Block failure pics

I want to see your block failure pics!!!,...come on with so many people believing our blocks are garbage and self destruct when you hit "600" hp,..prove it,..i want to see these busted mains,...that were in well tuned and cared for combos,...for every 1 posted I'll post 5 that are are alive and well with stock blocks over 600hp,..aaaannnndddd GO!!!

 

"I think" or "it had to have been" diagnosis doesn't count,..i want to see these blocks that blow apart simply because they reached X amount of HP and X amount of RPM,..."the main bearings showed wear" doesn't count either i want to see some blicks with their bellies missing

 

I dont have pictures, but I know bobb from finishline performance did split a block .......don't know the full details. But do know it happened

 

Bobb's was making 1k hp im pretty certain in a 3400lb car,....and it lived a good while iirc

When he was on Passtime and ran an 8.80 that was with a stock block im pretty sure

So obviously we'll past the 600hp "danger zone" ,...

 

A lot of the block failures other then spun main bearings that take place in factory blocks at or above the 600 hp level, (and yes even in Pontiac and Olds blocks ) come about due to the Crank being balanced at a 3" distance, not less like is needed for far less high rpm harmonics and also the big fact that the Crank only has 6 counter weights instead of the needed 8 like a custom Bilet Crank can have.

A properly phased 8 counter weight Crank reduces main Bearing load by well over 600 lbs in many cases and that can be the straw that either keeps the block alive or makes it fail!

Also light Pistons,pins and Aluminum Rods greatly reduce Crank and block loads.

 

I saw that Passtime video when it came out and they did not expect the Buick to run so darned strong.

I broke the crank in my 350 engine and I drove 40 miles to get home. I know this don't count but does prove the 350 block is strong enough to hold the crank in there for a while. Can't remember where it broke at that was in 1993.

Must have broke in the right spot to keep working.

 

Wait,only 600HP? It must be one of those “Stage1 specs” builds. I am well north of that. If you keep shoving junk in it,then yes,you will end up running it over.

 

I know it was well up there.
I spit the rods out of totally stk 430......and this one won't count either......whenni say stk I mean right from the bone yard, only new gaskets added....had my good top end. ..was running 11.30s......then it started to slow down out of the blue that I couldn't find.........so for weeks I chased my tune....and it slowly dropped and dropped....then ran 1 crazy fast pass.....and next one spit the rod out at 1000 ft..........but it by no means was a well prepped race motor. But I bet I put over 125 passes shift that completely stk bottom end at 6300 every shift and going through the big end north of 6000

 

I had cylinder wall crack at 650hp

 

In my book the need for a girdle is not at 600 Hp across the board.

Depends on how it's used.. I regularly build motors over 600 HP street use, with no girdle... because a street motor is not pounded on every time the key is turned. I just had one on the dyno on Monday.. 593 TQ and 602 HP.. basically a carbon copy of Larry's motor, that has been together and going strong for about a decade now.

Race motors are a different thing,

25 years ago we witnessed the main caps walking on my bracket motor, with no water jacket filler and no girdle, at 540 HP... That was kind of an entry level heavy piston deal... It never blew up, but that does not mean things were not moving, nor does it mean it could not have benefited from a girdle.

And power adders are another variable... I would have no problem building a forced induction street motor to 700 plus HP... on the other hand, you want to spray nitrous, start girdling at 550..

Turbo's and superchargers spread the stress out across 20-30* of crank rotation, whereas nitrous does the opposite.. it's like hitting the pistons with a sledge hammer.

I am going to experiment eventually with the new KB crank in an iron block.. it will probably be a 430 block...my contention is that in a select block, with filler, and alum rods and light pistons, I can build over 750 HP and turn it to 7K, without a girdle. The Internal balance that is available with that 8 counterweight crank reduces stress on the block considerably.

Just some thoughts this morning...

JW

 

Yes Larry...that was at Quaker the Breaker

Sucked that stock pan dry running Schubeck lifters...too much oil up top.

Actually only first one is mine....obviously not a Jag firewall in pic 2.

I remember starting to take motor apart at Quaker.....

 

I had a mopar buddy tell me the average 440 starts to have trouble at 650 horsepower.

 

Thats my point,..some guys just refuse to believe that block failures can most always be traced back to another issue,...oil starvation,..to much rpm,..poor assembly,...poor balance,....etc etc

And as Jim said and I've said many times guys thinking they need a girdle for a car that will see very limited track time is a waste of time and money. Sure if you're wanting to bracket race your 600hp 6500rpm 3500lb gs every weekend then yea that needs some more attention nut for 98% of us its a waste.

 

Jim I agree 110% a stroked 400 or 430 block woukd be a very capable and dependable bullet,....thats exactly what is going under my 871 blower deal a stroked 400 block

 

I think the 1st.pic Larry posted is Paul's engine in his purple '70 wagon. I believe it was at Quaker.

Tom T.

 

Yup....other one I hurt was main saddle. I was turning distributor at BG in lanes (no timing light) trying to qualify for Super 16....ended up with like 43 deg total....bucking on top end.