Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications 3.0L Duratec '01 3L Block + '99 CSVT Heads = No Oil Supply??

Many apologies if this is a repeat- A search yielded no useable results.

I have posted to the NECO boards my 3L hybrid assembly process here, and I believe that I have a potentially severe oil supply problem to the rear head.

At the bottom of the post, you'll see my 3L/2.5CSVT head comparison. I've numbered all of the corresponding passageways, noting the oil return hole that I had filled and planed by an aluminum welder. The issue comes in an unexpected form.

As you see in the comparison, there is an oil supply line under the hole marked "24" in the 3L head, but there is no corresponding receiver in the CSVT head. This by itself is an issue, but not a huge one, as I can turn the engine upside-down, tap & plug that hole in the block with a cap much like the ones that cover the oil feeds @ the back of the heads.

The problem is this- Is the passageway marked "3" the oil supply line for the SVT heads?

Also- The 3L head gasket has a VERY small hole in the spot marked "3". This won't allow enough oil into the head to pump up the lash adjusters and lubricate the cams? If I widen the hole, how much, and do I affect oil pressure and/or volume to the rest of the engine?

It appears the SVT heads only had this one "3" supply line. That supply line carries oil that has already been through the crank, and is thus substantially hotter than the oil supplied to the front head. Why the difference I wonder?

No need to worry. That hole is not used on the Taurus 3L either. I found that out when I was doing my 3L. You already got the idea of what you need to do, but you can simplify it by just drilling and tapping the hole and fit a screw in there to block it off (cut the head off and seal it with JB weld or whatever). I believe when we first talked about that oil feed line, people said that it is used in the Lincoln LS. The Taurus 3L heads sit right over it so there is no need to plug the line, but the 2.5L heads doesn't cover it so you need to plug it up.

#3's are the feed line for the heads.

BTW, the info can be found in the 3L archieve. It's hiding somewhere in there, not the easiest to find, but they're there.

Additional info can be found in the archives here:
http://www.contour.org/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=3L&Number=2543&page=&view=&sb=5&o=&vc=1

Great info- I will be tapping NPT and loc-titeing (is that even a word?!) an allen plug in there. The last question came from the size of the oil supply hole in the head gasket- Maybe 2 or 3mm in diameter! The actual oil supply and receiver line in the head & block is subtantially larger. Since the 2.5L heads do not have the benefit of a second oil source, should I not widen the main oil passageway in the head gasket? Last thing I need is an oil supply problem to the rear head.

Thanks again in advance.

obicanobi:

That's just my point- The 3L heads have two oil supply lines- The 2.5L has only one. The 3L head gaskets are biased for two. Stands to reason that the one that's used would have to be opened up more than it is now because the head only has that one source of oil.

obi:

Not sure on that- This picture


sure looks like that's an open passageway into the 3L head. I can verify when I get home tonight. If it is open, any suggestions?

That is just the oil return passage. It doesn't affect pressure at all. We plug off the corresponding port in the block.

The oil feed passage is #3 for both heads. The second oil feed passage is at the bottom of the 3L head in your picture that you don't have numbered, and isn't used. Later 99+ 3L blocks have that port but its sealed when the head is put into place. On my 98 3L block there is no passage there on the block. If you have the passage plug it off. If you failed to plug it you will have no pressure to the valve train. If you did plug it off then you should be good.
Perhaps you need to take compressed air and blow air throught the oil feed passage in the heads and make sure it isn't blocked.

The holes you need to plug are pictured here in red circles. It looks like you got the return holes just fine, but the one feed hole needs blocked too. The 3L head is actually just dead space over this hole anyway. The oil feed from that bank actually comes from a hole near the trans side (green circle).