www.the351cforum.com

Figured just start a separate thread on it

Tim is on another site apparently. He posted, after asking, that he has had just recent communication with the foundry about looking at cores for the iron blocks. So that could be quite some time out, still.

Options -
Scan and possibly sleeve the old block and run it till it barfs again - probably $600ish before its done

Rock another D2AE-CA 4 bolt and hope the cylinders hold out longer - easy $1800

Dart SHP - $3700ish from order to ready. Plus $500 for a replacement oil pan. And possibly a balancer. I have a 351W block in the shed to mock up for motor plate construction LOL.

Other 9.2 deck block from ?

Others? Titus? Barnett Perf advertises short blocks using Titus iron, but I'm not real keen on dealing with "Titus". Or MME as it was formerly known.

_________________
Chris - Merkel, TX
http://raceabilene.com/kelly/hotrod
"Owner built, owner abused."

For whatever it's worth, here is what I would do if I was in that situation. I would sleeve the old block, fill it to the water pump ports, and have the machine shop run a hone thru it to make sure the cylinders didnt distort. I've actually filled one after it was bored and never had any problems with it, but we used Hardblock on that one because it supposedly wouldnt distort the cylinder walls. I dont know if it did or not but I ran it for a couple of years until a main web broke. I was pulling it down to freshen it up, and when I pulled one of the main caps off, a piece of main webbing thrue the bolt hole fell out and on to the floor. Oops.

Another vote for using the stock block. Block it, machine it, pour the coal to it.

_________________
Brent Lykins, Lykins Motorsports
www.lykinsmotorsports.com
brent@lykinsmotorsports.com

If you're going to run a stroker something that I've always wondered about is the length of the cylinder on the aftermarket 9.200 deck blocks. Are they really cast the same as a 9.500 and then cut to 9.200? If so that would make the cylinder wall length shorter than a production block. I just did a tape measure study on two blocks that are here at the shop. One block is an old Nascar Ford Windsor style block with a 9.200 deck height. The cylinder wall measures 5-3/8 inches. A factory Cleveland block measures about 5 5/8 inches for 1/4 inch of difference. I've never used a Dart or World block that wasn't 9.5 deck but what do the cylinders in one of those measure?

One problem people have written about the Ford Motorsport BOSS block is the cylinders dont go down as far as the DART blocks.

My FMS Boss 9.2 block measured 5 1/2 inches as opposed to 5 9/16 on a stock Cleveland. I'm running a 4 inch stroke with no issues. Changed to this block 5 years ago and haven't looked back. Yes it costs to switch to the Windsor base but I got tired of waiting for a Cleveland block, and that was 5 years ago. I guess for once my gut was right. I had an issue 3 years ago with a balancer and snapped a forged crank. It damaged #4 main cap. FMS air freighted a new cap to me no charge. I highly recommend this block if you decide to go Windsor.

This is a 3.85 stroke unit. Only change I'd like t make would be to go from a 4.03 to a 4.125 piston. Only issue there would be to target weight for existing balance.

Looked up the M-6010-BOSS35192 9.2 deck unit, looks like 9.200 + .010~.015, bore would be 4.120 as delivered. Mains "finished to low limit". $2300 my cost at Summit, as a reference. Not a bad idea. Looks like it requires a specific kit of head studs and a plug kit, nothing special about that - unless stud kit is designed for SBF heads, then maybe a regular ARP set for C heads should/wold work. Looks like potential cost savings as - unless there's a problem with the mains - the only finish operations would be final hone and deck as required. The one piece seal on the rear main would also rectify the issue with the discontinuation of C 2 part rear seals.

What operations did you do to the deck to allow for C heads? I already happen to have a W water conversion kit for pulling water out the front of the AFDs - they are already tapped and plugged for those front water outlets.

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Chris - Merkel, TX
http://raceabilene.com/kelly/hotrod
"Owner built, owner abused."

I'm seeing 3.990 bore as delivered but can go to 4.125. I used M- 6051-CP331 head gaskets, ARP 154-4004 & AR 5.750-1LB for studs(don't remember why some studs were longer), Fel pro 2921 rear main, and M-6261-J351 cam bearings. The plug kit comes with the block. The first crank that broke was 3.85 stroke but went to 4 inch when I rebuilt. Go to the FMS website and you should be able to find the instruction/installation sheet. It tells you alot of the specs etc. I see you were looking at the big bore blocks to get to 4.125.

I had to do all the normal block prep. Machined to get the deck height I wanted .005 in the hole. Checked line bore and bored cylinders to 4.030. All the stuff you would have to do to a stock block. The machine shop said this was a rugged piece of engine block. Better then a lot of the aftermarket blocks they deal with. Nothing done to the deck to install the C heads other then adjusting for deck height.

Devil's in the details - only the M-6010-BOSSBB 9.5 deck appears to come 4.120. So correct, 3.990 on the others.

From the sheet:
M-6010-BOSS35192 and M-6010-BOSS35195 bore size out of box 3.990" - 3.995" finish at 4.000" - 4.125", for M-6010-BOSSBB bore size out of box 4.115" - 4.120" finish at 4.125"

My "check the mains" has always been sit the crank on #1 and #5 block shell, spin to check TIR, install caps/bearings with light machine oil, spin the crank. If it spins, it ships. I've had quite a few Cs over time and have never had the mains line bored in any block. I'd have to look at my notes, but the main clearance in the existing block is .0025+, maybe close to .003 so even if the bores were a tad tight, likely no issues. BUT - that's why they sold be a dial bore gauge LOL.

I'll have to run Engine Analyzer to see if going from 393 to 411 CID is worth the expense of new pistons. Or, spend that money saved on the pistons and just shut up.

_________________
Chris - Merkel, TX
http://raceabilene.com/kelly/hotrod
"Owner built, owner abused."