Hitchcocks Forum

Hi All, my ’92 350 SuoerStar basket case is stripped down for new Main bearings and I'm going to install a timing side crank seal to minimise wet-slumping. I've noticed there's no crankcase drain plug. Is this normal? Good idea to drill/tap for one? Any suggestions about the best position for this?

Thanks

Stephen

I think it was around year 2000 that they added a third plug, fitted rearmost to drain the oil tank directly..

This plug not fitted with any filter as purely for drain only..

The two plugs on your 92 have filters fitted and are front the scavenge return which will also drain the crankcase sump.

The rear is the filtered supply to the pump which will also drain the oil tank, although at a slow speed through the oil way..

This is why they fitted the third plug to speed things up and also so the crap could be washed directly out of the tank..

Any coarse threaded plug could be fitted to the tank i suppose with the aid of a dowty seal, but frankly i don't think its much advantage now that the engine is striped and cleaned..

I don't think there's any need to drill and tap another, as Gwilly says, the rear plug also drains the oil tank . Redditch ones had a forward facing plug under the cooling fins, you can see the space for it on your Indian casing. Not sure if the alloy is still thicker here though, but the tank drains quick enough without it.

Hello Stephen,
When I gave my CO engine to Egli's, to have some improvements in the bottom area, he welded threaded alloy buttons in the bottom of the oil tank to accept magnetic plugs. That is in my mind a good idea to keep the magnetic swarf away of the conrod bearing. When I see what the magnet has kept when draining the engine, I'm really happy of my investment.. Hope it will help you in your decision. Claude