Oil drain screens, restrictors, valley vent tubes?

[Owen]

These things go in the drainback in the heads right? They make sense, but don't you also have to keep checking them to make sure they aren't clogged? If they are, you've got a problem but at least you've isolated it to the heads.

 

The restrictors, I assume, simply restrict oil from building up in the heads. And the vent tubes...do these work?

 

Waste of money for a street car? I think the screens would be good insurance though.

 

Owen

[TimZ]

Originally posted by Owen:

The restrictors, I assume, simply restrict oil from building up in the heads. And the vent tubes...do these work?

 

The restrictors do more than just prevent oil from building up in the heads - they are most likely there in order to maintain oil pressure at the mains.

[Mike C]

Restrictors keep more oil in the bottom end of the motor. They also reduce windage since less oil flows from the heads back into the sump. They should only be used with roller rockers and mechanical lifter camshafts. I have B&B restrictors in my motor. It has been in my car for 14 years, but probably has only 10-12k miles on the whole setup, but almost all on the street. The vents can be dangerous on a street motor since extra oil runs throught the holes and onto the camshaft. Unless you break something, the screens should never clog since their (theoretcially) shouldn't be anything in the motor to clog them up.

[Owen]

Thanks! That reduces my To Buy list by $30 or so.

 

Owen