Rod side clearance

[fdicrasto]

Got a situation with a bbc aluminum rod drag motor. Lots of side clearance and not sure how much of a real problem this will present. Have .050" between rods. I have tightened up oil ring tension and have scrapers and good kickout oil pan plus vacuum pump. Anyone actually run something with this much side clearance and if so, what problems did you have? I am stuck with the parts but a little nervous about oil slinging and washing out from rod bearings. Will it be a smoking pig perhaps? Phil D.

[kirkwoodken]

Slung oil has nothing to do with how much side clearance the rods have. Oil flow is determined by bearing clearance. Rods controlling oil flow is old wives tale. Squirt holes is a different thing altogether.

[Walter R. Malik]

Personally, I only have minimums which I adhere to.
4 times the bearing clearance for steel rods and 6 times the bearing clearance for aluminum rods.

As long as it is not near uncovering the oil supply hole in the crankshaft journal, you will be fine. The rod side clearance is NOT supposed to be the controlling clearance factor for oil flow control.

[Paul Kane]

You haven't provided much info about the engine other than it is an aluminum-rodded BBC drag racing engine, but very generally speaking 0.050" per throw in an aluminum-rodded big block drag racing engine isn't alarming at all.

[In-Tech]

yup, .050" didn't bother me a bit and agree with above statement about oil flow control. that's the last place you ever want to try to control. I bet Warp has some testing that backs all this up.

[fdicrasto]

Thanks, question answered and I am moving on. Phil D.