Yesterday I went to SCR to observe the Top Doorslammer qualifying. I left after the first round. They had 13 cars in the class, and I wanted to stay, but I had family things to do and had to leave.
The engine is coming along just fine. Taking my time, trying to get everything right. All of the pistons have the rings installed, but they are not in the block yet. I cut the ring gaps and put them on the pistons Friday night. I purchased all new main, rod and head bolts. The crank is in and torqued after making sure all the clearances were in spec. Had to swap some bearings around to get them all in spec.
The new ARP bolts, which are shorter but stronger than the ARP bolts that came with the rods, coupled with the new Clevite 77 HN bearings, which do not have the chamfer on them any longer but are actually a little narrower than the old “H” type bearings. The bolts are 5 gm. each lighter and the bearings are 1.5 gm lighter for a total 11.5 grams per rod lighter than the combination that the engine was balanced with.
We called Eagle Motorsports to ask what to do. They said I would be OK if the person that balanced the engine did it to “Zero” (whatever that means). Alvin tried to explain a lot about balancing to me, but it went in one ear (hearing aid) and out the other. Alvin had calculated that we were only 1% lighter than we started and he did not think I had a problem.
When I talked to Eagle, the tech. said the exact same thing. Anyway, Remi, who did the balancing, said he balanced the rotating assembly to “Zero”, so I am OK.
I talked to Charlie Robertson yesterday at the track and we both agree, we should not build anymore engines. Let the people that specialize in that stuff do it from now on.
Silas Rogers and I had a conversation that was very similar. Silas purchased a short-block and put his heads and other top end items on it. Silas is enjoying racing every weekend.
All I need is a Big-M block to hand to a engine builder and they can put my rotating assembly, cam and lifters inside, bolt on my other stuff and I can go racing again for the long term.
When I purchased the 540 BBC complete engine, it ran for over two years before I decided to overhaul it. It NEVER ran as quick as it did just before I rebuilt it (9.21 before vs. 9.26 after).