Making progress on my motor!

[NYH1]

As some of you guys know, I'm building a mild 385 stroker motor, 4.040" bore x 3.750" stroke. Some of you guys have been a BIG help, especially grumpy. So thank you to everyone for all of your help.

Last week I clearanced my block so I had enough clearance between my rods and the block. Before I did any grinding at all, I could completely rotate the crank with all the rods and pistons moched up. I had no interference at all. However I didn't have the required .060" clearance between the block and a few of the rods. I only had to grind a little bit off the block down by the cylinders (#2, #4, #6 and #8). My crank and rods didn't come close to the oil pan rail at all. There was a ton of clearance there. I'm using a Scat rotating assembly. The crank is pt# 9-350-3750-6000 and the rods are pt# 2-ICR6000 (6 inch rods).

Today my cam and timing chain set came from Summit. The cam is a Lunati Voodoo 262/268 hydraulic flat tappet cam. Spec's are 219/227 dur. .050", .468/.489, LSA 112°. I moched the block up with the crank, rods and pistons along with the cam and timing chain and gears to check the rod/cam clearances. I didn't degree the cam in. I'll do that upon final assembly. I just installed it at zero on the timing gears. I installed one piston/rod set up at a time and checked the clearance between each rod and the cam lobes. I had more then enough clearance. Way more then the required .050". The rods didn't even come close to any of the cam lobes. I was surprised. The rods are stroker rods with cap screw bolts, but I was expecting to have to grind a little off of a few of the rods.

I checked my deck height on every cylinder today too. I checked them at each side of the piston in the same direction as the wrist pin go's to minimize piston rocking, which I didn't eliminate completely. The deck heights were .008" to .012". Again, I had a little piston rocking.

Next I have to file fit a complete cylinder worth of rings, top, middle and oil rings so I can get the rotating assembly balanced. I'm also going to take the cam bearings out so I can completely clean the block again.

[Lloyd Smale]

sounds like a real torque monster for your camero! Should be alot of fun.

[NYH1]

I hope so, I can't wait!

[NYH1]

The nice thing about going with the 6 inch rods is that it's going to internally balanced.   As far as anyone is concerned....it's just a 350, no way to tell other wise! 

[NYH1]

I measured my pistons yesterday at room temperature (70°). They measured 4.036" ± .0002". The smallest one was 4.0358" and the largest was 4.0362".

My father and I measured the cylinder bores tonight. He set the temperature in the garage at 68° this morning before he went to work so everything would warm up by the time he got out of work tonight. They measured 4.040" ± .0003". The smallest was 4.0397" and the largest was 4.0403". I'm putting the smallest piston in the smallest cylinder and the largest piston in the largest cylinder. That gives me a piston to wall clearance of .004" ± .0001".

Keith Black's recommended piston to wall clearances for their FHR forged pistons as follows-
Street Normally Aspirated .0025" to .0035"
Street Towing .003" to .004"
Street Nitrous or Super Charged .0035" to .0045"

I'm glad my clearances are .004". Now I can put a 75 or 100 horse hitter on it down the road. I'll file fit the ring end gaps for this as well.

I'm going to check my rod and main bearing clearances and then clean the block completely. My father and I removed the cam bearing tonight so I can clean behind them and make sure nothing was there from the grinding I had to do for the rod/block clearance.

So far so good!

[Lloyd Smale]

that kind of clearance will work fine but just keep in mind when you start it cold there may be a bit of piston slap until that forged piston heats up and expands. .

[NYH1]

Yeah, that's what I've been told.

A guy my dad works with's son in-law bought the 20 inch wheels and tires that came on my '07 Ram 1500.   I replaced them with 17 inch wheels and tires...much better.   Anyway's, that's my cylinder head money.   

I'm going to buy THESE Vortec heads.   I talked to a few different tech's at Summit Racing.   They all told me those heads are manufactured by a "major" cylinder head manufacture here in the USA.   They wouldn't tell me what company it is though.   I think it's Trick Flow because Summit and Trick Flow have a very close relationship.   They were both in the same building at one point, still might be, I don't know.   Anyway's Summit has always been really good to me.   I buy pretty much all my parts from them because of how well they've treated me in the past.   I really appreciate good customer service.

I've read a lot on Vortec style heads.   They seem to make really good HP and torque up to 5600 RPM or so on mild cammed 383 stroker motors.   That's right where my cam is going to operate.       

[NYH1]

Here is what I have so far.   Getting ready to put the short block together.   Still have a little work to do on the heads.   Mostly gasket match the heads to the intake and just clean the heads up a tad.

SHORT BLOCK-
*385 stroker (4.040 bore x 3.750 stroke) 2 bolt main block with ARP main bolts, block casting number 3970010 ('69 to '79 350 Chevy).   Pistons are in the hole .008" to - .012" with slight piston rocking.
*Keith Black Forged FHR 19.6cc dished pistons PT# IC9945.   
*Compression ratio's SCR 9.1 and DCR 7.93 with 67cc combustion chamber head using a .038" thick head gasket.   Compression ratio's come from Keith Blacks Compression Ratio Calculator.
*Scat 3.750" stroke Cast Pro Comp Stroker Lightweight Crankshaft PT# 9-350-3750-6000.
*Scat 6" Forged 4340 I-Beam Pro Stock Rods PT# 2-ICR6000.
*Assembly has been internally balanced.
*Melling Oil Pump PT# 10552 10% over stock volume output.   Melling Oil Pan Pick-Up Tube PT# 12558.   Moroso 5 Quart Oil Pan PT# 20170 with Moroso Rear Oil Pan Baffle PT# 23000.   APR Oil Pump Stud PT# 230-7004.   Fel-Pro 1pc. Oil Pan Gasket PT# 1880.   Passenger side front oil galley plug drilled with a .0315" hole.
*Lunati Voodoo 262/268 Hydraulic Flat Tappet Cam, 219/227 dur. @.050", .468/.489 lift, 112LSA 1400-5800 RPM range in a 350 PT# 60102.   My larger 385 will drop the RPM range a few 100 RPM's.
*Lunati Hydraulic Flat Tappet Lifters PT# 71817PR
*Lunati Double Roller Timing Chain and Gear Set PT# 93099.
*ARP Cam Bolts PT#300-1001.
*Summit Push Rods, 5/16" x 7.900" long (.100" longer then stock) One-Piece .080" wall thickness PT# SUM-1457900.         
*Clearances- Piston to Wall .004" ± .0002", Ring End Gaps- Top .022", 2nd .016", Oil Rail .025", Front to Back trust .007", main bearings .003" ± .0002", Rod bearings .0025" ± .0002", rod side clearances .010" + .002".
 
HEADS AND OTHER UPPER END PARTS-
*Summit Vortec Heads, assembled PT# SUM-151124.
*Mr. Gasket Ultra-Seal Head Gaskets PT# 5800 (4.130" bore x .038" thick)
*ARP Head Bolts PT#134-3601.
*Comp Cams 1.5 self aligned roller tip rocker arms PT# 1417-16.
*Edelbrock's regular/non Air-Gap Vortec Performer RPM intake PT# 7116.
*Edelbrock 650 AVS carb.
*Stock HEI distributor that is going to be updated.
 
CAR-
*78 Camaro stock weight, I have no plans on trying to make it lighter.
*Current tires are 235/60-14 all the way around.   I may go to 255/15-15 rear and 225/60-15 front.   That won't happen any time soon.
*Hedman 1 5/8" full length headers
*Flowmaster 2 1/2" full length dual exhaust system.
*TH350 transmission.   I plan on using a 2000/2200 stall converter max.   Maybe a 700R4 or TH2004R in the future, no time soon though.
*8.5" rear end with 3.42 gears with a LSD/posi unit.
*I'd like to run it on 89 to 91 octane fuel if possible.
 
PLANNED USE-
*Daily driver/mild street performance car.   It's not going to be a "weekend Warrior", it's going to be driven quite a bit.
*I definitely like my motor to make power up to at least 5600 RPM's.   Hoping for 350 HP and 425/450 FT. LBS. of torque.   However I'd like to keep my RPM's under 5800/6000 max.   

[Lloyd Smale]

i would have to guess your hp number will be closer to 400. thats going to be one stump pulling combo! Best buy a pile of back tires!

[NYH1]

i would have to guess your hp number will be closer to 400. thats going to be one stump pulling combo! Best buy a pile of back tires!

LOL, tires should last me a little while.   I never really was into squirreling around.   Honestly, now that I'm older (35 ) I actually drive like an old man.   There'll be and occasional street light match here and there and a trip or two to the drag strip a year.   I really just enjoy driving it.   It's fun and my 8 year old son loves it too.   No squirreling around with him in the car...MOMMA WOULD KILL ME! 

It's taking me so long to build my motor because I've been checking everything over and over and mock building it to check all my clearances.   I really can't afford to do this now, let alone doing it again because something wasn't the way it should have been.   

My insurance doesn't kick back in until May 1st anyway's.   I keep it on the road for six months (May through October) and pay $38 per month.   Then I drop the liability coverage for the other six months (November through April).   I pay $8 per month to keep the rest of my coverage and I don't have to turn my plates in.   I can't drive it though.   

[Lloyd Smale]

hell pal im 53 and still have problems keep back tires on vehicles. 

[NYH1]

hell pal im 53 and still have problems keep back tires on vehicles. 

LOL.  

I put my pistons in yesterday, set the oil pump pick-up depth and torqued the oil pump down.   I'm waiting to put the oil pan on though.   The only thing left to do with the short block is to put the cam in and check it with a degree wheel.   I can do that whenever.   

I took my new heads apart a few days ago to gasket match them to the intake.   I also wanted to make sure everything was ok with them.   The machine work looks really good.   They were shimmed correctly.   I feel for the price I paid, I got a really good deal.   I finished gasket matching them tonight and then painted them.   Maybe tomorrow or the next day I'll re-assemble them.   Then all I have to do is put it all together! 

[NYH1]

Well it's all together, except for the intake manifold.  I wanted to see how well the oil drained back from the heads/valve cover area as I was priming it.  I'm using Summit's straight 30W Oil (non synthetic) with a 12 oz bottle of Comp Cams flat tappet cam break-in oil additive with a NAPA Gold Oil Filter to break my motor in.  NAPA Gold Oil Filters are the same as Wix Oil Filters, Wix make them for NAPA, same filters different color and name, and cheaper!  The Summit Oil has 1800 PPM zinc (ZDDP) in it. 

Flat tappet cams need at least 1200 PPM zinc (ZDDP) in the oil they use.  The EPA made the oil manufactures take most of the zinc (ZDDP) out of the oil they made to increase catalytic converter life.   Unfortunately the new oils without zinc (ZDDP) kills camshafts, especially upon engine break-in.

Once it's broke-in good I'll use either Amsoil full Synthetic 10W-40 (AMO) or 5W-30 (HDD) and their EA Oil Filters.   The 10W-40 has 1400 PPM zinc (ZDDP) in it.  I'll have to call Amsiol to see how much the 5W-30 has in it.   

[Lloyd Smale]

wish i could be there to hear it fire the first time. That allways puts a big smile on everyones face. Its about like hearing our child cry for the first time when the doc slaps it.

[NYH1]

wish i could be there to hear it fire the first time. That allways puts a big smile on everyones face. Its about like hearing our child cry for the first time when the doc slaps it.

Lloyd, Honestly, I wish you could be here too.  You've given me some pretty good advice through out this whole process.  From the initial tear down, part selection, piston and bearing clearances, ect.  You've been a big help.  I really appreciate it my friend! 

[Lloyd Smale]

fire that puppy up and take a ride to the UP of mich. and we will shoot some sixguns and roast some tires and have a couple cold ones. Sounds like heaven to me.

[NYH1]

LOL, that's a long ride my friend.   

You guys still got snow up there?  We've had a pretty mild and short winter this year.  It started about a month late.  Guys were still riding motorcycles at Thanksgiving.  Usually that's good hunting, with good snow covering and time to get the snowmobiles ready to ride after the northern zone deer season closes in early December.  It hasn't snowed in weeks.  It was 86° yesterday, 79° out as I type this.