Stroker

Discussion in 'Race 400/430/455' started by skylarkman13, Nov 28, 2008.

  1. staged2ny

    staged2ny Silver Level contributor

    I think rod is running around 1400hp on his but it has a little more than a standard girdle .. Ta did some custom work with extra main bolts..
     
  2. Thumper (aka greatscat)

    Thumper (aka greatscat) Well-Known Member

    No its not,but how long do you want it to last?Usually the guys running 800+ are using a roller cam which brings in a whole different set of problems with the lifter area,so each pass gets to be an adventure.If you only run 3 or 4 events a year and make 25 passes you can probably have it last a while,if your like us that race every week end and put on 100-150 passes a year reliability is an issue so my response was geared toward our application.Scotty G. made huge HP in his PS car,and ran increible numbers,but attrition was horrible.Rod has his motor making great HP too,but the block is heavily modified.
    gary
     
  3. skylarkman13

    skylarkman13 Well-Known Member

    I would want my stuff to last a while, Its just all a game, what your willing to give up to go fast, Thanks for all your help, you helped me alot to figure out some stuff out, Gary
     
  4. 70lesabre455

    70lesabre455 Don't U wish U had 1?

    I'm building a 494 engine as well. I even bought a stock crank that was ground to the same specs as the 494 crank offered by TA, since that's all that theirs is anyways (correct me if I'm wrong). I actually bought it from a member of this site, wolverine. I'm fairly dead set on building a 494 because I wanted the best possible power, but didn't want to spend the really big money on a 525 setup.

    So, for someone like me, building a 494, should I go for the extra stuff to make up for the possibly weaker crank (like the girdle and the more expensive $1500 steel rods instead of the aluminum ones, solid cam instead of roller, etc.)? I mean, what are the pros and cons that other members of the board have experienced? I know aluminum rods are better for the track and by the sounds of it on this thread, you don't want to street them much due to putting miles on them...but why? Do more miles make them weaker?

    Obviously, I've never built an engine like this...hell, I've never taken a car to the track before...but I want to!! :laugh: I plan to take the car to the track on the weekends (maybe not every weekend), and at least drive it to local meets and what-not. It's not going to be a daily driver or anything, but it's still going to need to be streetable.
     
  5. staged2ny

    staged2ny Silver Level contributor

    If you are goin to make over 550- 600hp i would girdle it . From what i've read on the aluminum rods theres no reason not to use them , the only concerns where with the rods stretching over time but i hear with the new process they use to make them thats no longer an issue.. I will be building a 494 in the near future and i'll be using the aluminum rods..:TU:
     
  6. 70lesabre455

    70lesabre455 Don't U wish U had 1?

    Thanks Mike, that's good to know. So a girdle is definitely in, and as far as the aluminum rods, I guess when it comes down to it it's the builder/buyer's choice? Unless someone gives me a solid reason not to, I'll likely be going for them. Besides, the way Mike and his guys at TA Performance stand behind their products, I shouldn't have much to worry about. :TU:

    But is the girdle about all I can do to "improve" the strength of my now weary stroked stock crank? Don't get me wrong, I'm not looking to dump $10K into the engine, but at the same time, I don't want to dump $5K-$7K in it just to have something catastrophic happen ten or twenty passes later. :Do No:

    To be completely honest, one of my main goals is to make my big 4100LB B-body run up there with the lighter A-bodies...but stay above 9.5 in the 1/4. :laugh: I don't wanna rip everything out to put in a cage.
     
  7. TORQUED455

    TORQUED455 Well-Known Member

    I've started my own project pump-gas 494. Custom TA/JE pistons and 6.7 GRP aluminum rods should be here any day. Looking for 650-700. I'm not going to girdle it - hopefully the light reciprocating asm and 6500 rpm max will allow it to live. I know how many mistakes I made in my current engine in my sig, but somehow it's staying together (there-I just jinxed it!). :Do No:

    Even though the GRP Al rods are made for BBB's, they still may need clearancing, so they aren't plug-n-play, in my mind.
     
  8. verruckt

    verruckt Nitromethane addict

    Thanks for all the info guys. One more question ( for now )...

    What length chebbie rods to use? I thought that I had read somewhere that the 494 combo was not desireable because of the rod ratio. That it was pushing the piston into the side of the cylinder. My understanding was that because of the longer stroke, shorter pistons were needed, and there was less skirt material. Is this true? I know on the chebbie rods custom lengths are easy to come by. Is the standard length rods used, or is it better to use a shorter rod chebbie rod, and a standard buick piston so as to get a better rod ration? Or longer rod, shorter custom buick piston?
     
  9. Thumper (aka greatscat)

    Thumper (aka greatscat) Well-Known Member

    Bob,I built a race motor in 1990 that was BME 7"
    al rods,with lightweight venolia pistons,made 620 hp with a hyd cam and 3.9" stroke.I got 980 1/4 passes on the motor plus 2 years of street duty in my sons car before one finally let go.Kept rpms around 6200.I'd shoot for 6000 rpms though with the stroker.Gear it right and have the right converter and you won't need 6500 rpms,plus with that cubic inch demand at that rpm you may not have the head flow to support it.I had studs but no girdle.Let it rip.
    gary
     
  10. Thumper (aka greatscat)

    Thumper (aka greatscat) Well-Known Member

    Kurt,I use as long a rod that I can ,typically 6.8-6.9",I've gone 7" too but the pin is in the oil ring and takes a special oil ring for this application.the longer rod gives a better angle .the piston have less skirt area too.
    gary
     
  11. C.Rob

    C.Rob Well-Known Member

    Gary, My favorite motor you did for me is my stock appearing car.Old school backyard tuning makes you a great engine builder. Look at my car so far 12.02 @115.88. Its not even broke in and weighs 4140 lbs. You know what your doing and I like people to know you have the fastest mph pure stock car out there with your magic touches. Great work on mine, Chris Robertson
     
  12. rh455

    rh455 Well-Known Member

    Chris
    Gary IS the almighty wise one.....He's been strokin' for years!:laugh:
     
  13. rh455

    rh455 Well-Known Member

    Gary
    I'm not sure all 7" rod 494's have the pin in the oil ring. Mine has the 7.125 Crower rod with Bill Miller's that has the pin just below the oil ring.
     

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  14. verruckt

    verruckt Nitromethane addict

    Is there any reliability issues with the shorter pistons? As far as street driving goes? My car will see about 50/50 street/strip duty. And are the horsepower gains for about 20or30-some cubic inches worth the increased cost of crank grinding and custom pistons?
     
  15. Thumper (aka greatscat)

    Thumper (aka greatscat) Well-Known Member

    Thanks Reynold,of course your right,i got a little carried away and started talkin bigger strokes too,especially the 525's.
    and thanks for the kudos guys ,I'm blushing.By the way,What exactly did you mean by "stroking for years". :)
    gary
     

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