Yeah when I think of it (3.85” stroke) it’s not a high rpm engine. I’ve taken mine to 7000 rpm quite a few times, I don’t know if the engine really liked it from a rod load perspective, even with my forged rods and pistons, yeah the engine went there and survived with flying colors, but did the rod bearings appreciate it? I’m going to take a peak at mine before final assembly, see if there ok, I HATE to do that ‘cause you torque the bolts then go another so many degrees, I hope I wrote it down or still have the instructions
Sure that makes sense, but still an easier pill to swallow than paying 50% upfront for an undetermined amount of time. I really don't need these heads but I absolutely plan on building a 350 for drag and drive events so I might as well get a set while they are available.
Mark, those rod bolt stretch & torque specs are right on the money. They have to be, you can't use a stretch gage during assembly.
If he gave you news I don't think he will care if you spit it out there if it is news we can use. If not send pm
Torque angle it’s called, you torque them to x amount then continue with a torque angle gauge to do many degrees. They’re ARP 2000 bolts
I always heard torque right to poundage in one swift movement using the proper lube. You get your heads back from Michaels yet?
Demko, don't take it apart unless you are sure you can do it and get it back together properly. Remember I zinged mine to the rev limiter at 6200 on the nitrous and I shifted to 2nd and rolled on that super charged Stang and that was back in 2005-6 It stayed together. If anyone should be pulling a rod apart it should be me, I have backed off the nitrous a lot and it still ran fast lol. 12.31,, 1/2 sec slower now on bottle with smaller shot. I think you are good just spin to 6500-6700 What you really need is a dyno session so you know where the power is at and where it starts to fall off. Frozen here
I doubt they'll be done in a year & Sheri said if not, the layaway could go beyond that plus regardless, you just pay the balance when they're done so doesn't need to be $233/mo. I'm thinking $50-100/mo. & see what happens. It's my alum. heads savings account. Hopefully can pick them up at the Nationals (in 2 years) along w/a new billet flywheel & oil pan/pickup & a couple sets of cam bearings. I'd have at least gotten the pan this year @ the Nats if TA was going to be there. Plan on having Scotty grind my cams based off the head flow #s which IMHO is the way it should be done to maximize perf.
IIRC, I paid around $1500 back in the early '90s for my assembled big valve ported 350 iron heads from Dave Johnson so $2800 isn't too bad I guess 30 years later (geez, time flies) & for aluminum.
Unfortunately, life got in the way & I never got a chance to run them @ the track but the car seemed significantly quicker on that engine (M21/3.73, TA intake, hooker headers, KB C118 cam, measured 10.5:1, big valve/ported irons) than the previous one (M21/3.73, stock '70 bottom end, intake/headers, KB Mark 2). 1st engine ran consistent 104MPH (ET sucked) so was making good power (enough to go low 13's). According to @BuickGSrules, with his engine/suspension tuning (& a very experienced racer), the car ran a best of 11.61 (1.5-1.75 sec. quicker) which if you look at the same mods on the KB 350 build in the 80's isn't out of the realm of poss. (not to mention I have no reason to think he'd embellish).
WOW, that’s a good MPH (104) so yes it sounds like it was making good hp. Eventually ran 11.60’s?? DAMN that’s hauling’ for the 350! That’s with the ported irons?
Yup, 104 w/the old engine & 11.61 w/the new w/ported iron. It was definitely quite fast even though I never ran it at the track w/the new engine. @Matt Knutson owned it in between me & Jan & he'll attest to how quick it was. The first engine was a progressive build to get to that 104. Headers, intake, Mark 2 cam (didn't degree it), 3.23 (stock), 3.42, 3.73 all done at different times. But a very basic setup. It was the 80's & we didn't have much to work with. The 2nd engine was still pretty basic. Hyperutectic pistons, 73 rods, balanced, "blueprinted," etc. Cut the heads to get compression. Didn't deck the block. I think Dave built me an awesome set of heads although I never had flow #'s & never port matched the intake. I think there's something KB hit on w/their 350 cams even though they were the same spec. as their 455 cams. Can still buy them from KB's old grinder & if I wasn't going to have Scotty gring 'em for my next engines, thatxs what I'd do. As much as I love TA & what they do, I wouldn't run one of their 350 cams personally. I think there's something to be had w/the larger dia. Hooker's too. That car was what got me hooked on 350s. I have a Stage 1 4-sp. cause it's rare/collectible but no desire to build a 455. Even sold my 455 torque plate but not my 350 one! If you look @ the KB build up in the 80's, just going to a 4-sp picked up quite a bit of ET (IIRC, they didn't specify the trans). I was almost as excited as Steve (@72gs4spd) to see how his new engine would do w/the 4-sp. His new car has 4.10's which was going to be next upgrade on my old car so I'm looking forward to him getting that car sorted out!
Well, that's probably why my ET sucked. Car always felt quicker off the line on the street probably b/c the tires would break loose just a bit. I was always too afraid of breaking something to sidestep the clutch @ 4k @ the track but the tires wouldn't break loose either so the 60' times were consistent, but consistently bad.