billet girdle or billet center caps

[BOOSTAHOLIC]

I'm building a daily driver but want to make it stronger for future upgrades without going back in the engine.Are both necessary or can i use one, if so which is more beneficial?

 

[dconnor]

IMHO a girdle makes the bottem end stronger, ties everything together keeping the webbing from shifting under extreme load. Can be prone to leaks so be sure the machinist is familiar with them and shouldn't be a prob.

I am running billet caps on the center mains and a race jace girdle, no leaks & ready for 10's no prob.

Doug C.

 

[86brick]

If you got the $$$ get both.

 

[Wolfj359]

I agree with Doug C. and 86brick. Go with both. I went with the 2 billet center mains and the race jace girdle as well.

 

[BOOSTAHOLIC]

Why would a girdle leak

Who makes a race jace girdle?

 

[dconnor]

Race Jace is Loveridge Machine, same guys doing the power plate & billet pulley. If the engine builder isn't careful with the sealing surfaces (girdle to block/oil pan rail and oil pan to girdle) you can end up with some seepage there.

Doug C.

 

[Steve Wood]

Girdle does more

 

[Grumpy]

we are doin Melissa's motor over now.....mainly just magged everything an put it back together....we are goin with a girdle...the short block is stayin stock... soooo we'l see how far it will go before it breaks in half

 

[Scott231]

Often the reson for eplacing the main caps is that they get so pounded so as to distort in shape...distorted as in egg-shaped. Upon main cap removal, the simple test is: how easily did the main caps pull out of the block? If they came out easy, they are junk. If you had to push, pull and tug, they should be OK.

If the latter is true, you can easily reuse the stock main caps (but they need to be cut down to the same heigth on all four) with a girdle.