[Steve C.]

Note his comment..... "Your biggest concern spinning a Pontiac for extended periods is going to be your oiling system."

Now this from the internet....

"Mean and maximum piston speeds are still valuable calculations for any engine builder making a change to a proven formula. Exceeding 5,000 fpm in mean piston speed should get your attention and prompt rethinking on parts selection. Excessive piston speed can lead to inconsistent lubrication of the cylinder wall, and in some situations the piston will actually accelerate faster than the flame front during combustion. While the former can cause parts failure, the latter is lost horsepower."

5-inch stroke at 8000 rpm = 6,667 ft/min

Here's an interesting tid bit from Car Craft.....

"Think about rpm for a minute. That's revolutions per minute, referring to an engine's crankshaft speed. At 6,000 rpm, that's 100 revolutions per second, or one revolution every hundreth of a second. If you've got a 4.250-inch stroke, each piston is traveling 70,8333 feet per second at 6,000 rpm, which is about 48 mph, and it has to change direction twice every hundreth of a second. And you wonder why stuff breaks."

With a 4.500-inch stroke a piston will be traveling 75 feet per second at 6000 rpm.

Now consider the 5-inch stroke at 8000 rpm !


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