Block girdles, yay or nay

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Bakerlite said:
Problem no 1 is that people are modifying passenger car engines.
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On this I will agree with you on. We were once happy with 375 horsepower, then 450, 500, 600, 750 plus. Head availability held us around 600 for years with our cast iron heads maxed out. Then cam along Zeeker, Direct Connection, Indy, Ect. I had 275 passes in the 8.60’s and found a crack during tear down for rebuild. My mistake on that build was using steel aftermarket main caps instead of aluminum. But all in all it takes most people a long time to put on 275 quarter mile passes. I todays world my class runs 1/8 mile. How much longer would it have lasted. Hmmmm
 
I've put aluminum man caps on big blocks .You like them ?
As I say,when Mopar went racing, they built an engine for it..
 
Bakerlite said:
Problem no 1 is that people are modifying passenger car engines.
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What engine would you recommend for people to modify? Truck blocks are not much different than a passenger block, at least they haven't been since the late 70's and I don't know of anyone that has the cash for a aftermarket block. So what do you recommend?
 
Dan the man said:
It doesn't have to be splayed. I can't believe that guys build their engines and don't have the block machined for 4 bolt mains. If all of the main caps were 4 bolt like the bbc then a stud girdle would be a benefit.
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There is not enough material for 4 bolt main caps on a factory block so it does no good
 
Moparpuller said:
There is not enough material for 4 bolt main caps on a factory block so it does no good
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Bummer, there is on the sbc. For some reason there has always been more performance parts for the sbc than there ever has been with a sbm. Wouldn't a main stud girdle help at all?
 
Dan the man said:
What's so funny, what's wrong with 400 horsepower?
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Nothing is wrong with 400 horses that's what my 340 six pack produces but for Pittsburgh to say that's what his engine is putting out well that's just a lie LOL
 
Sterling said:
I had my machine shop install the Hughes girdle on a 360 engine I was building. The machine shop recommended one because they put them on all the small block Fords they build. So I bought it and had them machine the block and caps for it. When I picked the block up, the owner of the shop did not feel that it did much at all, and wasn't necessary. So in my application, my opinion is it isn't needed. I think a better main cap would be more beneficial than a girdle.
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SBF love to split in half... using them as a comparison is comparing apples and oranges.

Too bad the shop didn't know any better.
 
Dan the man said:
Get a set of splayed 4 bolt main caps and your done. It would be awesome if you could get a 4 bolt cap for the front main bearing cap.
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Only if you cut off the splayed cap section. Std OEM blocks are thin on web material. Makes the block weaker drilling those bolts.

Chevy SB use 4 bolts because they aren't near as beefy as Mopar caps or bolt sizing.
 
crackedback said:
Only if you cut off the splayed cap section. Std OEM blocks are thin on web material. Makes the block weaker drilling those bolts
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if you're cutting off the splayed section then what's the benefit of even getting them? At that point I'd assume a well prepared set of factory caps would be just as good or no?
 
K.O. SWINGER said:
Nothing is wrong with 400 horses that's what my 340 six pack produces but for Pittsburgh to say that's what his engine is putting out well that's just a lie LOL
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So what are you sayin? He should need a fire extinguisher for his britches? lol
 
gagembassett said:
if you're cutting off the splayed section then what's the benefit of even getting them? At that point I'd assume a well prepared set of factory caps would be just as good or no?
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The splayed caps are nice pieces, except for the splayed parts... :) It was counter point of putting bad parts on an OEM block.

Use the factory caps, save money, they are pretty tough. Girdles and caps on OEM SB blocks is a waste. All good.
 
crackedback said:
Only if you cut off the splayed cap section. Std OEM blocks are thin on web material. Makes the block weaker drilling those bolts.

Chevy SB use 4 bolts because they aren't near as beefy as Mopar caps or bolt sizing.
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Very true. Anyone whose ever had one of each of those engines apart (I have many) will tell you just how much beefier the Mopar engines are. Even the 318s.
 
crackedback said:
The splayed caps are nice pieces, except for the splayed parts... :) It was counter point of putting bad parts on an OEM block.

Use the factory caps, save money, they are pretty tough. Girdles and caps on OEM SB blocks is a waste. All good.
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no I get you're point now when someone else mentioned the material used. For a 600 hp 360 I was on the hunt and research on what to do for bottom end strength. This helps a little
 
gagembassett said:
no I get you're point now when someone else mentioned the material used. For a 600 hp 360 I was on the hunt and research on what to do for bottom end strength. This helps a little
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Run stock caps and studs. Done. If you want a different cap, then OK, not really necessary.

Keeping that engine out of detonation is going to be the goal. Bad tune ups hurt parts!
 
crackedback said:
Run stock caps and studs. Done. If you want a different cap, then OK, not really necessary.

Keeping that engine out of detonation is going to be the goal. Bad tune ups hurt parts!
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This is my take also, but my build will never exceed 550 horsepower after that I could see going with an improved cap but I'm not sold on four bolt mains for small block Mopar.
 
K.O. SWINGER said:
This is my take also, but my build will never exceed 550 horsepower after that I could see going with an improved cap but I'm not sold on four bolt mains for small block Mopar.
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Buy a better block than any of the assembly line LA.\

R, X etc.
 
Thought about a girdle, but no probably won’t use one. LA’s are light, that’s one of their advantages. Definitely a compromise though. A great balanced rotating assembly and a good tune, more than that and you should be looking at an aftermarket block.
 
Rat Bastid said:
What I’ve seen is fractures in the pan bolt holes and out from there.

The pan bolts were never designed to carry a load like that. Neither were the pan rails themselves.
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I've never experienced this and I've removed whole sections of the sides of the big blocks but then again I'm not making more than 800HP either J.Rob

https://www.motortrend.com/uploads/sites/21/2014/06/mopar-400-wedge.jpg?fit=around|1000:625
https://www.motortrend.com/uploads/sites/21/2014/06/arp-fastners.jpg?fit=around|1000:625
https://www.motortrend.com/uploads/sites/21/2015/04/chrysler-big-block-skirt.jpg?fit=around|1000:625
 
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