Assemble your own stroker kit?
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Aug 2004
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Assemble your own stroker kit?
What would you buy?
383
Crank
Rods
Pistons.
Street mainly with occasional drag strip use.
I want to keep the Hotcam in my LT4 and port the stock intake and heads.
I want to avoid cam/rod clearance issues and minimize block clearancing.
Price is secondary to strength and quality.
383
Crank
Rods
Pistons.
Street mainly with occasional drag strip use.
I want to keep the Hotcam in my LT4 and port the stock intake and heads.
I want to avoid cam/rod clearance issues and minimize block clearancing.
Price is secondary to strength and quality.
Last edited by lefoy84; Jul 21, 2007 at 12:09 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 9,715
Likes: 27
From: Kempner Texas
The LT1/4 block is going to require clearancing; no way around that. Not difficult or very time consuming to do either.
'H' beams rods are your best choice for not having camshaft clearance problems.
I just built a 388 and the parts I used are in my signature. If you decide to go that route, stay in touch and I may be able to walk you through some of the things I had to address in building mine.
Hope this helps.
Jake
'H' beams rods are your best choice for not having camshaft clearance problems.
I just built a 388 and the parts I used are in my signature. If you decide to go that route, stay in touch and I may be able to walk you through some of the things I had to address in building mine.
Hope this helps.
Jake
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From: Good health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die
St. Jude Donor '04-'05-'06-'07
No reason not to in that case, 
if you can find one, that is. If someone ever makes a larger bore (and hopefully) aluminum LT1 block, I'll be the first in line. 
Like Jake, I built a 388 but did it with a 3.80" stroke at +.030" being the main difference. I used Eagle ESP featherweight 6" H-beam rods and SRP lightweight pistons. The light rods and pistons also enabled my machinist to trim 3 lbs. off of my 4340 Eagle neutral balance crank. Also I used a smaller diameter, aluminum ATI Super Damper. Less weight = less wasted HP and more efficiency. That's where it's at if you can afford it, man. Spend once, but save from there on.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Aug 2004
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No reason not to in that case, if you can find one, that is. If someone ever makes a larger bore (and hopefully) aluminum LT1 block, I'll be the first in line. Like Jake, I built a 388 but did it with a 3.80" stroke at +.030" being the main difference. I used Eagle ESP featherweight 6" H-beam rods and SRP lightweight pistons. The light rods and pistons also enabled my machinist to trim 3 lbs. off of my 4340 Eagle neutral balance crank. Also I used a smaller diameter, aluminum ATI Super Damper. Less weight = less wasted HP and more efficiency. That's where it's at if you can afford it, man. Spend once, but save from there on.
I have been wrenching as a hobby all of my life but I haven't built alot of engines. I think the LT-1/LT4 is an internally balanced engined. Can someone explain the difference. Clearancing the block is pretty straightforward. I want to avoid cam clearance issues.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 9,715
Likes: 27
From: Kempner Texas
Never worked on a LT4, but I know the LT1 is a hybrid, like the L98. It has, from the factory, a neutral balanced damper, but the flexplate is weighted.
A new recip assembly can be bought completely internally balanced, calling for neutral damper and flexplate, which is the route I took.
Also, as the stock assembly can be converted to be completely internally balanced by the addition of Mallory metal to the crank.
From all I've read and from my recent personal experience, 'H' rods, like the EAGLE's I'm running, will not cause cam clearance problems. 'I' beams are another story though.
Jake
A new recip assembly can be bought completely internally balanced, calling for neutral damper and flexplate, which is the route I took.
Also, as the stock assembly can be converted to be completely internally balanced by the addition of Mallory metal to the crank.
From all I've read and from my recent personal experience, 'H' rods, like the EAGLE's I'm running, will not cause cam clearance problems. 'I' beams are another story though.
Jake
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 17,298
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From: The Top of Utah
Originally Posted by lefoy84
I think the LT-1/LT4 is an internally balanced engined. Can someone explain the difference. Clearancing the block is pretty straightforward. I want to avoid cam clearance issues.
The stock 5.7" rods will clear the camshaft with a little light grinding on the bolt heads.
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Thread Starter
Pro
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The LTx engines are internal/external balanced. This THREAD will get you started. Let me know if you need more.
The stock 5.7" rods will clear the camshaft with a little light grinding on the bolt heads.
RACE ON!!!
The stock 5.7" rods will clear the camshaft with a little light grinding on the bolt heads.
RACE ON!!!
Large Impressive Member
Joined: Jul 2003
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From: Good health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die
St. Jude Donor '04-'05-'06-'07
No, on manual cars an externally balanced flywheel is used. You can choose an aftermarket crank in either configuration though. The internally balanced both front and rear cranks usually just cost a little more, that's all. And of course you'll have to have your flywheel neutrally balanced or get one that is, if you go that route.
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2007
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I used an Eagle Street Strip kit in a 1990ish roller block. No clearence issues, Didn't even need a stroker pan but I already had one anyway.
You can get the kits internal or external balance, one or two piece rear seal. Can also be had forged. Forged $1800 Cast $900
You can get the kits internal or external balance, one or two piece rear seal. Can also be had forged. Forged $1800 Cast $900
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Aug 2004
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Do you have a good source for kits?
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 17,103
Likes: 39
From: stop the fun suckers
I would feel comfortable recommending:
Pistons:
JE
Wesco
SRP
Crank
Callies
Crower
Rods
Eagle H-Beam
Flywheel
Hayes Billet Steel (for mainly drag applications)
Hayes Aluminum (for autocross uses)
Gakests
FelPro
Heads
AFR 195cc
Rockers
Crane Gold 1.6 (non self aligning with guideplates and hardened pushrods)
ARP bolts, Stock Volume Oil Pump, Windage Tray, Crank Scraper , oversized roadracing oil pan with baffels, 1 7/8" stainless headers, corsa exhaust
Oh and YOU NEED A BIGGER CAM THAN THE HOTCAM IT IS TOO SMALL!
I made that mistake with mine and wish I had gone bigger.. mine is a daily driver and idles like stock with just a barely noticeable lope.
This is what I would have done if money was no object... but for me it was.. so see sig.. The whole thing ran me 2800.00 and runs GREAT!
Pistons:
JE
Wesco
SRP
Crank
Callies
Crower
Rods
Eagle H-Beam
Flywheel
Hayes Billet Steel (for mainly drag applications)
Hayes Aluminum (for autocross uses)
Gakests
FelPro
Heads
AFR 195cc
Rockers
Crane Gold 1.6 (non self aligning with guideplates and hardened pushrods)
ARP bolts, Stock Volume Oil Pump, Windage Tray, Crank Scraper , oversized roadracing oil pan with baffels, 1 7/8" stainless headers, corsa exhaust
Oh and YOU NEED A BIGGER CAM THAN THE HOTCAM IT IS TOO SMALL!
I made that mistake with mine and wish I had gone bigger.. mine is a daily driver and idles like stock with just a barely noticeable lope.
This is what I would have done if money was no object... but for me it was.. so see sig.. The whole thing ran me 2800.00 and runs GREAT!
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 17,298
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From: The Top of Utah
Originally Posted by lefoy84
Read the thread. Thanks. The LT4 doesn't have a flexplate so that balancing method does not apply. Does that mean that a stock LT4 crank is internally balanced or does the harmonic dampner pick up the slack?
No, it does not mean that "a stock LT4 crank is internally balanced". Additionally, it is not possible for a damper at the front of the engine to be weighted to compensate for a weight problem at the rear of the engine.
Given the above, you might be better advised to skip shopping for stroker kits and concentrate on long blocks and installers.
RACE ON!!!
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 623
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My bad. That's what I get for ***-U-MEing. In an effort to save what I thought would be unnecessary and redundant typing, I neglected to spell out the details of flex plates for automatic transmission cars and flywheels for stick shift cars. Silly me! I made the stupid mistake of giving you and other readers credit for knowing that since the flywheel and flex plate occupy the same location in their respective applications, that reference to one would be sufficient for a person to know that what applies to the one would apply to the other in it's own application. Stupid me! Never again!
No, it does not mean that "a stock LT4 crank is internally balanced". Additionally, it is not possible for a damper at the front of the engine to be weighted to compensate for a weight problem at the rear of the engine.
Given the above, you might be better advised to skip shopping for stroker kits and concentrate on long blocks and installers.
RACE ON!!!
No, it does not mean that "a stock LT4 crank is internally balanced". Additionally, it is not possible for a damper at the front of the engine to be weighted to compensate for a weight problem at the rear of the engine.
Given the above, you might be better advised to skip shopping for stroker kits and concentrate on long blocks and installers.
RACE ON!!!
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 17,298
Likes: 33
From: The Top of Utah
Originally Posted by lefoy84
Are you off your medication again?
RACE ON!!!