440 rod bearing..?

[Dukes2fast]

I just got new .020 undersize rod bearings for a 440. The old bearing have a small notch for the oil spurt hole in the rod cap. The new ones do not. Clevite 77 Tri-metal bearings. Is this an issue? Chevy guy at the machine shop said some GM's have the hole some don't. It was his opinion it is not an issue. I just looking for some of your opinions.

[charger_dan]

something sounds fishy.
you need that slot in your bearing to allow oil feed through rod
for cylinder wall lubrication. maybe your bearing set is defective
(missed that step of the process)? far as i know, every big block
rod bearing utilized this design.

either way, you'd probably be better off not listening to chevy builders
in the future...

anyone here know any different?

[John Kunkel]

You'll find quite a few bearings nowadays without the oil feed notch, contemporary thinking is that it's not needed.

Most, if not all, aftermarket rods don't even have the groove.

[perfmachst]

hello, with todays low tension rings, you can't put tons of oil on cylinder walls
the oil holes in the bearing is not needed any more. like he says, after market rods do not have a hole in them.there is enough oil splashing around in the motor to lube the bores. nothing fishy about any thing.

[benno318]

from what i have noticed, the main reason modern engines (mainly import turbo crap) would have a similar oil hole in the bearing shell is for oil to spray the underside of the piston crown for cooling. i agree with perf. machinist about the rings requiring less oil, and there is plenty flying about down there from the rod lubrication anyway. my guess - typical chrysler engineering overkill, and id say the lubrication would be adequate without it.
ben simpson

[Dukes2fast]

Thanks for the responses.. I feel better about it now.

[charger_dan]

Originally Posted by John Kunkel

You'll find quite a few bearings nowadays without the oil feed notch, contemporary thinking is that it's not needed.

Most, if not all, aftermarket rods don't even have the groove.

i had no idea. thanks for setting me straight. would someone mind
elaborating a little on the low-tension design rings? i'm curious to
hear more.