Hypothetical question about stroker build-up. Engine Builders welcome...

[5spd GT]

Well due to the fact that my car is my only car I try to keep downtime to as little as possible

Now let's say that I go the stroker route (331 or 347) and want to use my stock block. I tear it down remove the rotating assembly and have the block. I would get the block bored .030 over by a local machine shop. Is their anyway that I could get an engine builder (like Rick91GT) or someone proficient with strokers and does them on 5.0L's as a living to setup up the rotating assembly (rings gapped/oil ring placement) like it needs to be or do they need the block to do that. I thought it would be ideal to have the rotating assembly all prepped up and then just have someone install it. Does that compremise the reliability of the engine or is the install just an install. Would the "pro" need the block?

I hope this made sense...thanks for any ideas

 

[bluevenom867]

If it was me,I wouldnt even atempted it without the block.

My uncle and I built the 408,we had a DART Iron Eagle block and a Eagle 408 stroker kit with all the up-grades.The block come 4" (std) bore,with the 2.749 Cleveland crank journals and 9.5" (plus a couple of thousanths).When we got the parts,we sent the block to the machine shop had it bored and honed,freeze plugs installed,ect.Well,after cleaning it and preaping the block we set the bearings in (main) and get the crank in and caps torqued down.Check the plastigauge and what do you know,it had less than a thousanths clearance...not good.So we go and get the "XH" bearing (the bearings are Clevit 77),whicth is supposed to be "extra oiling" from what the eagle tech said.We we cleaned the block,set the new bearings in and the crank,torqued it all down.It was still under two thousanths.

So we ended up having the block line honed in order to get the proper clearance.

If you send the block out,or better yet,get another block and send it to the person builing it.It would probably be faster and less stressful.

 

[Grn92LX]

He needs the block to mock up the assembly and be sure theres no clearance issues with the rod bolts. You can send Rick your block or have him supply one and you send yours so he won't charge you a core charge. Whatever machine shop does it, they'll go through all the necessary machine work to do it right.

 

[5spd GT]

So they do need the block? So I figure I could do an "even" swap for the blocks. Or I could just pay for the block and sell the worn-out shortblock I have...will see.

How about this: I could get numbers with all the gappings/clearances/torques and give them to the machine shop to do...or that is basically like the first question I asked. They wouldn't know until they did it.

Keep them coming...

I don't think it will be quicker if I sent my block off...because I would have the machine shop ready for my block. Pull it the same day. No mail time.

 

[bluevenom867]

So they do need the block? So I figure I could do an "even" swap for the blocks. Or I could just pay for the block and sell the worn-out shortblock I have...will see.

How about this: I could get numbers with all the gappings/clearances/torques and give them to the machine shop to do...or that is basically like the first question I asked. They wouldn't know until they did it.

Keep them coming...

I don't think it will be quicker if I sent my block off...because I would have the machine shop ready for my block. Pull it the same day. No mail time.

Why not have the parts sent to the machine shop then?

Only thing is then, your not having someone who works on these kinda of motors everday building it.You got a guy that just re-buit his sbc for his daily driver truck builing it.Which is fine-until something goes wrong...

 

[bluevenom867]

Ok,heres and example.

The machine shop we went to is very reputable and does work on alot of custom/race cars.

Differance between them and the junk shop was little stuff.Like they wanted the pistons befor they would even bore/hone the block.

 

[5spd GT]

Why not have the parts sent to the machine shop then?

Only thing is then, your not having someone who works on these kinda of motors everday building it.You got a guy that just re-buit his sbc for his daily driver truck builing it.Which is fine-until something goes wrong...

That is what I'm pointing out...I guess I wasn't clear.

I want somebody to set the ring gaps/give me torques/etc...that do this all the time but in AR there isn't any shops that I know of that do 347's regularly or are familiar with my tight daily driver wants.

 

[bluevenom867]

That is what I'm pointing out...I guess I wasn't clear.

I want somebody to set the ring gaps/give me torques/etc...that do this all the time but in AR there isn't any shops that I know of that do 347's regularly or are familiar with my tight daily driver wants.

Then your best having a short block built and sent to you,unless you want to do it your self.

We sold the 86' 302 long block with GT40 intake and "Cobra" roller rockers for bout $1200.So a "good" short block should get like $500?

 

[5spd GT]

I just wanted the rotating assembly (like the piston ring/oil pin areas all done) so alls they had to do was bore and make the crank clearances...and rod clearances themselves. I just want the piston (possible oil blow-by problem) as close to obsolete.

I could use my stock block and have the rotating assembly setup by a "pro" and then have the machine shop put it together.

 

[bluevenom867]

I just wanted the rotating assembly (like the piston ring/oil pin areas all done) so alls they had to do was bore and make the crank clearances...and rod clearances themselves. I just want the piston (possible oil blow-by problem) as close to obsolete.

I could use my stock block and have the rotating assembly setup by a "pro" and then have the machine shop put it together.

You cant set-up a rotating assembly for a block with out having it.Either send to block to the pro or the rotating assemble to the machine shop.

Its just to many veriables when two defferant shops are seting up two differant parts.

 

[Grn92LX]

.

 

[tjm73]

Were I an engine builder I wouldn't touch this project.

Is there a reason you can't/don't want to set up the rotating assembly yourself? It's not difficult if you take your time and make sure you are doing all the right things in the right order.

You might want to consider a shortblock setup if you choose not to do it yourself.

 

[5spd GT]

David, you want someone who you know knows their sh it with these small block Fords. Thats where Rick shines! If you're serious, send him an Email and discuss your goals and he'll recommend the parts. You'll most likely end up with a scat cast crank, probe pistons and either the basic scat I beam or upgrade to lighter probe rods like I did. You don't need a heavier forged crank in a stock block.

What are you looking to do? N/a afr 165 headed 331/347? Or you looking to supercharge it?

I'm thinking N/A (which changes the engine setup. I would probably get something very similar to yours. I got hired for a new job today so I can pull in a bit more money...but I need to get some little things taken care of on my ride to make it more enjoyable...and then hit the stroker idea.

tjm73 - This is my only car and I would rather a machinist do the work (atleast on the bottom end) than me. I'm not skilled in that area. I am going to do the rest (since I have did it before anyways)...easy stuff. I'm trying to keep downtime to as little as possible...

 

[kck6894]

If your not skilled in doing this type of work you need to have a professionial do it. Aside for fitting the parts there are TONS more things that need to be done to a block before it will handle a hight performance stroker engine. If your worried about down time go buy a core short block and send it off and have it built. Then you can still drive your car till the engie is built. It will be $100 well spent.

 

[5spd GT]

If your not skilled in doing this type of work you need to have a professionial do it. Aside for fitting the parts there are TONS more things that need to be done to a block before it will handle a hight performance stroker engine. If your worried about down time go buy a core short block and send it off and have it built. Then you can still drive your car till the engie is built. It will be $100 well spent.

When it came down to it I think I could do it (just lots of research). I work on my car and do this kind of work regularly but something as important as the bottomend is to risky for what I need my car for. Friends 02 Gt runs nice after we put the supercharger on this past weekend. I have fun doing it...

So a block is only $100 bucks roughly? I could do that...

 

[txstang84]

if you've got local junk yards then yes, you should be able to find a good usable block for less than $100...i picked one out of the yard for $50 here, and the only thing wrong with it was a couple years of dust...

 

[kck6894]

I am not saying you can't do it. Just that on something like that it's better to leave it to the professionials. I know when you get into things like restriciting the oiling system, "Correctly" sizing the bearings (plastigauge doesn't cut it) , and all the grinding on the block for the correct clearances on a 347, and so on can get pretty tedious.

You should be able to get a core short block from a junky yard for about $100. Money well spent!!

 

[syburstang]

Each piston/rings should be gapped to the cylinder they are going in. Thats the way I do it anyways. I'm super anal though. If I were you I would either buy a block from the shop you are getting the work done at or send them a junkyard or new block, that way they can have everything gapped and notched for that block.