is a stroker kit worth it?

[that national]

ive been fighting with myself on weather or not to buy a stroker kit. is it worth it? are there any major gains? all i want is a mid to low 10 car and maybe dip into the 9s at least once. here is my current setup.

.30 trw forged pistons
stock rods, stock crank
rjc girdle
fully ported gn1s
215/220 roller cam
ported stock lower intake
70mm accufab tb and plenum
gn1 super extreme fmic
60 lb injectors
tt chip
ls1 maf and translator
6776 dbb with ported shroud H cover
3" thdp
turbo 400 with trans break and 3500 converter
a/c removed
all tubular suspension
eaton posi

 

[coach]

Major reason I am going stroker is the lower stall you can run with a bigger turbo on the street. I do not want a 3500-3600 stall which is what my 45a would need on a stock stroke to spool it real good. By going stroker I can get away with a 3200 or maybe less Dusty said depending on the cam I choose. When you add up the components seperatly and compare them to the DLS kit, it is not a big difference in cost. His kit is $2600 I believe, and feedback on it is awesome. Also I just noticed your injectors. Your gonna max them out to get into the low 10's or 9's. Get the 80#ers. Nice components you have, should run real good now.

:biggrin:

 

[turbofabricator]

If the money won't take food off your table, then a BIG yes. If you'll go hungry for a month, then no.

Torque moves a car. 252" equals more torque, faster spool, less boost to net same power. Easier on parts. Ported GN1's will work better than on a 231. TRW pistons are HEAVY. (well, actually the pins are heavy. They have a 1/4" hole through them.) So, a stroker kit will also include lighter pistons/pins and much better rods than the factory rods.

 

[that national]

Major reason I am going stroker is the lower stall you can run with a bigger turbo on the street. I do not want a 3500-3600 stall which is what my 45a would need on a stock stroke to spool it real good. By going stroker I can get away with a 3200 or maybe less Dusty said depending on the cam I choose. When you add up the components seperatly and compare them to the DLS kit, it is not a big difference in cost. His kit is $2600 I believe, and feedback on it is awesome. Also I just noticed your injectors. Your gonna max them out to get into the low 10's or 9's. Get the 80#ers. Nice components you have, should run real good now.

:biggrin:

yeah i was going to mention that i would probably need to jump up on injector size.

 

[coach]

Yeah the stroker I am building is the 249 or 252, im not sure what it is at .030 over. I am going to be running a set of DLS ported irons and his stroker kit. Havent picked a cam, but will be a roller. Stock ported intake and Kenne Bell doghouse. Razor ALKY, Te45a turbo, roller rockers, PTE BIG stock location intercooler, 80# inj, double pumper, and the other goodies that it requires. Should go mid 10's pretty easy with a good tune. Mostly a street car, so really I am looking for an 11 flat turn key set up running about 22 lbs. Motor will be 9 sec capable with a bigger turbo.

Good luck

:biggrin:

 

[WSLN 6]

The stroker setup is fun for sure. Harder on tires, but that's ok....lol
I ran 12.9 at 105mph at 7psi if that helps your decision at all.

 

[Nick Micale]

ive been fighting with myself on weather or not to buy a stroker kit. is it worth it? are there any major gains? all i want is a mid to low 10 car and maybe dip into the 9s at least once.......i

I have various seen opinions on this subject, but no real data to back it up. The little I have seen posted always includes other mods and upgrades which will not give a valid comparison.

As far as major gains, I have not experienced any by stroking the V-6 Buick. The little increase I found in the high 9's was about a tenth in the 1/4 mile.

My first build on the TA alum engine was a 3.625" BMS stroke crank. When that crank broke at the no.1 rod journal, I installed a China stock stroke forged crank to do some durability testing which lasted 2 years. Then went back to a 3.625" stroke. All these builds had the same heads, turbo, cam and compression.

This is where I come up with only a small difference in power. My RPM's are always in the high 6000's where it would be most beneficial.

With the Buicks, the spool I have experienced in short stroke vs. longer stroke has not been any different? Only have a few GN comparisons, but personally could not tell any difference, and I run lots of races with .4ths pro tree. :smile:

Also, I have "messed" with a few 4.1 production blocks which were street/race builds and they have ALL shown major increases in torque and HP, and I have verified numbers from track experience too. In the bore vs. stroke contest, bore will win in the turbo Buick world. :biggrin:

Certainly, more cubes will give you more power, but not major from stroking a 3.8 when playing on the street, and only a little at the track unless you get into the higher RPM range.

Just a side note, when I removed the China crank after almost 300 runs, it looked and checked out as good as when installed.

My next build will be back to a stock stroke crank, as I do like the response better for racing.

 

[TurboTnZ06]

Yeah the stroker I am building is the 249 or 252, im not sure what it is at .030 over. I am going to be running a set of DLS ported irons and his stroker kit. Havent picked a cam, but will be a roller. Stock ported intake and Kenne Bell doghouse. Razor ALKY, Te45a turbo, roller rockers, PTE BIG stock location intercooler, 80# inj, double pumper, and the other goodies that it requires. Should go mid 10's pretty easy with a good tune. Mostly a street car, so really I am looking for an 11 flat turn key set up running about 22 lbs. Motor will be 9 sec capable with a bigger turbo.

Good luck

:biggrin:

Your build will be much like mine. I only have 1 decent shakedown pass on it and it went 11.6 @ 112 with 0psi launch, 17psi in 1st, 10psi through the rest of the run spewing black smoke out. It has a ton left in it.

Built by Don Cruz- TE45a P trim, CASV4, 210/210 110 roller cam, TT chip for 21* 100 octane, unported GN1's with individual studded roller rockers, ported lower intake, precision plenum, 3" uppipe, 3" downpipe, stock throttle body, 80# inj, PTS 3000 stall 9/11 converter. I think it can run 11 flat under 20 psi boost on a conservative tune without locking the converter. The stroker and head change REALLY helped spool the 45a with a 3000 stall, its almost like driving a stock setup as far as spoolup goes. I'm hoping for 9's on the P trim 45a eventually.

 

[QUIP'6']

when i got mine i was like holy chit these things rock. the spool up is the first thing you notice from the cu. in. and low end grunt. i heard you gain 2 hp and 2.5 ft.pounds of torque per cu. in so when doing the math thats around 38 hp and 48ft trq. from 231 to a 250 cu. in

 

[toomanymodz]

when i got mine i was like holy chit these things rock. the spool up is the first thing you notice from the cu. in. and low end grunt. i heard you gain 2 hp and 2.5 ft.pounds of torque per cu. in so when doing the math thats around 38 hp and 48ft trq. from 231 to a 250 cu. in

Imagine running the TA aluminum block with the 4 inch bore. 274 cubic inches of fun!

 

[Grumpy]

ive been fighting with myself on weather or not to buy a stroker kit. is it worth it? are there any major gains? all i want is a mid to low 10 car and maybe dip into the 9s at least once. here is my current setup.

.30 trw forged pistons
stock rods, stock crank
rjc girdle
fully ported gn1s
215/220 roller cam
ported stock lower intake
70mm accufab tb and plenum
gn1 super extreme fmic
60 lb injectors
tt chip
ls1 maf and translator
6776 dbb with ported shroud H cover
3" thdp
turbo 400 with trans break and 3500 converter
a/c removed
all tubular suspension
eaton posi

I'd just get some bigger inj and work with what you have!!?? Have you run your car like it is??

 

[2QUICK2B6]

that combo should run mid 10's ... with the right tune

 

[Grumpy]

that combo should run mid 10's ... with the right tune

actually should go high 9s like he wants to. Mid 10s with that combo is a walk in the park.

 

[2QUICK2B6]

i was giving him the benifit of doubt Im looking for 9's with less

 

[unobetr]

If the money won't take food off your table, then a BIG yes. If you'll go hungry for a month, then no.

Torque moves a car. 252" equals more torque, faster spool, less boost to net same power. Easier on parts. Ported GN1's will work better than on a 231. TRW pistons are HEAVY. (well, actually the pins are heavy. They have a 1/4" hole through them.) So, a stroker kit will also include lighter pistons/pins and much better rods than the factory rods.

if its only a single month..??? go ahead.. hehe.. you can eat later!!! GO FAST NOW

 

[DCVING 6]

Of course anyone will tell you the car feels faster. I would too if I spent $5,000 on a shortblock and it felt the same as a stock shortblock.

 

[wickedtt]

I say skip the stroker and think about going with a 4.1 production block..

 

[DCVING 6]

I say skip the stroker and think about going with a 4.1 production block..

Why?

IIRC, A stock stroke production 4.1 will produce 252ci. A stroker 3.8 will make 250ci. The 3.8 is known to be a much stronger block than the production 4.1

 

[Grumpy]

let him work the set up he already has. I don't understand how guys can just throw out $$$$ when they can do what they want with what they have.
Maybe go to a TA alum block and their new heads. Hell with these other guys in here.

 

[jlat]

hello people; I know jack about stroking a 3.8 but in MC more stroke usually gives you more torque and power. I have a shovel that has been stroked from 74" to 88" that hopefully will be on the road in 2011. But when I got the crank the weight of it came into consideration where a heavier crank would give you more torque and a lighter one would give you more revs. I was talked into the lighter one made by a certain vender and we will see what happens.
IBBY
one more thing with MC stroker moters some say they don't live as long and that's why I went small as it is advertised to live
close to stock. Now in a car I don't know.