a major fog of oil smoke out the pipe, just as the oil pressure light began to flicker. . Pull the stick and showed nothing for a minute or so. I was a passenger in the car- it was not a pleasant day.

 

[mad_science]

As "drag-200stang" posted, the connecting rod big ends will flex at the oiling hole and eventually fatigue and break.

So based on this I'm more inclined to go no oiling hole then, I guess?

 

[bubba22349]

Lemons isn't a claimer race but the idea is you spend $500 on the car. They used to enforce that, but now it's more of a holistic thing... basically "brings terrible car". Hence 1962 Ranchero with a 250.

So not going as hard on the engine as suggested above, I do have a 2V converted head that I'm putting 255 V8 pistons into.

I think drain back might have been my issue before. I was running at high rpm for a while then suddenly went to 0psi. Twice. Each time after I let it sit for a bit then pressure came back.

I think I pumped all the oil into the valve cover/head, as there was nothing wrong with the pick-up and nothing in the pan that could've blocked the pickup.

The point of my above question to you and also the post of site member wsa111 is simple. That any of the Ford Small Six Stock Oil Pan's without having any of the simple to install Oil Pan Baffling (see wsa111's Picture) in it is going to cause you to have oil starvation from not enough oil being around the Oil Pump Pick Up Tube when you are racing it at Higher RPM's. It's very important to do this Mod because with a stock Oil Pan, Oil Starvation is going to happen during Acceleration, Deceleration, and also when Turning Corners this even can happen on the stock street cars, the good news its simple and easy to fix with a little work. Those 255 V8 Piston also have a weak spot in them when going to High RPM's and will need to be welded so they don't come apart on you. You might also find the learning curve of of site member "Parkwood60's" Lemon's Race Car interesting it's in this Link, Good luck. https://fordsix.com/threads/compression-test-on-24-hours-of-lemons-200-6.67010/#post-512799

 

[pmuller9]

So based on this I'm more inclined to go no oiling hole then, I guess?

Yes
How high an rpm will the engine see?

 

[mad_science]

Yes
How high an rpm will the engine see?

~5500.

I'd take it to 6k if we could, but that's detrimental to lifespan. That also doesn't really make much more power up there, more a matter of not wanting to do a 3-4 upshift or running out of gearing in 4th on a long straight. 5.5k is 106mph with our gearing/tires.

with a stock Oil Pan, Oil Starvation is going to happen during Acceleration, Deceleration, and also when Turning Corners

Interestingly, we've run like 10 races with various 250s and never had oil starvation issues until this most recent (now dead) engine. My own theory is that the brand new oil pump was too good at pumping and managed to slurp everything out of the pan. Still while I've got everything apart might as well do a little upgrading.

Oil draining back to the pan is competing with blowby escaping holding oil in the lifter area. Racers that do not run the stock fuel pump make a riser vent there, to cut down on blowby that has to escape out the valvetrain area

Ooooooo, I like that idea (have an electric pump). Could easily tap the pump block off plate and plumb that to PCV. Should be a double-whammy of getting rid of blowby pushing up and then put the lower crankcase under vacuum.

You might also find the learning curve of of site member "Parkwood60's" Lemon's Race Car

Yep, we're well acquainted online and in real life.

 

[mad_science]

Also, just went back and looked at the pictures of engine carnage; sure enough the big end busted right at that oil hole boss:

 

[pmuller9]

Thanks for posting the photo.