[lance-w]

I'm sitting here at work bored off my azz. So I got to thinking about the engine I've been slowly piecing together. My goal was to build a 496. But daydreaming I was thinking about spending the money to get the 4 bolt block I already have machined/prepped for the pistons and everything else versus just buying an aftermarket block and going bigger. I already bought a really nice 4.25 stroke internally balanced crank and a set of strong 6.385 rods. I haven't bought pistons yet. So correct me if I'm wrong but if I was to say buy a 4.500 bore block I'd be at 540 right? I looked at a few websites and it seems they sell "Nodular iron" and "Ductile iron" blocks (can't afford aluminum). What would the positives and negatives of one or the other be? Doesn't seem like there's a huge difference in price between them.
Another question I have is that I've never run a roller cam before. Are there special provisions you need to have machined in the block to go with a roller cam? Assuming the answer is yes.... Do the aftermarket blocks come pre-machined for this? I know Roller cams are more expensive but if I pop for the aftermaket block WTH I might as well spend the money to go roller too.

Anyways I guess I'm looking for a little education here at the next level of BBC performance

Thanks, Lance

 

[1Fast7D]

But daydreaming I was thinking about spending the money to get the 4 bolt block I already have machined/prepped for the pistons and everything else versus just buying an aftermarket block and going bigger. I already bought a really nice 4.25 stroke internally balanced crank and a set of strong 6.385 rods. I haven't bought pistons yet. So correct me if I'm wrong but if I was to say buy a 4.500 bore block I'd be at 540 right?

Thanks, Lance

Yes, 4.5 bore x 4.25 stroke is 540cid. What are your goals? See this thread on aftermarket blocks http://www.chevelles.com/forums/showthread.php?t=106699

 

[540Hotrod]

If you get that far and want to save a few $$, I have a buddy with a real nice set of flat top forged pistons for that combo that he could make you a deal on. Very low miles and I *think* they are coated. I know it seems weird to buy used pistons, but these are like new. He just decided to change whole combo and they wouldn't work for new setup.

JIM

 

[Bad Rat 414]

My machinest mention something to me yesterday when I told him I was going to make a 496 stroker. He said to be carfull when you run some roller cams. You have to check the clearance between the crank and the cam lobes for interfearance. I guess it's something to keep in mind.

 

[Bob West]

I think the cam clearance is critical on a smallblock, lots of room in a big block.

 

[kboorman]

I think the cam clearance is critical on a smallblock, lots of room in a big block.

Yes, I believe it's the heads of the rod bolts on stock type rods that can contact the cam lobes in a stroker small block. 383 buildups I've seen use H beam rods to avoid this situation or they grind away part of the bolt head to get clearance.

 

[Guest]

Day-dreaming you say, eh!!

I would build a 4.625" b x 4.375" s = 588" motor if I had the cash and was stepping up to aftermarket stuff sing a standard 9.80" deck height block and custom 6.45" long rods and needed pistons!

As for Nodular and Ductile Iron, they are the same thing! Most blocks are made out of just Gray Iron with some Tin and Nickel in it depending along with whatever other alloying "contaminants" the base scrap charge had in it and that it still met pouring spec's.

I will say that chrome in cast-iron makes it hard and foundry operations don't like much of it in their cast-iron b/c it dulls their tooling bits quickly!

And fwiw, the old Cad. big V-8 motors had good metal in them with plenty of Tin and Nickel and they would sometimes run above 100,000 AND not even wear a ridge in the top of the cylinders!! AND this is also why the little, foreign motors last such a long time too from say Toyota and Honda!!

GM was too tight to pour metal like they used in the Cad. V-8's for their CHEAPER CAR motors unless the motors were generally a hi-po OR were going into a TRUCK that needed to last a long time b/c of being severely WORKED!!

The older mexican blocks come to mind here being poured out of cheap metal!!

pdq67

Best Car Insurance | Auto Protection Today | FREE Trade-In Quote

 

[lance-w]

What are your goals?

Just to have a really awesome engine in the 66. The best part of restoring a car is building the engine for me. If I was rich (yeah right like that'll ever happen) I would build engines for a hobby. Ofcourse driving the car isn't too bad either. The 66 is just a toy that satifies that need for speed that we all get occaisionally. I'm sure the people here understand

So back to the roller cam question. What's required to put a roller cam in a big block? Don't you have to anchor the roller lifter cross bar or something to keep the lifters from rotating? I know you have to run a cam button and thrust bearing because the rollers don't center the cam like flat tappet cams do. Anything else special you have to do?

Lance

This car:

 

[Schurkey]

I just did some research on cast iron for a reply in a Pontiac forum. What I learned is that Nodular iron and Ductile iron are about the same thing, but Malleable iron is different. Armasteel was GM's trade name for malleable iron, which is also called pearlitic iron.

As with ANYTHING made with alloys, there are a hundred grades of nodular iron, and there's a hundred grades of malleable iron, depending on what (and how much) has been added to the mix.

 

[Whittaker]

TO run the roller cam in my SB 408 I had to use the thrust bearing and cam button. The lifters are linked together and wont twist or move besides up and down. Newer GM roller blocks have pieces that link the lifters and a spider flat sheet metal that holds them down.

 

[68ssvelle]

heres my 580 big m .all new im selling it for 3500 soon on e bay http://www.mustangforums.com/upfiles/5822/Sp451786786.jpg

 

[lance-w]

heres my 580 big m .all new im selling it for 3500 soon on e bay http://www.mustangforums.com/upfiles/5822/Sp451786786.jpg

Link doesn't work....

never mind it works now