help! is this oil hole suppose to be pluged?

[TranzAm]

I need some urgent help with this. This is a L18 block. On my L16 this hole is caped off, I have a good feeling I need to plug this, am I correct? when I blow air through it it goes right out the oil filter threaded piece. Thanks.

[defdes]

On my L16's that hole is tapped and plugged.

[TranzAm]

thats what I thought. i just bought a freeze plug just in case.

[Eric P]

Mine too. I'm pretty sure that is the oil galley for the "IN" side of the filter. They have to bore it from the front to get the galley and then plug it at the entry point in front.

[banzai510(hainz)]

heres mine
put on tensioer also then adjust the slack side guid again
tensioner should be IN all the way.

[TranzAm]

Great guys!Im glad that I noticed this before I started the motor.
should I tap this and stick a pipe fitting in, or will a plug, hammered in be fine? Also should I coat the plug with some kind of sealant? thanks.

[Byron510]

A taped hole for a socket head style pipe plug is perfect, but you have to make sure the plug doesn't go in too far, or you'll block the oil from getting to the #1 main bearing. Look inside that oil gallery hole, you'll see an intersecting hole that heads to the #1 main bearing, if you block this, no oil will get there and you'll have about 30 seconds on your motor before it fails! Careful here: You'll need to disassemble the motor to clean out the shaving from taping the hole, and you'll also need to look (or use some wire to probe) up from the #1 main to make sure all is ok. There's a matching plug at the rear of the oil gallery as well.

Byron

[goichi1]

wouldn't the seal keep it from leaking once you put the front cover on? does it cover that area?

[TranzAm]

I should probably check to see if that one is there too then.
The motor is already together for the most part. Wont a freeze plug style plug work? isnt that what they used from the factory anyways? If so should I use some kind of sealant like high tack?

[TranzAm]

not with the timing cover I have. It would just spew oil out of it as fast as the pump could pump it.

wouldn't the seal keep it from leaking once you put the front cover on? does it cover that area?