I have seen more out of round and housing bore problems after teardown on the straight VS the splayed even on production blocks but it's hardly enough of a sample size to qualify as a scientific test! The splayed cap obviously has more resistance to paralellograming since it has a horizontal component of force resisting the caps pulling away from the registers. Also even Chevy's new sportsman blocks in cast iron caps are now splayed. No more straight caps.

Iron Chevy older bowtie straight capped motors are known to break the caps pretty regualrly in mud truck and NOS engines whereas these sportsmans are supposed to handle it with their new caps. Of course these are pupose built blocks with the cap design built into them instead of stock with it added later on.

 

Buy some quality aftermarket 2-bolt caps and use ARP studs... Then let it eat!

 

You still have to fit the caps for press fit, line bore and line hone the block then? I don't get it, go thru all of that and miss the benefits of a 4 bolt.

Bret

 

Yes I agree with Bret! Why do all that when its almost the same to do the 4 bolts?

 

Then just stud the mains and be done with it.. If you buy the 4-bolt mains then you are gonna have to pay more money for a machine shop to do that as well..