Kent: Splayed Main Caps, Machine shop information needed!

[john8662]

Kent,

I'm running into problems getting my block modified to accept the splayed main caps and I'm out 3 months on this project now. Could you please respond with the contact information for your machine shop that modified your block? I'm in need of information to get two machinists together to collaborate on how-to's and answer some questions about the operation.

You can also contact me via email at awesomechevyman at yahoo.com

To exhange #'s and such.

Thanks!

[roclongrider]

john8662,
I'd be interested in that info as well. I'm getting ready to have some machine work done on my 6.5 and my shop is pretty green on these engines.
Barry.

[Kent]

John, you"ve got mail.
Cameron Racing Engines. Ask for Jim Cameron, he is the owner and the one that will do the work. He's not much on small talk though. Their no is 816-632-2233 Tell him that Kent refered you to him. He is a hell of a machinist.

Kent

[Chuck1]

Would anyone out there have a picture of what the splayed mains look like.I,ve never seen that done before.I guess it,s a racing thing?

[Billman]

Try John Kennedy's site.

[Kent]

I've got a disk full of assy pics i will post up soon.

Kent

[Kennedy]

Here's a pic:



While not a difficult install by any means, the job does require a better than average background in machining. The "registers" get milled much wider and to a point where they are just under (about .005" interference fit) the length of the caps. The caps need to be reasonably centered on the block so that the line bore will clean them up. We have undersized the bore diameter on the caps to help in this area.

A lot of details about this procedure will come to "print" in the not too distant future...


Note: This is NOT your typical slap a boring bar on the deck and bore type of operation. The block must be fastened to the table and leveled using a dial indicator to the best average of the register surface of the #2 and #4 web. I'll see if I can get RJ to post a pic of the operation.

[grape]

JK try to send me an email, Let me know if you think it would be cheaper to waterjet your main caps instead of machining them. I've got a buddy down hear that can cut 6" stainless with his waterjet machine. Only thing that would have to be machined, just for ease, would be the main bolt holes, and the center main thrust reliefs.

[Kennedy]

I'm a bit confused. I don't see how a water jet could provide the same level of presision as a mill.

[ronniejoe]

As Kennedy said, I am presently working on a write-up to cover much of this subject. Here is a primer, though.

This first picture shows the set-up process using a dial indicator to level the main cap mounting surface.



The next picture shows the milling operation to widen the registers. The width is determined by measuring the main cap, dividing by two and then come off the centerline of the block to that distance minus about .0025". As a double check, the main cap was first placed on the block with the center two bolts snugged so that a line could be scribed in machine blue on the rail.



In this photo, the caps are in place with the two center bolts. The outer holes are used as a guide to machine the counter bore in the register.



The minor diameter of the threaded hole is machined next.



Followed by the threading operation.



After this is complete, the align boring and align honing operations finish the install.

Edited to correct spelling errors and typos!

[ 06-17-2005, 05:07 AM: Message edited by: ronniejoe ]

[Chuck1]

Man when I asked for pictures I whould have never thought .This page is a real class act.Just 3 more questions. How much stronger will it be .Can it break.Is it stronger than the new AG blocks.

[ronniejoe]

Unfortunately, at this time there is no definitive answer to these questions. No one that I know of has done any analysis of this application. The experience in the racing world with small block and big block Chevy gassers is very good. The concept is sound.

My intuition tells me this should be very strong and should cure the cracking problems.

[Kennedy]

Mark Bajus has these on his 93 with my first 18:1 pistons etc. He had this done in 2001? I believe, and this was on a block that had already formed a crack. The crack was repaired with some form of seam stitch method, and lives on...

[CareyWeber]

Ron,

Is this block a squirter or a nonsquirter?

Carey

[john8662]

Carey,

You can tell from the pictures that it's a squirter. It has 3 holes on the area where the bearing goes. Normally (non spray block) there is only one hole in the center.

RonnieJoe,

Thanks for the pictures of your splayed main block work. It's refreshing to see whats going on there. I was trying to visualize it all mentally as I didn't get to see my caps or anything before they were shipped off to be used.

Everyone,

I spoke to Kent on the phone and he relayed a TON of information about the Splayed Main Work. He was VERY helpfull with the information to get me going and the shop doing the work going. Excellent member!

[ronniejoe]

As John8662 said, it's a squirter.

[Cowracer]

RJ and I are on basically parallel rebuilds. The only real difference is that he is taking care to optimize all tolerances and he is going with a splayed block.

My rebuild is more "mainstream" (I did not have my crank indexed and whatnot) and I am using a stud girdle on a seasoned 599 block.

It would be intersting to see which way (splayed or girdled) provides more real-world benefits, but that means one of us would have to loose another motor in the process. <shudder> Hopefully we never find out.

How current are those pics RonnieJoe?

Tim

[CareyWeber]

Originally posted by ronniejoe:
As John8662 said, it's a squirter.

Ron,

Is it a small hole squirter or a big hole squirter?

Carey

[ronniejoe]

Late March.

Small.

[ 06-17-2005, 03:14 PM: Message edited by: ronniejoe ]

[Kent]

John8662, It was nice talking with you, thanks for the fine words, your a really cool member yourself, glad to have helped you.

RJ, so like, ya know, where ya at now on your project? Fill us in.

Kent