Anybody weld reinforcements in their 109 block?

[turbofabricator]

This is probably generally true..... however... I do have an early block that had cracked all the way across the cylinders.... about 2" above the lifter valley floor........ albeit possibly attributed to it being an early block.... that is known to be less strong.

That type of cracking is usually casued by freezing.

If you really wanted to strengthen the bottom end, you can heat the block to RED hot, then oxy/acetylene weld (using cast iron rod) and build up all the areas you want. Not sure how you could strengthen the cylinder walls, though. Maybe sleeve a 4.1 to a 3.8 bore and do an inverted half fill. If you invert the block and use plastic straws to keep water passages open, pour the "cement" in. THat should help with the top of the bores. Cast iron wleding is best left to the few, VERY FEW, experienced folks out there. There is only ONE guy on the west coast that I know of that does magic!! He has fixed a few aggressively ported 8445 heads that I did. His work is AMAZING. He even let me watch, and told me just how he does it. I still take stuff to him, instead of trying it myself. I'm too chicken, and he is close enough to me that it isn't worth it. He has fixed lots of NHRA slock eliminator heads, and just about anythng cast iron. (that's ALL he does) Fixes blocks and heads all day long.
Now the KEY to making cast iron wleding work.............you MUST, I mean MUST, slow cool the entrie, previously red hot part, over a 24 hour period. Not sure how dimensionally stable the block will be after alot of welding and bringing it up to red hot. Might have to have the block machined on a Rottler CNC afterward, too.
Give it a try. PLEASE!!! I would love to see that done.

 

[Blazer406]

That type of cracking is usually casued by freezing. ........

Never occurred to me it could have been caused by freezing...... duh......would make more sense....

Sometimes you need not assume that horsepower or boost tore something up.....

Still learning.

 

[Sam Colalillo]

DLS! Dan makes this so plain to understand! I will not attempt to quote him, maybe he will post...

I bet he doesn't. He is always at least 6 months behind at his shop. I thinks he just lets the cars performasnce he is involved with speek for him at the tracks they attend.

I have a DLS rotaing assembly in our 109 with no special reinforcement tricks to the block. I am not going the fastest, but my wife has a habbit of making the one two shift at about 7600 RPM.


It is not just a great engine that is needed, the tune up must be dead on. Competing in TSM, one mistake and the engine can go bang.

It is difficult because to be as competitive as Jason, you have try things to find out if you can go faster. Sooner ar later every mistake will catch up with ya.

 

[Blazer406]

IMHO........most of the good secrets of a competitive TSM racer.....will never be talked about or shown.......due to the extremely close competition....and that's fine......I am sure if I worked as hard on a class car similar to TSM.....I wouldn't want to let all my secrets out either........at least not any that might potentially give me some sort of competitive edge......

I just like thinking out-of-the-box.......as I am always trying to learn...

Hopefully....at some point.....I can put some of this knowledge to use......

 

[SGRIM]

There isn't a bunch of "secrets," there are some special things that need to be done but it is no big secret.

Good parts and correct steps in the building procedure is the deal... The motor can only be as good as the parts you put in it.

Combination, most of these guys have tried it all. They have zeroed in on what works!

There are several blocks in NC I have heard of with the extra bolt holes added etc... I have a 109 from Anderons with SII steel heads on it.

Good luck on your quest, keep us posted!

 

[V6RACER]

Brian, here are some pics of my TSM engine when we were putting it together. As you can see there are no tricks... Just great machine work and very precise fitting of parts. This engine has been running for two years and I just freshened it up back in June. I am still amazed that people try to reinvent the wheel.

 

[Blazer406]

I'm not trying to re-invent....the wheel......I was mainly.....trying to figure out what has been done........what can be done......and what may/may not be feasable to do......

IMHO.....the life of a 9.0 TSM motor.....is short at best.....and at some point.......the people.....with deep pockets......will try whatever they think might work to keep their $25k 109 engine from scattering......

I also have utmost respect for all you TSM guys on here......and the other guru's that have weighed in on this thread.....you guys always "get-er-done"......

I guess it is the hard-headed side of me to continue to ask questions......and seek answers to these types of things......

I really do appreciate everyone chiming in here......that is the beauty of this board.......

Sorry to ramble a bit.....

 

[Sam Colalillo]

I agree thinking out side the box is great. It is what moves things forward and sometimes bad ideas develope really great ideas.

We admire your persistance.