why is it that girdles work on our buicks but dont on other engines? small block fords in particular. http://www.yellowbullet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=207242&highlight=main+girdles not just this thread either i heard of quite a few fords breaking and using the girdle. i dont get it?????? what are your guys's ideas? Cody
The SBF is not a skirted block, so a main girdle can only tie the caps together. They're still only as strong as the main webbing that the cap bolts into. The Buick V6 and 350 motors are skirted (the block pan rails are roughly even with the bottoms of the caps). A girdle for the skirted block bolts to the pan rails and across the caps, working much like a cross bolted main cap and taking much of the stress off of any one cap's main webbing.
check these out http://www.probeindustries.com/Main_Girdles_s/100.htm all the other brands are the same that i could find anyway. theyre not really full girdles
Those SBF girdles in that last link equate to the TA halo girdle, not the block girdle which ties in the pan rail, preloading all five main caps. If a halo is the girlde being described in the other forum, it's a matter of apples vs. oranges. Devon
From the yellowbullet.com site: There are a couple of different girdle designs out there. Some space the girdle above the main caps and don't touch the caps. Although they keep the caps from walking sideways, they don't do anything to keep the crank from breaking thru the stock cast caps. Almost a complete waste of time - only marginally better than nothing. The better design is to mill the main caps all flat, then put the girdle on with straps on top of the girdle. What you wind up with is very thick and will help keep the crank intact. You DO need to have the mains align bored, but this way is money well spent.
