Indy Block

[Mike E]

Is that motor going in the s-10 in the background? Are you connected with Chris that used to Drive/work on that truck here in Nashville?

 

[Michael Mount]

It could be they way the pic is taken but those intake ports look massive. I bet that motor will scream past 10K rpm. I looked at some old specs on some of those motors and some were making 800, I think that was the goal with everyone that was built. I will relay some info to my old school sources and see if they can up some info.

I've been looking into their use back in the day, and have found a few folks that were involved. Buick threw a lot of $ at this program, and making it live was the challenge because teams pushed it past its 8500 safe limit. It made 900 hp later in the program with qualifying engines making 920. Of course this was boost limited at 55 hg which isn't much. For use in my Bonneville class, I'm converting to gasoline from Methanol, and have targeted a moderate 1200 hp with a modern single turbo.

 

[Michael Mount]

Is that motor going in the s-10 in the background? Are you connected with Chris that used to Drive/work on that truck here in Nashville?

Yes, the engine will go in that Sonoma. I bought the rolling chassis from Dave Kixmiller in Nashville. It's a current Bonneville record holder and has gone 222mph on the salt using a normally aspirated 358 Chev V8. They certainly had an impressive program!

 

[Michael Mount]

This engine is unique in many ways, such as not using head gaskets, and having many unique castings (block, heads), the Cosworth saddle pumps and way-cool dry sump pan. Perhaps it makes sense to start another thread to examine the whole engine through photos. Oh, note the slots machined in the deck surface. Think about that one.

 

[BEATAV8]

very interesting!

 

[aminga]

That is one of the coolest things I've seen on here in a while

 

[Michael Mount]

 

[BEATAV8]

not much soot running straight methanol. haha. cool!

 

[BEATAV8]

Please post lots of pics and your knowledge about this motor it really is one if the most interesting things to come along here in a while. Both technically and historically!

 

[NY Twin Turbo]

I do! Had that gn with the devil on the side and the intake tube popping through the hood

I do! Had that gn with the devil on the side and the intake tube popping through the hood

Not quite. He had an all black car that looked like it was held together with duct tape, wire hangers, and orange RTV. It was a total mess! If you didn't know better you would think he got the thing out of a boneyard and just threw a bad-ass motor in it.

However...It ran like hell! It would run the quarter on 3 wheels because the whole thing would twist terrible all the way down the track. Eric was a no fear driver and a really nice guy. If he is out there someone tell him Joey from NY says hello.

 

[pacecarta]

my guess is the slots are for pyramid fire rings , when they lift they the heads the gooves channel out the pressure

with those rings you dont need a head gasket to seal the combustion chamber, you just need a paper gasket to seal the coolant ports

 

[NY Twin Turbo]

M&A made a manifold like that for production motors. Don't see them anymore, maybe too expensive to make, or the benefits were negligible on a stock platform. Saw in a thread a long time ago sealing was an issue.

Oh wow! Now I remember. I think this was in one of Poston's old catalogs.

 

[Michael Mount]

Please post lots of pics and your knowledge about this motor it really is one if the most interesting things to come along here in a while. Both technically and historically!

Ok, lots more coming when I can find some idle time. In the mean time, happy to answer any questions.

 

[Michael Mount]

my guess is the slots are for pyramid fire rings , when they lift they the heads the gooves channel out the pressure

with those rings you dont need a head gasket to seal the combustion chamber, you just need a paper gasket to seal the coolant ports

my guess is the slots are for pyramid fire rings , when they lift they the heads the gooves channel out the pressure

with those rings you dont need a head gasket to seal the combustion chamber, you just need a paper gasket to seal the coolant ports

You're on the right track. I don't know what Pyramid rings are, but when Brayton took over development of this engine he used gas filled rings to seal the combustion chambers. They're 1/8" hollow rings and the gas would expand with heat and do a very good job sealing the head. The water passages, head stud holes and what-not were sealed with rubber o-rings (no paper) and no head gasket of any sort was used. The slots (as you surmised) are an escape for combustion gas if the head should lift - so the combustion wouldn't pressurize the cooling system.

Check out the fuel rail; huge! 'Lotta methanol was used. The circular port on top of the intake plenum is where the USAC provided pop-off fastened. The stock blocks got 10 additional in. Hg of boost over the purpose built 4V race engines. The Buicks got 55 in. Hg which is equivalent to a little less than one bar, or around 13# boost. Let's see: 900 hp / 13# / 3.4L (209 cu. in.) = pretty stout.

 

[Reggie West]

What a cool project that is. If you need help with those blocks, I would give Ken Duttweiler a call. He has some Bonneville experience as well.

Please keep us posted on this one.

 

[TurboDave]

According to my converter, 55 inHG translates to 27 lb of boost.

 

[Pronto]

That makes more sense.

 

[Reggie West]

Dave weren't you building an Indy block at one point?

 

[BEATAV8]

Wow those injectors must flow like crazy! 950HP on methanol.....

 

[TurboDave]

Dave weren't you building an Indy block at one point?

Yes, I had two aluminum Indy blocks that originally came from Brayton engineering that I got from Full Throttle. I decided it would be beyond my meager means to build either of them so I had to let them go. One had steel sleeves, and the other had the aluminum cylinders that had a special coating for longevity. I have hundreds of pictures on my laptop.