Your favorite(?) over-thinker/under-doer/over-typer is back with more questions.

Intro/current status of my van’s engine
Vibration damper on my ’81 hydraulic lifter 225 has been pulled. No grooving, which is good, but there’s a question on that below.

Very obvious from the dried-up oil spray pattern behind the damper that the front crankshaft seal was leaking. Further verified once the old seal was removed from the timing cover: old seal slides easily on and off the crankshaft. New one (not yet lubed) resists even starting.

No oil slinger, being an ’81. I’ve spent the last several days reading 30+ existing posts here about oil slingers and timing set oiling. This post is meant to be a summary of salient points + some questions i have which were unanswered by any posts i found.


Question 1: Will adding an oil slinger to a newer engine which never had one deprive the new seal design of enough oil that it will groove the vibration damper shaft more or faster?

This post from Craig in 2004 states in part: My ’81 Truck factory service manual says nothing whatsoever about timing chain/sprocket oiling that i can find.

In this post Slant Six Dan explains: I’ve found no information on the nature of the front seal redesign. Guessing mostly better (in theory) oil control, so they could delete the slinger and save $. True? Other reasons for the change?

Reason for my question: i’ve read (here is one example) about many grooved vibration damper shafts needing a micro sleeve to fix. I’m wondering whether the new seal was designed to be bathed in oil due to the lack of a slinger, which oil bathing might be necessary to minimize cutting one or more grooves in the vibration damper shaft.

Does this theory make any sense at all?

I love the idea of adding an oil slinger to reduce the amount of oil control the front seal has to do and may do so even if a groove gets cut faster, but i’m wondering what it is about some rubber front crankshaft seals and some vibration damper shafts leads to grooving. Anyone know?

General consensus i have read in posts here: All Slant 6es benefit from having an oil slinger installed. Opinions vary on how essential/important it is.


Question 2: How did Chrysler intend timing set oiling to work over the years, and what are today’s best practices for engines old through new, assembled and working (like mine) and being built?

I’ve read in many posts (like this one from Charrlie S) about the chamfer on the #1 main bearing shell, and that it was deleted at a certain point (when?) which may or may not correspond to the oil slinger deletion. My engine likely doesn’t have this, and it’s assembled and working so i won’t be adding it.

Once the chamfer was deleted, how did Chrysler intend that the timing set be oiled?

In terms of mods/improvements, Doc has several:
Drill hole in oil gallery plug: Question 3: Can or Should this be done on a late hydraulic lifter engine that’s fully assembled (other than the timing cover is off and timing sprockets and chain are out)?

Add cam sprocket oil passage Original post has a nice photo. What is not addressed: Drill straight through? At an angle?


Thanks for any information!

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1981 B-150 short Van, stock 225, California emissions package, Electronic Spark Advance (digital Lean Burn), Non-feedback Holley 1945, AT
Driven for economy, not for speed.

Just going from personal experience. I am not sure any of my engines have oil slingers in them. Pretty sure my race engine does not. I have never had front seal leaks as a problemon any of my slant 6 engines. Along the timing cover to pan interface? Yes for sure.

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2 Mopars come with Spark plug tubes. One is a world class, racing machine. The other is a 426 CI. boat anchor!

12.70 @ 104.6

All of the engines I assemble have the chamfer on the bearing and a slinger. That said I wouldn't remove the timing cover (and open a can of worms) just to do that. To add the chamfer, to the bearing, requires dropping the oil pan (another can of worms). If the motor is OK, why bother. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

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Charrlie_S
65 Valiant 100 2dr post 170 turbo
66 Valiant Signet 170 nitrous
64 Valiant Signet
64 Valiant 4dr 170
64 Valiant 4dr 225

Figured this one out myself later in the day: The worn part in the van has a 1/4" hole drilled at approximately a 45° angle: I realized that the big locator slot in many of the new cam sprockets including the one i have serves the same function of letting oil flow, so for me no drilling needed.

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Still wondering how the front crankshaft oil seal can cut grooves in the vibration damper and whether adding an oil slinger might exacerbate that. And whether Chrysler designed sufficient oil flow for the timing set or whether DD’s oil gallery hole drilling is needed/advisable.

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1981 B-150 short Van, stock 225, California emissions package, Electronic Spark Advance (digital Lean Burn), Non-feedback Holley 1945, AT
Driven for economy, not for speed.