Overkill?

[Moritz]

Still sorting a timing chain tensioner issue, and I'm ready to put on a new tensioner and button things up. While I'm better than 50% sure my issue was a bind in the tensioner cylinder bit that slides along a groove in the block, I can't help wonder if I have an issue with the oil feed to the piston from the block (the tensioner is driven by oil pressure, weirdly enough). I have blown some carb cleaner into the tensioner piston oil feed port from the block (to make sure I don't have a plug), some did make it's way into the block and dripped on the garage floor (the pan is off of course), which is good as I figure the gallery must be close to terminating at that point. So downstream is clear. I'm wondering if there might be a plug in the oil gallery feeding the piston (upstream) and I'm considering pulling the oil pump and blowing air through the gallery to see if any comes out of this port in the block. Wouldn't run air pressures higher than 50 psig,

It's a freshly rebuilt engine, don't think there's a problem, but has anybody ever done this? Overkill?

Thanks

[Moritz]

Gonna answer my own question. Yes sir, it's overkill. The Gallery opening to this port is maybe a quarter inch. You can stick a welding rod up it. I think you probably did have a plug, but one directly into the tensioner, further, if you had oil loss upstream the tensioner you probably would have spun your front main bearing as it's two inches away. Blowing carb cleaner in there was good, maybe blasting some air as well....but blowing air through the whole gallery seems excessive....further being a bit rough on the wife who you'd have feeling for air from the oil port on the tensioner side...screaming that there was flow through a 50 psi cloud of oil and air.

[michelle]

yes, but if you didnt do it, you would always be wondering..........

[Moritz]

Thanks conscience, just about had myself talked out of it. I am going to pull the oil pump and look at it anyway...basically because I can at this point, and IF....IF...I see an easy way to put some pressure on the gallery I will.