If you’re rebuilding a GM LS engine, then pay special attention to what is commonly called the “dogbone” or “barbell” in the main oiling system passage into the oil filter.
Why?
When they cast the block, GM engineers had to machine a front-to-back passage for the oil to flow from the pump in front to the filter in the rear.
Since that passage is essentially a straight path though the block, GM installed a barbell-looking plug in the back as a way to divert oil coming from the pump into the oil filter first, before sending it out into the engine.
If yours is worn or leaking, it could be sending unfiltered oil past the barbell’s seal and right back into your engine—which can cause some major oil contamination issues.
Worse yet, if you forget to re-install it during a rebuild, you’re going to have all sorts of oil pressure and flow problems.
So, suffice it to say, this little guy is really, really important.
And while the stock oil galley plug from GM works well enough, Summit Racing found a way to make it even better with its Summit Racing LS Oil Galley Barbell Plug Kit.
This upgraded barbell’s stem has a smaller diameter than the stock one, with a smoother radius around the end, to improve oil flow.
Better still, unlike the stock plastic one, the Summit Racing LS barbell plug is made from billet aluminum for better durability. (The kit comes with a solid plug to delete the filter bypass in the oil pan too.)
But here’s the best part: This kit doesn’t cost a whole lot, so it’s an easy upgrade over the stock barbell plug while you’re digging into the engine.
At any rate, if you’re working on an LS engine, you should remove and examine your barbell plug anyway—which makes replacing it with a Summit Racing LS barbell plug a smart upgrade that’s easy on your wallet.
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