The V8 Owners Forum -

The answer to this may be stupidly obvious but .......
Is there any reason why you (I) couldn't run a 3.5 with a 3.9 fuel injection set up standing on end with the waterpump on top. Apart from altering the sump and pick up ( let's just assume this can be done ) fitting large (ish) diameter oil drains from the rear (bottom) of the heads into the sump. I can't see an issue. Crank has thrust bearings both sides of centre main , camshaft would just sit there as it does normally. I have an option to buy a 200hp outboard motor with a chundered powerhead ( it's got rods and bits of pistons hanging out of it ) for absolutely #uck all ,an I got all these rover donks lying round , and my eye on an equally cheap boat with no motor mmmmmm just thinkin

I'd be surprised if the various thrust bearings were up to it? It's probably the sort of thing those who build aircraft would know?

I did think of that but the thrusts can handle the loads applied by using the clutch and it takes a fair bit to spring that diaphragm , certainly more than the weight of the crank and rods.
Seven marine have been fitting small block chev engines to outboard legs for yonks but they lay em out normal and have some flash harry right angle trans thing .......they also cost near on a hundred grand (u.s. ) ,and some of them are well over 600hp.
I guess if one had all the machinery and the time needed to do the job at home (which I don't )something useful may be forthcomming

I would imagine coolant flow would be compromised and need attention, and definitely it would have a negative effect on thrusts. Although maybe there could be something made to counter all the weight constantly acting one direction

I would have thought it would be fine. You would have fun with oil return to whereever you collect it from possibly! and I dare say the rocker covers would leak like a bugger at the bottom!

Chris.

The coolant is a sealed system , as long as there are no air locks not an issue ,although if height or drive belt clearance is problematic an electric pump could be used......I'd rather not spend the money there tho .
I hadn't considered leaking rocker covers, might have to get a bit clever with the gaskets.
Just been thinkin about all the vertical crankshaft engines I have worked on and none of them had anything flash for thrusts ....Inc the splash oil feed engines, and 2 strokes which have nothing but the oil in the fuel for lubing their thrust bearings.
One thing I do think there would be issues with would be getting and keeping the oil pump primed because the oil would have to be lifted the length of the block and a bit more. I have an idea for a oil header tank sort of thing.

How about a dry sump type system where the drains all go back to a tank and the main oil,pump draws from there?

Ian