https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...e2dd3bc675.jpg

yea,,again not sure on gen 5 or 6,,,
but yea like your old 454...those hole are to get a little oil to that interface between timing chain and block.
years ago , i that same issue , cam wore into my block.in my super gas car,,, my same machine got me a thrust washer to put behind timing chain.
now ,,you can get that thrust washer as part of timing chain gear.
also,, i hate to say this,,,but you better see what is in your oil filter. hopefully your filter caught any metal from timing chain.
i had similar issue when i destroyed my valley baffles. i had metal in filter,,,so i rebuilt that motor again.

yea those plugs...
what are your motors gen 5 or 6??

new and my old ones are gen 4.
I ran motors about 2 hrs the changed oil and filters. cut open one of those sunday does have metal in filter. Filters in motor now have maybe 1.5 - 2hrs will pull those this weekend.going to pump rest of oil out of motors and check pan with endoscope also.

sounds like a plan

good luck

Put a scope down down in the motor seen enough it's coming out. Looks like the rod caps been hitting the oil pan baffle. Fuu me.
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...cb508ed9fc.jpg

Thanks for all the help guys. I really appreciate it!

ahhhh,, bummmer chris,,,
but ,,for all the money that goes into building these motors,,,,,,,you got to be safe than sorry.

who built these motors,,no way they didn't know the con rod bolts were hitting the windage tray.hate to say it,,you bought a pile of parts.have the rotating assembly's balance can't trust anything in these motors.

Glen Self Racing in Oklahoma did the rebuild. I agree they did not get anything right on the too end , sure the bottom is no better. Tear em down and start over.