Need Build Ideas

[blown03Mach1]

I hate to say it, but when I first saw the initials on the domes, I thought you were selling SHM stuff. Lol Shame on me!

[rcodemach1]

I'm foaming at the mouth. You need to post this up somewhere where more people are going to see it. What's the delivery time on these? Are they properly engineered in terms of the shape of the skirts, etc? I've seen some odd stuff with some "west coast pistons" before, and had some scuffing issues even though the clearance should have been OK. Not mentioning names tho, since I still run parts from that company. LOL.

[rcodemach1]

Originally Posted by blown03Mach1

I hate to say it, but when I first saw the initials on the domes, I thought you were selling SHM stuff. Lol Shame on me!

Almost a mirror image. Oh crap, that IS unfortunate!

[na svt]

Nick, those are pretty but what's the volume of those valve reliefs? Even with the higher compression height those huge valve reliefs will probably result in CR no higher than a standard flat top. Also, there's absolutely no need for exhaust valve reliefs in 4v Pistons.
Rarely is a valve relief deeper than .060" required. most applicatios don't require them since it takes a 234 degree intake cam at a 108LC before they're required (given stock deck height and no milling on the heads). The duration and lobe centers that most combos run will never require reliefs.

To promote efficient combustion, do without reliefs unless they are necessary.

Can you get them without reliefs?
Who made them?
2618 or 4032?

[nickmckinney]

I had them etch those letters on the top as I found many of my pictures are being used elsewhere, and I never saw a picture with the 4 different valve notch options for modulars all combined together. That was done just for the samples only, the regular ones will not have that on the top.

4V reliefs are waaaaaaay too big, but that is what they had already in the CAD and I had asked them to notch all to the max they had done before. 4V intake is 0.2" deep and all 4 notches came out to 3.7cc I am going to offer the pistons without notches, and the 4V will be intake notched only. Need to look at shrinking that intake notch as well. No notches doesn't change the price that much though.

Guy that used to own JE came out of retirement and started this new venture. Guys on the machine shop forum have been singing the praises so far knock on wood.

4032 forgings and 003 is the target clearance. Lighter pin is 0.130" wall. These things are beefy and with the lighter pin 10g less than stock, regular pin is pretty much a stock weight (if at the stock bore diameter). Basically you could just drop them on a 5140 rod and theoretically be within factory bobweight spec. Personally I prefer the Coyote rod after having both.

Once all the details for the coating and pin options are worked out they will be on the website. 2-3 week lead time should be typical.

[rcodemach1]

"the machine shop forum"

If that's racing related machining, could you PM the name of it? I was in that industry for awhile. Most recently making the blocks for NHRA fuel classes.

I would love to cram a CNC into my garage!

[nickmckinney]

Send me an email at the site as my PM is turned off.

I foresee a Rottler SG7 and S7M arriving sometime in 2012. I used to work many hours in front of a Sunnen VG20 and the SG7 is a close smaller clone. I never thought this would grow this far to even consider expensive machines that would basically sit idle 95% of the time. Never really liked working on blocks for whatever reason, always liked cylinder heads. Seems many in the business are that way, they only want to do one or the other.

[rcodemach1]

I think you were on to something here. With new bearings it was better but the crank was still slightly resistant to turning by hand until the sidebolts were torqued. Then it felt normal.

I ended up bending an oil ring while putting in the pistons. So with that and a couple other issues, it's back to the drawing board. I need to chamfer the top of the bores better, do more deburring of the mains, and get some different rings.

Also, I didn't like the way some of the bolts torqued up on what was technically the second reuse. The outer main cap bolts and some of the sidebolts felt really spongy. Since I've had the main caps on and off a few times now, I think it's time for new bolts. I'll save the old ones for mockups tho.

I'm almost back to considering doing a stroker or even an iron 3.700 bore block and a stroker crank. That may back me up a couple months, but would be so worth it later. There's not too many of those running around yet and other than cost, there doesn't seem to be any downsides.

Originally Posted by nickmckinney

I seem to remember the crank locking solid with the mains getting tightened then loosening to proper once the side bolts were finally torqued the proper amount. Seemed to be much more particular to it than the older style Teksid side screws. Its been awhile since I have done a WAP but I got a couple to build shortly myself.

Pistons were designed for a new Recession Buster kit with those exact rods. Its going to be around $500 shipped for pistons/pins/locks and ~$400 shipped extra for the Coyote rods/rings/rod bearings/main bearings added to it.

[rcodemach1]

The big news is that I picked up another Vortech.

So I really should forge this thing now, but since it's got such low miles and I plan to keep the boost down, I ended up just doing a refresh on the shortblock with new rings, bearings ,and TTY bolts. That all came out well.

The heads were a different story. The clearance in the exhaust guides were all in the 0.005" range with a lot of flare at the bottom of the guides. That's a lot of valve wiggling. And again, this motor had only 13k miles on it. I thought about replacing the guides myself but got a little worried about messing it up. Plus the seats most likely need to be touched up any time you replace a guide since the new guide might not be concentric with the old seat. So I took them in to a local shop. Got them back today and they look pretty good as far as I can tell (they are assembled). The machinist said he had to mill them 0.009" to get them flat. The intake guides were good, we replaced the exhaust valves and guides, and did a typical 3-angle valve job. On the intakes he said the 60 degree angle would have narrowed the margins (the part where the valve actually mates with the seat) too much so he just went with two angles.

I'll get some pics up in the next day or two.

[nickmckinney]

One of my mantras is all stock powdered guides must come out. New they are 003 clearance on the exhaust if you are lucky. Good bronze can take 0015 to 002 max. Anytime you replace guides it needs a valve job, other option is bronze liners which go in more like the stock guide, but I am not a fan of them as they like to slide out.

[watman02]

what is the web link to your web site nickmckinney?

[rcodemach1]

He's at www.modularheadshop.com

Gotta love it, "head shop" usually has an entirely different meaning here on the west coast, LOL. At least it did back in the day.

Update:

Engine is in the car and that took some effort because of the AFCO k-member. Basically had to loosen the rear mount so the engine and trans could shift forward to line up with the AFCO motor mount position. It moved about 1/2" but there's that much adjustment in the tranny mount arrangement since the nut plates can slide back and forth. Looks good now.

Instead of cutting up the Magnaflow x-pipe, I buckled and ordered a BBK off road mid pipe for LT headers. It was a judgement call because I wanted to ensure I get that great sound I had before when the car had Bassani mid-length headers and Magnaflow x pipe. But this way I don't ruin a perfectly good midpipe that I will probably wish I still had later.

It should be fine. The BBK x-pipes seem to have a sound that in between a true X and an H pipe, so we shall see.

Definitely the path of least resistance tho, and it was only $160 and it's on the Big Brown Happy Truck for delivery today.

I also made my own stuff to delete the EGR system, and that was free, rather than waiting 10 days and dropping $70 for Lethal to ship a kit to me. I threaded the EGR fitting on the header and plugged it with a 1/4" NPT plug, and made a delete plate for where the EGR bolts to the intake. This method is completely reversible for passing the smog test, and eliminates the chance of slag or other shat from the headers going into the motor and scoring cylinders. A lot of guys think that happens with new LT headers. Really cleans up the engine too.

As for the shaker, this time I'm going to make some nice "rat rod" style brackets to hold just the lid to the engine. Should be pretty cool, but won't be good for rain, LOL. Let me get that dialed in before passing judgement, heh heh. I've seen it done and I liked it better than bolting the shaker lid to the hood like I tried originally. That sat a little too low, but wasn't too bad. I really hated how heavy the hood felt tho.