Motor Contemplation
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 27,567
Likes: 99
From: San Diego
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,412
Likes: 4
From: Houston/Dayton Texas
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Supporting Vendor
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 2,673
Likes: 369
From: Forney TX
The problem with the aluminum blocks and stock sleeves is that the sleeves distort so much. It doesn't take any more than a flashlight to see what I'm talking about. When I was at HKE picking up my motor, I visited with Erik for a while and that's one of the issues he showed me with the block. If you insist on keeping the aluminum, between LS2 and LS3, I'd take a LS2 block. With as much power as you're making, I would also strongly consider a good sleeve job. Many shops out there will mess up a block by improperly installing the sleeves and you probably won't know it until long after you've paid and trashed your motor. If you're going to sleeve it, do it right by sending it to Steve Demirjian at Race Engine Development in CA. Piston geometry comes into play when deciding how big to make your motor. I would rather have my rings in the right place with less cubes than have them too high or no support in the lower rings due to bad geometry.
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Offering products from A&A Superchargers, East Coast Superchargers, Mechman Alternators, Mantic clutches, RPS clutches, Kooks Headers, Lakewood, LG, Brian Tooley Racing, Comp Cams, FAST, ARP, UPP Turbo systems, Wiseco, Callies, K1, MAST Motorsports, Haltech and many more. PM me for details.
Offering products from A&A Superchargers, East Coast Superchargers, Mechman Alternators, Mantic clutches, RPS clutches, Kooks Headers, Lakewood, LG, Brian Tooley Racing, Comp Cams, FAST, ARP, UPP Turbo systems, Wiseco, Callies, K1, MAST Motorsports, Haltech and many more. PM me for details.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 6,080
Likes: 0
From: Houston TX
Bret, what you got in mind on the iron side.
Mdaniel, my motor does what I want it to now on 9.5:1 cr. I spool at 3500 and its predictable. My only issue right now is I am getting some blowby. I figure Ill go bigger for the next one then I can crank up the numbers higher.
Joe, Im going to try the NT05R on the 345s im running, but since they are 19s Im not sure how well its going to go.
Mdaniel, my motor does what I want it to now on 9.5:1 cr. I spool at 3500 and its predictable. My only issue right now is I am getting some blowby. I figure Ill go bigger for the next one then I can crank up the numbers higher.
Joe, Im going to try the NT05R on the 345s im running, but since they are 19s Im not sure how well its going to go.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,087
Likes: 11
From: Austin TX
Build an iron block 402. Its what I had and what Bret has. Best bang for the buck, will hold tons of power and is easy to source and build. Anything bigger and the rings will be too close to the top of the piston (just my opion on making big power safely) for comfort
Former Vendor
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 58
Likes: 1
For the amount of boost you're looking to run I would certainly get that block sleeved.
The sleeve distortion is a serious issue when you are running that much cylinder pressure on stock cast iron sleeve, which is why you need ductile iron sleeves.
We have 3 different sleeve packages depending on your application.
We have the following sleeving options:
- ERL Dry Sleeve
- ERL Superdeck 1 "4 bolt"
- ERL Superdeck 1 "6 bolt"
We have the following sleeved blocks in stock right now with a rough bore of just under 4.125.
(12) - ERL Superdeck 1 "6 bolt" using 5.3's, LS2's and LS3 blocks.
(6) - ERL Superdeck 1 "4 bolt" using 5.3's, LS2's, LS3's and LS7 blocks.
(5) - ERL Dry Sleeve using LS2's and LS3 blocks.
You can send in your block as a core exchange for one we have on the shelf, you can send in yours for us to sleeve or you can purchase one outright if you don't have a core. Either way we have them sleeved up already and just need to do a final cylinder to most of them.
We can also turn these into any of our short block packages as well.
The sleeve distortion is a serious issue when you are running that much cylinder pressure on stock cast iron sleeve, which is why you need ductile iron sleeves.
We have 3 different sleeve packages depending on your application.
We have the following sleeving options:
- ERL Dry Sleeve
- ERL Superdeck 1 "4 bolt"
- ERL Superdeck 1 "6 bolt"
We have the following sleeved blocks in stock right now with a rough bore of just under 4.125.
(12) - ERL Superdeck 1 "6 bolt" using 5.3's, LS2's and LS3 blocks.
(6) - ERL Superdeck 1 "4 bolt" using 5.3's, LS2's, LS3's and LS7 blocks.
(5) - ERL Dry Sleeve using LS2's and LS3 blocks.
You can send in your block as a core exchange for one we have on the shelf, you can send in yours for us to sleeve or you can purchase one outright if you don't have a core. Either way we have them sleeved up already and just need to do a final cylinder to most of them.
We can also turn these into any of our short block packages as well.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 29,063
Likes: 1,839
From: cookeville tennessee
Bret, what you got in mind on the iron side.
Mdaniel, my motor does what I want it to now on 9.5:1 cr. I spool at 3500 and its predictable. My only issue right now is I am getting some blowby. I figure Ill go bigger for the next one then I can crank up the numbers higher.
Joe, Im going to try the NT05R on the 345s im running, but since they are 19s Im not sure how well its going to go.
Mdaniel, my motor does what I want it to now on 9.5:1 cr. I spool at 3500 and its predictable. My only issue right now is I am getting some blowby. I figure Ill go bigger for the next one then I can crank up the numbers higher.
Joe, Im going to try the NT05R on the 345s im running, but since they are 19s Im not sure how well its going to go.
Safety Car
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 4,353
Likes: 22
From: Bella Vista Ca
What width rim are you running? I have the 11's, they are the min recommended for that tire but I have my doubts about fit...
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 9,993
Likes: 1,136
From: League City Tx
If I was going to go bigger then a 408, I would go LSX iron block...
I just dont trust those aluminum blocks with sleeves, especially the large bore stuff... Not to mention i believe iron blocks hold head gaskets better...