Block Oil Flow Diagram?

[abelincoln]

Anybody have a diagram of how oil flow works in the V-12?  Looks like the pump sends oil to filter, rear main, and to lifter gallery.  In the valley, I put the 1/8 pipe plug in the rear regulator, and drilled a 1/16" hole in the bottom of the front regulator to accommodate solid, adjustable lifters.  By some miracle the engine started after a looong time of re-assembly, but was shut off due to excessive mechanical noise.  So I took off the intake manifold  to re-adjust the loose valves   Problem was that re-ground camshaft has lifters lower in the boss in the block, and you have to lift valve and spring assembly to adjust.

 

Anyway, after a few minutes of operation, I'm not seeing oil in the gallery, looks pretty dry, seems like there should be some oil present.  I'm now concerned that not enough oil is getting to the lifters.  Should I drill out the front hole bigger, or is everything OK the way it is? 

 

Advice to those considering similar mods:  if the cam if is reground, also grind about 1/8 off the top of the lifter bosses to make lifter adjustment easier..

[Ken/Alabama]

There will be enough oil slinging up on the cam and lifter to lubricate them.  The V8 has no oil galley for the lifters.  I’m running adjustable lifters in my V12 also . Plugged off the rear hole and drilled a 1/16” hole in the front down to the cam bearing, that allows oil to flow onto the timing gear. Not really necessary, the 49-53 V8 has no provision in the front for the timing gear, just depends on splash and slinging it up there. 

[38ShortopConv.]

Abe, how are those adjustable lifters sounding now? As Ken said the adjustable  lifters are lubed from crank splash and mist in valve chamber area so you wont see any great oil flow in lifter gallery.  With the  removal of hydraulic lifters  and  with the  rear regulator plugged you don't get oil flow thru the hydraulic lifter oil gallery so you would need to leave screw cap off above rear plugged regulator  to allow oil to circulate thru bypass filter, is filter getting hot?  Oil thru hyd. oil gallery is for  opening the valves not for lube. Not sure about drilling 1/16" holes in front to lube cam gear, may loose oil pressure if its into main oil gallery?  Oil already flows from front  oil pressure relief  valve to cam gear. I once ran adjustable lifters with hydraulic cam,  were very noisy!  Hydraulic cam has steeper profile plus solid  adjustable  lifters weigh 2-1/2 ozs.  compared to 1/2 oz for solid non adjustable  lifters. I changed back to hydraulic lifters real quick. Ahh, Nice and quiet.  Roy