[gatorr]

My Merlin block arrived and now its time to build a engine. Here is what i was thinking of doing. Any in put would be appreciated.
557cid
4.5 bore
4.375 stroke
4.5 mahle flat top pistons
6.385 eagle rods
AFR 305 cnc heads
2902 victor jr intake
holley hp 1000 annular boosters
hooker 2 in primary with 3.5 in collector
comp cam .254 .260 at .050 with .660 lift
Going in my 68 chevelle(just waiting for paint then i will have it home)
12 bolt with 3.73
I know their is a lot of expierence on this board so i thought i would ask if their would be something to change.

 

[Wolfplace]

My Merlin block arrived and now its time to build a engine. Here is what i was thinking of doing. Any in put would be appreciated.
557cid
4.5 bore
4.375 stroke
4.5 mahle flat top pistons
6.385 eagle rods
AFR 305 cnc heads
2902 victor jr intake
holley hp 1000 annular boosters
hooker 2 in primary with 3.5 in collector
comp cam .254 .260 at .050 with .660 lift
Going in my 68 chevelle(just waiting for paint then i will have it home)
12 bolt with 3.73
I know their is a lot of expierence on this board so i thought i would ask if their would be something to change.

=
What is the plan?
This is all assuming you want what the engine is capable of.
In general,
Heads are too small
Cam is too small & looks like an XE street roller. You do not want the shelf cam, it is a cast core one
Intake is too small
Headers are too small
Why a flat top unless you are cutting the heads.
What Mahle piston are you planning on using with your stroke?

 

[Tom Mobley]

yeppers, that's Mike for ya, he'll definitely help clarify your thinking. And pay attention to that aprt about not using a CC retail box roller.

 

[GRN69CHV]

When you get to buttoning it up, I talked to the guys at Stef's regarding a pan to fit a stock chassis. They will produce a pan for you, deep sump & kicked out with a notch to clear the oil filter w/ integral windage tray that will fit a 4.375 crank in a stock chassis. You may want to check with them first, they also knew all the details on which rods would give the best clearance. This is a more common build than you would think.

 

[BillsCamino]

Heads are too small
Cam is too small & looks like an XE street roller. You do not want the shelf cam, it is a cast core one
Intake is too small
Headers are too small

:yes:
So is the carb.

 

[Wolfplace]

When you get to buttoning it up, I talked to the guys at Stef's regarding a pan to fit a stock chassis. They will produce a pan for you, deep sump & kicked out with a notch to clear the oil filter w/ integral windage tray that will fit a 4.375 crank in a stock chassis. You may want to check with them first, they also knew all the details on which rods would give the best clearance. This is a more common build than you would think.

=
Yes it is a pretty simple deal & Stef's has some killer pans, we are a dealer for them but I still want to know what Mahle piston is going to be used & unless it is for a truck why the flat top?
With a 120+cc head it is going to be about 9.5 & this is assuming you zero deck it

Nothing wrong with this if it is what you want & it will still make killer torque but this engine as listed is going to drop like a rock at about 5000-5500 at a rough guess.

 

[ToyzRMe]

Since you're asking for opinions..........here goes.

I am currently driving a 540 that I built. Having built bunches of small and big-inch smallblocks and 396-472-454 style engines, I let that thinking flavor my parts selection for my first 540 build. I figured that I needed midrange torque to move the 3700+lb. A-body that the engine was destined for.

Let me tell you what. That was a big error. The cam/intake/heads that I used are better sized for a 510 IMHO.

The end result is a car that is absolutely miserable to try and get traction with, even though I'm using 10x29 Hoosier slicks, and has found every weak driveline component rear of the torque converter.

DO NOT be afraid to use larger cam/heads/intake/carb. These things will swallow up air and fuel at an unbelieveable rate. If you limit the breathing, it will have monstrous torque but die off early. The problem with this is that it's almost impossible to hook up on the street and it will require ALL top shelf parts from the torque converter to the tires.

My current combo WILL pull HARD to 6800+, but if I do it over, I definitely will use more cam/head/intake.

BTW, my current 540 uses a larger cam/head/intake/carb than what you've picked out, but your combo is LARGER than mine. My smaller 540 NEEDS bigger stuff. You may want to re-think your selection. That big bore and long stroke will produce all the power you can stand on the street. I PROMISE.

Call Mike (Wolfplace). He'll point you in the right direction and save you some bucks in the process. Very good guy.

You can P.M me if you need more specifics.

Randy

(P.S.) Don't forget to set aside money for brake system upgrades. You WILL need it!

 

[gatorr]

I really do appreciate all the feedback i have received. To answer some questions that was asked the purpose of this engine is to make it streetable as it will be driven alot on the street with some runs down the track. Here we have on friday nights is pay your $25 bucks and line up with whoever wants to race as many times as you want at the track.
AFR 305 heads were chosen because they flow the right amount of air the lift we want.
Definately changed my mind on the cam and will go with a billet core cam , numbers still not decided
On the dyno will try other intakes like the weiand team g and a big dart with a dominator
Headers chosen as they are the largest i have found that will run inside the frame rail.
Heads will be milled to 110cc to increase compression to 10.2- 1.
Mahle piston flat top part number BBC 230500F03.
The Stefs pan is already here custom made for that stroke(very fast less than 3 weeks)
The smaller carb for better throttle response.
Please let me know what you would change and with what as i havent purchased a lot of the parts i was thinking about using as this is my first build and wanted opinions before i proceed.

 

[Wolfplace]

I really do appreciate all the feedback i have received. To answer some questions that was asked the purpose of this engine is to make it streetable as it will be driven alot on the street with some runs down the track. Here we have on friday nights is pay your $25 bucks and line up with whoever wants to race as many times as you want at the track.
AFR 305 heads were chosen because they flow the right amount of air the lift we want.
Definately changed my mind on the cam and will go with a billet core cam , numbers still not decided
On the dyno will try other intakes like the weiand team g and a big dart with a dominator
Headers chosen as they are the largest i have found that will run inside the frame rail.
Heads will be milled to 110cc to increase compression to 10.2- 1.
Mahle piston flat top part number BBC 230500F03.
The Stefs pan is already here custom made for that stroke(very fast less than 3 weeks)
The smaller carb for better throttle response.
Please let me know what you would change and with what as i havent purchased a lot of the parts i was thinking about using as this is my first build and wanted opinions before i proceed.

=
That is the piston, it is pretty new & most don't even know it exists yet
It will be .002 out with no decking.
This has all pretty much been said but,,,

I just do not understand your reasoning behind the heads?
What does the lift you are running have to do with the size of the heads?
This is not how you pick a port.

Again, if you are planning on 5500 or so RPM these will be fine but with this weenie cam & small heads you are just choking the crap out of your engine,, especially the heads.
Do you have the heads already?

If not you might email me.
If you don't want to take my word for this call Tony Mamo & ask, he designed the heads but I can guarantee you what his answer will be

 

[gatorr]

Well this why i have been asking questions. I have definetly changed my mind. I talked to the guy helping me with project and told him what you and others have said and he totaly understands where your coming from. He wanted to build a torque monster but after hearing some of your expierance having problems with hooking up iam for sure wanting to change the torque curve higher in the RPM,s.I will rethink this whole build and go for the bigger heads, cam, intake and carb and of course bigger headers.
toyzRME i did the brakes already new drums in the back and SSBC slotted rotor dics up front.

 

[GRN69CHV]

gatorr, reason I brought up the pan issue is, when I talked to Stef's (I have a 4.310 bore GM tall deck here that I am considering a build with a 4.375 crank), they acknowledged certain rods to have more clearance due to design. Quite frankly, I was on the road on a cell phone when I called them, never wrote it down and forgot the details. Just curious what rods you are using in the build and how this does fit together.

 

[HP Hunter]

That piston is designed for a 10.200" block and it may be some months away. Having first hand dealings with Mahle I can say you'll be lucky if it's made any time this year.

They seem to have the slowest production schedules of anyone. There is one big builder in the country who has the contacts to get it done faster.

I would go to plan B for the pistons.

Harry P. Hunter

 

[gatorr]

gatorr, reason I brought up the pan issue is, when I talked to Stef's (I have a 4.310 bore GM tall deck here that I am considering a build with a 4.375 crank), they acknowledged certain rods to have more clearance due to design. Quite frankly, I was on the road on a cell phone when I called them, never wrote it down and forgot the details. Just curious what rods you are using in the build and how this does fit together.

The rods we were thinking of using are Eagle H-Beam 6.385. As soon as i figure out the heads to use this build can get under way.

 

[gatorr]

Anyone have expirence with Pro comp 3021 heads?

 

[GRN69CHV]

Kind of assumed Eagle rods. Haven't studied the rods side by side, but if I have it correct, you will need the upgraded bolts (L19??) as these actually have smaller heads. You should try and find out how Shafirhoff is buildng the 572 short deck motor - it uses the 4.375 crank also.

 

[540Hotrod]

I'm with the others....go BIG!!! You have to forget about the common numbers you're used to thinking about. As mentioned above.....smaller stuff will just make a great big motorhome motor. A good friend of mine followed all the "Magazine type" TQ is everything lead and built a flat top 540 with GM/Edelbrock aluminum rectangular ports, a mid 230's Hyd roller, a GM dual plane, 850 vacuum carb, 1-7/8" headers etc etc. The thing was incredible right off idle..but peaked HP at 4900 rpm and only made 410 RWHP there. It was down to the low 300's by 5500!!!!

Changing just the intake a Holley Strip Dominator...still small...but it picked up 30 RWHP! A 1000HP Holley picked up 17 RWHP over the 850. Porting heads helped....finally got it to the 500 RWHP range.

Putting AFR 357's on it didn't lose anything down low...and started adding mroe up top. Cam change helped even more....

My 540 is using a set of Brodix 2Xtra's that have been professionally ported. They are 377cc now....trust me .....no lack of bottom end. Plus I have a ported Super Victor and a Dominator...along with a 266/272 Solid roller cam. I have a stick and 3.07 rear gears...again...it drives fine.

Match the parts to move things up a little. The first version of mine peaked at 731 HP @ 6200 rpm and was down to 595 or so by 7000 rpm. Died quickly!! New version is making 200+HP more at 7000 rpm now and still makes same peak TQ numbers.


JIM