//////////////In rebuilding my Champ's 185 six ('57) I'd like to replace the idiot light with
an under-the-dash oil pressure gauge.  What, if anything, would you suggest I
use to coat the threads of the fixture I plug into the block?  Thanks.///////



In rebuilding my Champ's 185 six ('57) I'd like to replace the idiot light with
an under-the-dash oil pressure gauge.  What, if anything, would you suggest I
use to coat the threads of the fixture I plug into the block?  Thanks.
-------

A light coating of Permatex or antisieze,dont use teflon tape...bits of
it can tear off and cause a restriction somewhere

-----------

//////////// Speaking of the oil gallery. Can I use the technique for blocking off the lifter gallery oil with my engine on a stand. I don't want to pull the heads off, and I can't remember exactly how it is supposed to be done. Thanks in advance.  //////////////////


------

Thanks for responding Paul. I saw a post about plugging off the oil to the
lifter gallery on the V8s. I remember that it took something like a small
finishing nail in a passage somewhere. I was wondering if I could do that
while my engine is on the stand, without removing the heads. Thanks in
advance Paul.

-----
-----------

You are talking about limiting the oil flow to the lifters in which the
clearance has increased due to wear. In my humble opinion, you would be
better of to restrict the oil flow to the rocker shafts. The nail thing
involves driving shortened finishing nail heads into the oil ports that feed
oil to the lifters. You could probably use shortened roll pins too. They
would restict the flow rather than block it.

Here is a description of what I did when I rebuilt my 259 V8.
First I tapped the oil hole in the head that leads to the head bolt passage
that carries the oil to the rocker shaft. I used a 3/8-24 tap. The outer
hole I drilled out to accept a 1/4" recessed pipe pipe plug. In the 3/8
tapped hole I put a recessed head set screw ( you can drill the set screw
for any size hole you want. I didn't drill mine at all.
The lifter feed holes I tapped to 8-24 or 32 and put in short set screws
drilled to 1/16". I replaced the stock lifters with mechanical AMC lifters.
These have a piddle valve and must be used with hollow pushrods.The hoolw
5/16" push rods I got from Crane as they are a custom length. I replaced the
stock rocker arms with shaft mounted roller rockers. They are now lubricated
from the lifters and hollow push rods. If I were going to do it again I
would plug off all the holes in the rocker shaft too since they are not
necessary now. This combination will limit the amount of oil sent to the top
of the engine and keep it in the bottom of the engine. I also built and
installed a windage tray using a tray I mounted to the main caps and the oil
pan. The main cap bolts can be replaced with Chevy Big Block windage tray
bolts, at least the ones that would be located over the sump. These bolts
are much easier to find than the R3 windage tray bolts and are less
expensive.

Paul

------------

I'd personally use a brass tee to keep your idiot light (unless you
are using a VDO gauge with a combo sender.)  You shouldn't need
anything on the threads; since the idiot light is electrical (and
depending on your gauge it may be as well) you want to have a good
ground to the block.

nate