Engine rebuild...trying to estimate costs

[ITSAV6]

Stock cams have dipped into 10's but with crapload of boost. Roller cams don't wipe. Hot air ported intakes are few and far between. It's all in the combo and being able to tune it. Forged everything won't make it fast just keep it together better if it detonates. I wouldn't have forged pistons if they hadn't been such a deal, sold my stock pistons for the same price...
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/slp-l2481f/overview/ not a bad price
If you see what a wiped cam does you will want a roller, there is a thread where someone used fwd roller lifters and spider....used rollers come up for sale often at nice prices too. There is a T local to me that ran 6.80 in 1/8th on a stock shortblock, 10.70's in 1/4 with a 218/218 flat tappet cam and alum heads. 28psi
You hafta have funds for injectors, turbo, fuel pump, chips and on and on. It's a money pit but it's fun

 

[Steve V]

Mains studs will require a line hone.

Money spent in the heads will get your more bang for your buck.

Stock cam, bottom end and heads have been in the tens. Stock rod bolts are plenty strong.

If your stock cam goes south there goes your, turbo and bearings. It will cost a lot more to fix that than upfront cost of a roller. Just food for thought.

 

[Wahoo]

Stock cams have dipped into 10's but with crapload of boost. Roller cams don't wipe. Hot air ported intakes are few and far between. It's all in the combo and being able to tune it. Forged everything won't make it fast just keep it together better if it detonates. I wouldn't have forged pistons if they hadn't been such a deal, sold my stock pistons for the same price...
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/slp-l2481f/overview/ not a bad price
If you see what a wiped cam does you will want a roller, there is a thread where someone used fwd roller lifters and spider....used rollers come up for sale often at nice prices too. There is a T local to me that ran 6.80 in 1/8th on a stock shortblock, 10.70's in 1/4 with a 218/218 flat tappet cam and alum heads. 28psi
You hafta have funds for injectors, turbo, fuel pump, chips and on and on. It's a money pit but it's fun

I do have 80 lb injectors currently running on e85, TA33 turbo.

Id love to put a cam in it, i guess maybe that would be more important than getting the heads ported because like you said it wont grind flat like the flat tappet ones do.

 

[Wahoo]

Mains studs will require a line hone.

Money spent in the heads will get your more bang for your buck.

Stock cam, bottom end and heads have been in the tens. Stock rod bolts are plenty strong.

If your stock cam goes south there goes your, turbo and bearings. It will cost a lot more to fix that than upfront cost of a roller. Just food for thought.

I imagine if i did main caps i should get arp bolts for them?

What about going stroker, i kinda didnt want to because i felt the block would probably want to stay together better. Stroker more expensive due to machining?


Any estimates on what the machining will cost? Like probably checking everything out, then line honing the mains?

 

[Nick Micale]

.........Id love to put a cam in it, i guess maybe that would be more important than getting the heads ported because like you said it wont grind flat like the flat tappet ones do.

Again we have a statement that flat tappet cams "grind flat" and you MUST have a roller cam in a turbo Buick engine, this is absolute internet BS?

I find it hard to believe there a so many dumb-asses out there that do not know how to install and break-in a flat tappet cam?

In the hundreds of engines we have built with flat tappet cams only 2 are documented to have failed, and this was because the owners did NOT follow the proper procedures.

About 15 years ago the flat tappet cams had an issue, not just in turbo Buicks, but with all makes and models because a major supplier of cam blanks had issues with their hardening process.

I cannot believe that we are the only ones doing flat tappets engine builds successfully? We just delivered 2 new engines and modified one other this month with flat tappets, and all are 10 sec. builds.

 

[ITSAV6]

Again we have a statement that flat tappet cams "grind flat" and you MUST have a roller cam in a turbo Buick engine, this is absolute internet BS?

I find it hard to believe there a so many dumb-asses out there that do not know how to install and break-in a flat tappet cam?

In the hundreds of engines we have built with flat tappet cams only 2 are documented to have failed, and this was because the owners did NOT follow the proper procedures.

About 15 years ago the flat tappet cams had an issue, not just in turbo Buicks, but with all makes and models because a major supplier of cam blanks had issues with their hardening process.

I cannot believe that we are the only ones doing flat tappets engine builds successfully? We just delivered 2 new engines and modified one other this month with flat tappets, and all are 10 sec. builds.

FYI if that was directed to me, I know how to install and break in a flat tappet. My stock cam lost the infamous lobe about 30k miles of 100# springs. The 206 flat tappet I replaced it with was broken in by the book. Marked the pushrods adjacent to it and it turned about 1/2 what the others turn. After 1k miles or so I pulled the engine and built it and that same lobe had little "flecks" missing. Rest looked great, I went roller for piece of mind, whether it was the cam or the lifter hole being off(and it is). I did mention a local one has a 218 flat tappet. If the 206 flat hadn't had those flecks on that lobe I would have used it. Believe me I would have spent the roller money elsewhere. IMHO if you stay flat tappet keep the stocker and don't get crazy on spring pressures. It was a comp flat I used, Nick might be using different brand cams? Peace

 

[ITSAV6]

In fact the previous owner of my car has a stock longblock in his T and runs 6.9-7.0 in 1/8th.

 

[ITSAV6]

http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/threads/short-rebuilt-block-fs.434749/
SMOKIN DEAL!

 

[~JM~]

It is not so much an issue of flat tappet lifters... It is the reformulation of motor oil. The zinc additives have been reduced/removed from consumer grade engine oil. Flat tappet lifters & cam lobes require zinc to lubricate the high pressure interface between lifter foot & camshaft lobe. You can run a flat tappet lifter just fine as long as you use an oil with zinc, or a zinc additive added. You must follow the proper break in procedure also.

 

[Steve V]

I imagine if i did main caps i should get arp bolts for them?

What about going stroker, i kinda didnt want to because i felt the block would probably want to stay together better. Stroker more expensive due to machining?


Any estimates on what the machining will cost? Like probably checking everything out, then line honing the mains?

Yes use studs with billet caps, line bore and hone. Studs and stock caps hone only(usually).

Stroker requires a little more clearencing in the block/rods/etc. .

Prices vary a bit by shop to shop. Just use a good shop they can ballpark you up front.

 

[84BuickGNYorkPA]

Good luck with your build and let us in on the triumphs and stumbling blocks as you progress.

Chuck

 

[Wahoo]

Just wanted to get the expert engine masters opinion regarding rebuilding the engine with a forged stock stroke rotating assembly vs a forged stroker assembly.

My thoughts are the stroker crank brings the rods out further from the crank which also changes the angle of the piston skirt while going down the cylinder, wouldnt this cause a more outward force on the block, possibly making it more prone to cracking since thats what is a known problem when pushing a stock block?

Would a stock stroke rotating assembly technically be more durable?