All I Want For Christmas Is My Bulldog Block!!!!!!!!

They are right Rod and Rods better have Danie have been making more Horsepower with That Buick Blown Ride and running Faster ET's. They are Big Buick Fan's how many BBB do you no that run 7.50s at 180+?. You guys have set the bar. In less the Bar is broken you are the King's and Queen's :TU: :beer :3gears:

 

Gary,

The motor is a Merlin II, DartPro1 325, 509ci. I got it from a local guy I pitted next to a bunch (look for the '72 orange Nova):

http://community.webshots.com/album/141631636wsBifq/1

It is what powered his car in the pics. It's fresh, should be good for 800hp naturally aspirated, and handle up to a 300hp shot...

Rod... You're my idol.

Jeff... real men know how to spell.

Sincerely,

"the idiot" John

 

Rod, how many runs can you make on your motor? Are you going to run bryons quick 16 deal? or just the buick stuff! Will it hold up? DO TELL ALL! WE ALL WANT TO KNOW!

 

So i am not as good as you think you are. Take that Buick Badge of the Cheby vavle cover you are defacing it.

 

Jeff and John, cool the jets, or take your dispute off the board.

 

I freshen the motor once a year (bearings, seals and gaskets), replacing the rods and rings every two years. Rarely does it ever need these parts replaced, but it's cheaper then replacing a short block. It's just something you do with a race motor. I have plans of running in the Big Dog Shootout at Byron this summer. I didn't last year due to trans trouble.

Rod

 

Rod do you run alot of Boost? How big is the Blower? How many Inches is your Motor? Do you run a Moldex Crank?. What Heads are you using 2,3,4's. Do you run a Solid Flat Tappet Cam. What Rocker arm setup Shafts still.

 

as far as blown alky cars go no i do not run a lot of boost, in skyhawk chassis i ran as high as 21 psi, in my regal my 7.59 was done with 15 psi. a 10/71, 516cid , moldex from ta performance, stge 3 heads, but i ran 8.14 in skyhawk with stge 2 heads, solid flat cam, ta rockers

 

Is that a 4.375 bore with a 4.300 Stroke

 

Rod, from your experience with big HP why are there so many block failure's out there ? Do we even need a new block?

 

no 4.320 bore 4.400 stroke

 

You must have some very good Core's Blocks stock bore is 4.313
3.5 a side when bored for 7 total 4.320 nice we have never had
that good of Core's

 

When my block fails it cracks at all main bolts, because crank is being pushed out of bottom of block. As far as i know nobody else is doing that. Most people have bearing failure due to improper set up and tuning, Yes we do need a new block, the oil system is bad , Thickness is bad , it would just make it easier to keep engine alive

 

yes pretty good luck, current block has shadows in bores, but leaks down at 2%

 

Im sorry rod im confused o No: I think for the guys not setting there stuff up right they need to read this stuff.For such a tight group there is a lot of hidden combos.

 

the wrong thead, but I was wondering what TA did to your block for it to last as long as it has?

What do you mean "shadows" in the bores?

 

mike at ta added extra main bolts to spread load on main webbs also installed a halo on top of girdle, shadows are spots where bores did not come totally clean

 

o No:

 

welp

Sooooo, it appears to me, the BEST route out now is to have someone set up to machine the extra main bolts, stay under .600 lift and 6800 rpm, and just go play. It can't possibly cost $3000 to install main bolts, so you don't need to stand in a dark tunnel line for a new block. Just drill and play !!

JH :3gears:

 

Jim, my current combo is working fine, I am looking to step up but without the new block I might end up going to "Plan B". That would be going the 4-bolt main conversion and staying under 1,000 hp on my next engine. On my current engine Rob Chilenski had all the important stuff done for the oiling. Plus he installed an Accusump which I use religiously as a pre-oiler. Shift at 7,000 and through the eyes at 7,000. After sixty passes I had the pan dropped bearings looked new. This fall cut open the filter and that looked perfect with no glittering metal. Use Royal Purple oil, (thanks Doug) costly but worth it. Again in Feb I will have Rob go through it checking the bearings and I will be out early March weather permitting.

I think the point that Rod makes is we sometimes fail to realize with a weak designed block once we start making some 700 plus hp, going along with that is the preventive maintenance and checks that need to be done to prevent a disaster. Proper engine building, needed oiling modifications, and maintenance are biggies.

It seems we want to push our engines to the max yet we don't want the high maintenance and cost that goes with it. As we hear stories, "Oh I have 300 passes on my 650 hp engine" and I don't use any girdle" etc. Well that's great but if proper winter checks are not done, then that's a disaster waiting to happen.

As with the mega HP engines, well you guys are the pioneers pushing it beyond razors edge and finding the ultmate limits to the weak Buick block design. Unfortunately it sucks and is costly. I am on the other size of the razors edge looking to join you guys, that's why I am looking to get the new block. With the new block completion date being an "unknown" time is now my enemy, so I now look towards you guys running beyond the limits and see how the converted 4-bolt block is working. Rod so far, it seems you did your homework and showed us another way. Hence my Plan B.

As far as switch over to Chevy powered etc. Well My love is with Buicks and yes I also like other brands. Before I move to a Chevy I would sell my Buick and buy a Chevelle, Camaro etc. and run strictly Chevy. Not knocking you guys that convert Buicks over, it's just my own tastes. You guys may run into problems at Buick only meets, which will be frustrating.
My last option is to be content with a weak Buick block and build my engine in the safe power range and learn to live with it.

I guess time will tell or I should say with me time has ran out. Like the old lady once said, "Show me the beef!" Without a production block out to the public this month, it will be Plan B for me. And thanks Rod for showing the way that it can be done.