LOL, good point. I guess Rick will just have to show us what the LT block is really made of.

Have you seen the limits of the Motown or the Dart iron eagle blocks? Seen any blown up just due to shear power? Both are slated to take 2000 crank hp with ease. Curious to know if those claims are proven true.

 

Last I heard Rick kicked a rod out the side of the block. He Dyno'd 1250RWHP the day before with the 101mm turbo

 

we had a dart's main webs break it was in one of our pro mod cars (actually the former owner of krs) all three stages on n2o came in at once off the line estimated 2200 hp but the callie's crank survived

 

Well here is what I found out . I talked with 2 builders in my area. One Reids, and the other Greg Hekimian. Reids said to starts with a 2 bolt then splay cap it and thats it. I mentioned block fill he said flatly you will over heat on the street. Anyway I didnt like his prices and he was really funny about pricing as he jacked up the price $500 dollars for machine work since I spoke with them last week before I visted his shop this week, Reids is not a very stand up guy, He might do good work but I just dont trust him, thing is he doesnt like to put down work quotes on paper, so he has the leyway to screw you on pricing. Now Greg on the other hand, was a complete 180 turnaround from Reids. I viseted him at 4 on Sat, I spend over 4hours at his shop. He went through everything and answered all my questions not to mention some of the sick motors he has done and has there, Plus some trick aftermarket parts I have never seen before. He really knows his stuff. His recommendation was to buy a new casting and block fill it up to the outlets for the water pump and keep the stock 4 bolt configuration. He showed me motors he had built with this same prep pushing over 650hp.And he said I will run colder on the street. Two different opinions.Gregs I seem to believe much more. Id recommend him ,very knowlagable and most important honest.

 

As far as I'm concerned, Rick's motor did not let go for anything related to the motor or it's strength. I personally believe it was after the turbo went out, it put a lot of metal through the intake and into the motor. Which is why the bearings got wiped out. We're building a new motor for it right now, and yes it's still an LT1. We're changing a few things, and it should be interesting to see how/if this one holds up to the new 1200+ hp tune It is correct that the best pass we made was on the conservative tune. So if we can get this car to work, and the motor to hold, we WILL be in the 7's with it next season.

Chuck@HPE

 

Good advice if it's a LT1, still think a Bowtie or aftermarket are worth the $$$

Bret

 

SStrokerAce,The block in question is not a LT1. I do agree the Bowtie is worth the extra $$$. Any way it is one of Chevys new Bowties,the Sportsman block., and it is not as expensive as the bowties. The one piece rearmain seal sportsman goes for around $1800. I think its a deal. .170 thick walls at evena 4.190 bore, priority main oiling, nodular iron splayed caps.I agree a good foundation for a blown small block.Anyone own one here?

 

I knew you were not reffering to a LT1, hence "Good advice if it's a LT1"

A Sportsman is a Bowtie, it just comes CNC preped with Nodular Iron Main caps and not 8620 ones like a 24502503 Bowtie Block.

Same Block casting (184 Casting), same CNC work, different caps and a MAX RECOMENED BORE OF 4.155" and it has a lower HP rating from GM but that doesn't really mean squat. The 8620 steel capped version Duttweiler runs 2,200 HP though so a 700hp rating is pretty conservative.

Yeah any of the Bowtie blocks are a great piece, BBC, SBC Sportsman or Racing Blocks. I have a few Bowties in the shop.

Bret

 

Not to highjack this thread but I am approaching this same issue. I currently run a blown SBC making just short of 700 to the wheels. I blew a blower up and when i dissasembled it to clean it I noticed my main caps were moving around. I have a 4340 1 piece seal crank so my block choices are limited to stock or the bowtie. My current block is a 1989 1 ton 4 bolt block not filled. I have a 4 bolt 86 block i was thinking of filling and using the milidon straight 4 bolt to splayed 4 bolt caps. I am changing the intake and intercooler so I think i am going to end up around that 1000 crank HP number. So do we all agree that the *magic* number is 1000?

 

i think the *magic* number here the size your *ahem*


my expierence is blocks are waaaaaaay to unpredictable to put down a number. SO MANY factors.

New or used: used blocks seem to hold up a good amount better
cyl wall thickness
rpm
balancing
even engine mounts make a difference.


I saw an alum motor rip off at the motor mount (cracked off the "tab" for motor mount)


everything does. everything!

 

Brett, I only said it was a new Bowtie in terms of its a new aftermarket block to feature the 1 piece rear main seal.I just wish Dart, or World would step up and offer them too.What do you get for a Sportsmans block part #12480174