Bearing inspection after drag and drive event

[MrHorspwer]

Video from Steve Morris doing a bearing inspection/replacement after Cleetus took his El Camino to Midwest Drag Week



Engine is a twin turbo Steve Morris 540 Chevrolet big block running methanol. Made 2,000+ whp on Cleet's dyno. Car runs high-6's @ 200+. This was after Midwest Drag Week, which had about 15 passes and about 800 miles of street driving.

From earlier videos, engine oil is Driven GP-1 20w50 (changed often, maybe every day of the event). Oil temps during street driving were 220+ with the bash plate that protects the oil pan installed. Temps dropped to 200ish with the plate removed. With the high engine oil temp and lighter viscosity (it's mentioned in the video that straight 70 is the usual choice), Steve chose to tighten up the main clearance to gain back some oil pressure. Oil pressure with the hot oil wasn't low enough to hurt anything, but it was low enough that he wanted more for street driving.

 

[Alcharger]

Thanks for posting. Interesting to watch a pro change out and inspect bearings.

For clarification, the "bash plate" is an oil containment pan, required at this HP level. It is made from aluminum They also took the opportunity to gain some aerodynamics with the pan.

I have a similar containment pan on my drag car. It did it's job when an engine let loose at 150 MPH this spring at Orlando.

It was interesting he only picked up 1 PSI at idle after tightening up the main bearings and fixing the oil pan. I trust Steve Morris, if he says "SEND IT" it's good.

 

[BornSlippy]

Tom Bailey recommended HPL Lubricants oil to Cleetus which is what he has been running in the new 540.