[duke455]

building a 461 out of a 73 400. early 389 4 bolt caps with ARP studs. really dont think I would see much above 6000 RPMs. Its going in a 73 formula for "street and strip" fun. I dont have all the details worked out on the engine but the bottom end is a 4340 forged ohio crank, eagle H beams and I con pistons. every thing is balanced with in a half of a gram, will have a roller cam not sure what heads Im goin with yet. so is it worth filling the block or not. I have two bottles of moroso hard fill that I was thinking about putting one into each side. yes or no or would it matter?

[v869tr6]

Two things to think about are the oil will run hotter, and you will be loosing volume in the cooling system.

[66bonne]

I've had all my blocks filled [by P-Dude and his block fill]. Have never had a problem with oil or water cooling. If anything the water temp is lower due to less shifting and friction.

Jim

[Hooter]

Pdudes hard block in my street car last 8 years. No issues.

[Elarson]

Grocery Getter and Boss Bird.....no block fill.

Eric

[BruceWilkie]

Originally Posted by Elarson

Grocery Getter and Boss Bird.....no block fill.

Eric

I've used fill and I've not used fill... I really question that it does much... just my opinion but it would seem that when you fill it would probably be helpful if the block was at operating temp... with two completely different materials how would we know what really happens when cold poured/cured fill meets block operating temp.

IMO I think its much better to spend time and detail the block... slick, smooth, no sharp edges, no slag, radius edges etc.. The extra time doing that allows a thorough exam of the block. Cryo treat it if at all possible...

1973 '488 casting blocks are usually pretty good blocks. (I beat the snot out of one for a few years and current owner hasnt hurt it the past 9 years)

iirc I sold Duke455 those caps???... from a 59 AN 420A block... pretty stout factory caps... tall/thick as 455 caps and appeared to have alot of nickel... notable difference from stock 400 caps... should be an improvement...especially if studded.
Wish my wife hadnt accidently let the block the caps went to go with a car I sold... it was a nice 31000 mile original block.

[Half-Inch Stud]

Originally Posted by BruceWilkie

... from a 59 AN 420A block... pretty stout factory caps... tall/thick as 455 caps and appeared to have alot of nickel... notable difference from stock 400 caps... should be an improvement....

found a 59 425A in a Starchief: tore it down for the crank, bolts and rubber-rods. Did not notice the Caps being special probably because the block rail stole the attention. Left the block too due to cyl rust.


Started to Half-Fill my blocks circa 2004. seems okay, definitely heavier but by how many pounds added?

[Pearlbluebird]

No fill here either. My bottom end is nothing fancy. I'm even running the weaker factory 4 bolt main caps. Went straight from my street car into the race car. I now have 250 passes shifting at 6000 and through the traps at 6400

[duke455]

thanks for all the replies. yes bruce you did sell me the caps and yes there is a whole lot more material in them the the later caps. they worked out great.

[GOAT WHORE]

Originally Posted by 66bonne

If anything the water temp is lower due to less shifting and friction.

Jim

Is this just speculation? Hard to believe it would make it run cooler.

Originally Posted by BruceWilkie

Cryo treat it if at all possible...

I would also cryo instead of hardblock for a street car especially for the power level and shift point of your application.
No expert here jm2¢

[taff2]

For a street car I wouldn't bother, for a stock block race car I would cryo,and deburr ,then block fill it for the extra bore wall stability.

[66bonne]

[QUOTE=GOAT WHORE;5060408]Is this just speculation? Hard to believe it would make it run cooler. This is my own experience. When I first start the Catalina it takes a good ten minutes or more to get upto 160 and that is with the electric fan off. When we make a full pass at the track the temp tops out at about 180 and the motor cools quickly in the pits.
Not saying that the block fill is the ONLY reason, just that the block fill does not contribute to excessive temps. Like yourself I'm not an expert. But I wonder if the P-Dude block fill acts like a heat sink.
Jim

[v869tr6]

So if I take a system that has 5 gallons of coolant and remove 2 gallons because I filled the engine with hard block nothing changes?

[duke455]

I was told one of the reason for running cooler is that it keeps more coolant flowing around the heads where it it the hottest instead of down in the bottom of the block.

[GOAT WHORE]

Originally Posted by duke455

I was told one of the reason for running cooler is that it keeps more coolant flowing around the heads where it it the hottest instead of down in the bottom of the block.

I am just a little sceptical. If the hard block actually reduced water temp why then would everyone not be running there blocks filled?

[GOAT WHORE]

[QUOTE=66bonne;5060456]

Originally Posted by GOAT WHORE

When we make a full pass at the track the temp tops out at about 180 and the motor cools quickly in the pits.

I know this is the race section but the op mentioned street/strip. Does your hard block theory hold on the street? In other words once the hard block gets up to full temp does water temp start to rise?

[Hooter]

[QUOTE=GOAT WHORE;5060619]

Originally Posted by 66bonne

I know this is the race section but the op mentioned street/strip. Does your hard block theory hold on the street? In other words once the hard block gets up to full temp does water temp start to rise?

From my experience - no

[73 TRANSAM]

The engine technically gets hotter but the water is not there to dissipate the heat from cylinder block. Now the oil gets hotter as there is no more water in the block to cool it.
So the water temp goes down but the oil temp goes up. Also the engine takes forever to cool down when you turn it off. Hope this makes sense. Good luck.

[Money Pit]

^^^THIS^^^

[Brian Baker]

Ran a 455 block on the street daily for 18 months that was filled to within 1/2" of the bottom of the water pump holes...never had any issues with oil temperature, or coolant for that matter.