GM solid lifter confusion

[Clem Z.]

without the drippers the oil stream would

shoot over top of the pivot point were the oil was needed. the drippers would make sure the oil got to the rocker balls. early on we welded deflectors to the top of the rocker arms over top of the oil hole to make sure the oil went directly to the rocker ball. we were able to use stock BBC rocker arms while using edge orifice lifters using this set up. without the edge orifice lifters too much oil was getting into the top end and taking too long to return to the pan

[Steve Antonucci]

Re: without the drippers the oil stream would

Clem,

In your opinion, where was the cutoff point between too much oil, and not
enough oil on the top end? In other words, if the springs can generate
that much heat and pose potential failure issues, wouldn't the need for
more oil outweigh the need to restrict oil via. the edge orificed lifters?

I can fully appreciate the need to keep more oil in the pan for pumping,
but it sure sounds like a catch-22. Is this the real reason for the windage
tray in Z/28's & big block Corvettes? Where, if at all, does the external
oil cooling provision on 4-bolt main big blocks fit in to this discussion?

Steve

[Clem Z.]

street engines are not a problem because they

are not at max RPM all the time. you could use edge orifice lifters in all SBC street engines as long as the oil was getting to and not over the rocker arm pivot,the drippers take cause of this. the oil once it gets to the pivot point it runs off of the rocker arm tip over the springs. the widage tray strips and keeps the oil off of the crank and also keeps the oil in the pan durring high speed turning where the centrifugle forces would push it up out of the pan. the windage tray also keeps the wind generated by the rotating assy from blowing downward into the oil in the pan. they say there is a wind speed of 60 MPH at 6000 RPM made the the rotating assy blowing into the oil pan without the windage tray