budget shortblock buildup!

[UNTCHBL]

So here's what I am planning on doing. I want to build a budget replacment for my stock shortblock that I have right now. I have an old shortblock just sitting that I can use the block, rods, and crank from. I was thinking about getting the crank cleaned up then ordering a kit from dss that would contain pistons, bearings, rings, and rod bolts. Then take it all to the machine shop and have them do the necesarry machine work, and balance the crap out of it. Slap a shelf cam of some sort in it and a set of box stock aluminium heads of some sort and be done, while I work on the rest of the car and save the money for the rblock motor. Any suggestions on what parts to use who to get them from etc etc. would be greatly appriciated. I'm tring to do the short block for under a grand. I am also capable of assembling it myself. So let me know fellas. I"m thinking about taking a perminit leave from my full time job to go to school full time so I'm planning to get the expensive stuff done on the car so It won't drain my funds this time around when I'm in school. Let me know. If you know anyone that has some parts or anything. Thanks fellas.

Brandon

[5150 LX]

Brandon,

Drop Brian with ADS Performance an e-mail & let him know what you are wanting to do. He got me a pretty killer deal on Scat 331 kit. Customer svc. is A++!!

Here's his e-mail:

scatstroker@hotmail.com

[UNTCHBL]

anyone else? I hope:)

Brandon

[root]

OK so you are going to use the stock internals except pistons?

Ian

[UNTCHBL]

yep, with arp hardware, and decent berings. Thats what I would like to do. From my understanding the stock crank and rods will hold up better than the stock blocks, so I figure why beef up in the wrong areas right now.

Brandon

[Paxtu22]

Y don't we start a Brandon short block fund.;) I agree with stock internals. When was the last time you heard of a 302 throwing a rod or breaking a crank? Block seems like the weak link over 500 hp.

later
Eric

[UNTCHBL]

LOL, I like that idea Eric. Like you said I don't think I could get a decently balanced rotating assembly to break before a stock block. I took my crank in friday afternoon to have it turned and checked for cracks and straightness. When it gets back I'll order bearings and try to decide on what pistons and rings. Trick flow's or straight valves. trw or expensive. yada yada. anyone wanna donate to the cause. I'm thinking about using a set of pro-power stock heads. I'm also looking for some good ideas about cams. I don't see my-self spending the money for a custom on this setup so it will be a shelf cam, and not one of the ford alphabet cams. One more thing, how important is a deepsump oil pan?

Brandon

[fanglemeister]

I've seen 50oz cranks crack at the snout or first throw, mostly on open track roadcourse cars that see extended high rpm use, otherwise the stock cranks seem to hold up fairly well. The key for them is keeping oil temps in check. The problem is that all the balancing weight is out on the far ends of the crank - 28oz balance parts are generally better for performance use, but as a compromise you can run lightweight flywheel and harmonic balancer @ 50oz balance if you plan to spin the crap out of it.

The stock rods will outlast the stock crank & block, you shouldn't *need* the ARP rod bolts unless you plan to spin the crap out of the motor. If you are going to swap out the oem rod bolts for ARPs you must have the big ends resized by the machine shop after the bolt swap (sounds like you were going to do this anyway). A nice compromise for rods is to run the truck 302 rods, these use the football-head bolts and have no oiling hole drilled thru the rod which weakens it slightly. otoh on a blown app you might want the oil squirters to keep the pistons cooled off better.

Some machine shops like to setup loose bearing tolerances on race motors, if this is what you want, you should go with a high volume oil pump. If you go with the high volume pump a bigger oil pan is required - a HV pump will suck dry a stock 5qt pan. If you go with stock type bearing tolerances a stock oil pump & pan is okay, altho a deep pan is nice insurance.

If your budget allows you might want to investigate setting up a long rod 302 using 289 rods (must machine the piston tops), or maybe a 317 mini stroker using 2.3L rods and offset ground crank. I know of a machine shop or two that will build this for @ $1k, although not many people do this with the advent of sub $1k 347 kits.

For a cam it depends what boost, compression and head flow you end up with, but as a rule of thumb you can't go wrong with a Baby Crower cam, iirc #15510. Many people make excellent power with a stock HO roller cam and 1.7RRs. For something a little more rock-n-roll, people report having good luck with the TFS stage II cam which they say is equivalent to an Anderson B4 blower cam.

[UNTCHBL]

fangle, great info! thanks a ton. Like I said I just want to do something for under a grand. That will live a good couple of years. The car only sees about 500 miles a year, and some occasional track time. Basically I'm looking for low 11's with the stock blower pully, and I only plan to spin the car to around 6500 or less to prolong engine life. I would love a long rod setup! any advice on maybe some inexpensive parts to pick up?
Thanks again.


Brandon