I put a oil balance line on my current engine when I built it. I never go beyond 6000 rpm's and hit the track like 2 times a year max. Oil pressure, from the normal place, is 20 psi at idle and is a max of 70 psi. My new engine is going to see the same duty as the old. Just a bit more compression, other than that pretty similar build. I have been considering putting a balance line on. Is it overkill? "Cheap" insurance? Necessary? Just wondering what the current consensus is these days. Thanks.
Do it! Cheap insurance. Never hurts to get some extra oil to the back of the block. Pass *EDIT* drivers side lifter galley gets oil last without it. Maybe JW will chime in...
There is a thread JW wrote testing the validity of the balance line. He ran a test engine with a gauge on the back of the block and one at the end of the balance line. There was only a 2 psi difference between the two.
I read that and his mod thread where he suggests it on engines routinely over 6500. I'm on both sides of this!
Would you rather need it and not have it, or have it and not need it? JW put one on my engine after the first motor surprised him with 600 HP. My motor never sees north of 6000 RPM either. https://www.v8buick.com/index.php?threads/oil-pressure-equalization-line.293955/#post-2430258 Jim says anything north of 550 HP. Post #13
I'd say it delivers both, but certainly more volume. It delivers oil to both the front and rear of the motor.
It's about volume.. When we did the testing, it was interesting to see that with the balance line, the oil pressure dropped to what the rear reading was, without the line. I expected it to increase to what the front was reading, was surprised to see it actually drop to the rear reading. But thinking it thru, we realize that pressure is developed by restriction, and restriction is the enemy of volume. Volume is important because we not only need to be able to fill at the spaces, we also need to flow oil across all the parts, to cool them. So the pressure dropping indicates that we are actually flowing more oil thru the system. Is it absolutely required.. I would say that non of the oil mods would fall into that category.. Hot rod motors ran a long time with 1/2 pickup tubes, let's be realistic here.. Then again, considering the cost of your new engine, do you want to "hope" that everything goes well.. or do you want to do what you can to insure a good outcome, for a few more bucks.. It is true, the higher the load and the higher the rpm, the more important this line is. I will be adding this line to a couple motors motors, built elsewhere, that were brought to me to have them fixed, and we will re-visit the testing, so we can add to the knowledge base. ---- To answer a previous question, the balance line goes from the oil pressure gauge port in the front of the block, to the passenger side rear galley. We leave feeding the driver side galley (which only feeds the LH bank lifters and upper end) to the front cam bearing passage. The advent of grooved back cam bearings/modifications to the front journal eliminated the issue of the cam wearing into the bearing, thus cutting oil flow off, so there has not been a need to tie that driver side galley to the passenger side for many years. JW
I think I may just do it. I believe I have all the fittings and some line already, so it's just a few mins of work essentially a free mod. Thanks for all the opinions.
We do this to every motor we build in excess of 525 hp just to be on the safe side. Use hard line instead of braided equal to -6AN.
i'd love to run a balance line on my stock appearing engine but don't want it to be obvious when the hood is up. is it possible to run a hard line so it's not readily visible?
If you run the line along the oil pan/block it is not really noticeable. It is under the exhaust and the fitting at the front blends in also if you're not looking for it.
