454 Bottom End

[78Bu88SS]

Hey guys. I'm going through my options here on what to do for the bottom end in my 454 when the time comes. It should clean up with a .030 bore. Its a 2 bolt main motor that will see a lot of street time with a mildly worked set of 049s.

I pulled down the bottom end and found stock 3/8 rods and a good stock crank. I will be adding forged TRW pistons. Now the more I thought about it, the more I realized its not really worth rebuilding stock rods. By the time I get the pistons pressed off, buy the ARP rod bolts, have them pressed in, rods resized, and the new pistons pressed on, I'm almost to the price of new Scat forged Ibeams with ARP cap screws. Now if I go this route, the bottom end should be balanced for sure. I'm worried that with heavier slugs, the crank will require mallory metal with will be $$$. How are peoples experiences with balancing stock cast cranks to aftermarket rods/pistons?

With some math, I got $420 for the pistons, $220 for the rods, plus having the stock crank polished and balanced. I see spending $900-1000 on the bottom end work. I'm wondering if its worth spending the extra money buying a Scat rotating assembly with a cast crank, possibly a 496 at that.

I'm up for opinions here. Motor will probably never see much over 6500.

 

[Barry 85 SS]

Sounds like you're trying to do it right. I'm not sure what a cast rotating assy. cost, but it shouldn't be much more than upgrading yours. so if you can stand the coin, I would go for it, all new stuff and more cubes too.

 

[crd89stang]

cost wise it isnt much more to stroke it i always try to talk my customers into it. u already have to buy pistons already buying rods a new crank isnt much more than grinding one correctly. go for it. rotating assy should be balanced anyways even if it is new.

 

[78Bu88SS]

The Scat rotating assembly I'm looking at comes internally balanced. I'm wondering how close it will be from the factory. For $1300, I can get the entire 496 rotating assembly. It comes with a cast crank, forged I beams with ARP cap screws, forged pistons, rings, and main/rod bearings. In my eyes, its really not a bad deal. With it being internally balanced, I can run a 396-427 flexplate and balancer.

I have a question on main studs. I've heard from some guys that you need to align hone the mains when you install them, and I've heard they are no different from just studs and you can run them without any align honing. Which is true??

 

[GreenDragginBu]

Align hone. every shop i have talked with about doing my machine work on my 496 said same thing.

 

[crd89stang]

you can have it checked but should be done in ant performance motor anyways

 

[78Bu88SS]

Also, regarding the 496 rotating assembly, how much clearancing is usually needed with the longer stroke? I'm torn between sticking with the stock rod length or going longer. I know the key benefit with a longer rod is less stress on the piston skirt but will the longer rod cause any more clearance problems? How about reliabilty problems with a higher pin height in the piston?

Thanks guys, keep em coming.

 

[crd89stang]

there isnt that much clearancing needed

 

[78Bu88SS]

I'm going through some options here for the bottom end ofthis motor. With it being a 2 bolt block, I have some options for upgrading.

I'm looking to see what you guys feel the power limits are of the following
stock 454 2 bolt block with ARP main bolts
stock 454 2 bolt block with ARP main studs (align honed after)
stock 454 2 bolt block converted to 4 bolt main caps with main studs (all machining done)

This motor certainly wont be the last one I build so I don't know if I want to build it as the "end all be all" motor. In my gut, I still feel like ARP main bolts and the cast crank SCAT stroker assembly with forged dome pistons will do what I want it to. With the 10-1 compression with 119CC heads, it won't ever see a blower as it sits anyways.

What do you guys think? I'm looking for opinions here of what people have done in the past also.

 

[Bar50]

I am looking at doing the same thing, in building a 496 anyways. Technically the studs are stronger than bolts. The thing I run into is the pistons are like $600. The stock rods would be okay, even better with aftermarket bolt, but, you are right on track, it is only a little bit more for brand new ones. In my case, I bought an engine that was apart, someone else lost the rod caps. I am under the impression the longer rods do help with rod to stroke ratio's and piston loading...they also allow the piston to have a skirt and clear the crankshaft too.

Don't cut the block for the four bolt mains, it cuts into the valley, enough to weaken the block.

The 049's are great heads, iron versions of the Edelbrock oval ports, or, really, vice versa. They work great with 2.19 1.88 valves.

Have you noticed that the pistons for 496 pistons are either 8.1 or 13.1??? I have been doing some shopping to see who has the best deal. I have heard 'things' about Keith Black pistons, I have never had any problems with them, but, that was in Harley motors.