Are these holes SUPPOSED to be there?

[Black Mage]

Ok I tore my 3400 down to the block, right above the cam the metal looks as though it is erroded. Is the block cast that way?

I'll post pictures in a second.

[bszopi]

Not a great pic of the valley, but this is what it normally looks like (I was taking a pic of the new lower manifold gasket)....

[Black Mage]

Ah- that's how it looks. Edges are alot rougher though.

Thanks man!

[bszopi]

I just got home, so I dediced to try to take a better picture...

[v6h.o.]

the holes are for oil return, the rest is just casting flash.

[GPXSS]

thats the first thing you attack with the die grinder when cleaning up a block, just casting crap left behind.