Some of you may have read the post about the 406 I am building. I got so many comments about turning it into a 4-bolt. I just can not afford to to it. It would have cost me over 600 dollars. The engine builder I deal with is really cool, and he told me to come overand he will teach me to use his bridgeport. He said we can do everything but align hone it. I am going to use a stepped cap to eliminate one machine process. Well, the question is, How is this done? Do I use the bolt holes as a guide? Any tips are welcome. He has a cap cutter too. I have never used a machinery like this before. Thanks

http://www.milodon.com/manuals/angleboltmaincaps.pdf

The above link makes it sound pretty easy but,,,

This is not a real easy deal.
I noticed you said he can do everything except linehone.
The block will have to be linebored before linehoning.
The stepped caps are a pain in the ass to install correctly.
You either need to correct the block or hand fit each cap to the register on each side at each position.
It is much easier to put the block in the mill & correct it so all caps can be cut the same.
As long as it is in the mill you might as well cut it for the flat caps as setting the block up is the hard part, cutting it is a piece of cake in comparison.
I hate installing splayed caps & damn near every time I do I am tempted to send the block to Carl at CNC Machine,,, It takes me almost an entire day & it takes him like 20 minutes to install the caps :(

For some reason that page wont come up for me. The link works. ? He is going to help me. I was just seeing if I could get some knowledge before just jumping in. So the bottom of the caps need to be cut? To fit the block, or to make the bore size small enough to bore/hone? He said he had cap cutters, so we can get it within a couple thousanths. The the finish hone will be sent out.

Originally posted by iwantachevelle:
For some reason that page wont come up for me. The link works. ? He is going to help me. I was just seeing if I could get some knowledge before just jumping in. So the bottom of the caps need to be cut? To fit the block, or to make the bore size small enough to bore/hone? He said he had cap cutters, so we can get it within a couple thousanths. The the finish hone will be sent out. =

No, the caps don't need to be cut so the bore will be small enough.
They come about 30thou small.
The registers in the block are not all the same so you either need to machine the cap so it sits in the original register with the outside part of cap sitting about .001 above the block & you will need to fit each one to this or you need to machine the block so all the registers are the same distance from the pan rail surface & then machine the caps so they are all this same distance plus about .001 so they bottom in the register before they touch the upper step which is the pan rail height.
Or,,, you buy the flat cap & machine the register out to the width of the new cap minus about .003-.005 for a "press fit" into your newly machined register.
This is actually much easier in my opinion.
Almost forgot, you also may need to machine the original register for this .005 side interference or machine the cap for it.
Then you need to LINE BORE NOT HONE the main journals & then they can be finish honed the final few thou to size.
As I said, this is not a simple bolt on & hone deal ;)

I would highly suggest you practice on a scrap block before starting if your machinist hasn't done these before smile.gif