questions about installing billet main caps t

[NICKG]

what is required to to install billet main caps? i have the 3 piece set from cas, do i need align boring or align honing? also, i have a block that has light ruston the bores, can i just hone them/ i want to use either je pistons or trw and i understanf that they are tight on stock bores? is that true? i was thinking of using the girdle i have (if it does not sell) what is involed in using that? i know that you must machine the #4 cap, but it does not to be that hard to do, why do the machine shops want like 1000 to align bor/hone etc? seems way to expensive to me

 

[Russ Merritt]

You need to do everything to do billet caps and girdle! 1000$ is cheap. New forged pistons have to be fit to thier respective bores. There is NO way for it to be a bolt together.

 

[NICKG]

needless to say i am very frustrated.

i just cannot see that it should cost 1000 to align bore/hone main caps, its is just too expensive. i am beginning to get sick of sending everyones kid to college. i do not understand why i need to bore a good block to use new pistons,it has light rust, so light that wd 40 causes it to wipe off) gonna sell the girdle then

 

[Russ Merritt]

Sorry to break your heart. What did you think, you were gonna bolt the girdle on no sweat? Jeez, I wish s@#$ was that easy too! Forged pistons expand more than the stockers, they need to be fit looser in the bores so when they warm up everything is tight, but not too tight. Why do you think you need a girdle? How fast are you going? I e-mailed Jason Cramer and he said to use the stock caps with the girdle, don't need billet caps with the girdle.

 

[NICKG]

i figured build it strong

the car is gonna be 70% street, i would like to get high to mid 10's from it, i was speaking of just the main caps , i know it should be up ther near a grand for all of the work, but l do not think i need to bore it, just hone the clyinder bores

 

[Joe Tiano]

just my opinion but....i;m in the same boat!...after talking with my machine man on this very subject...and seeing what happends when the man caps "walk" in the registers...even with studs and billet steel caps this can still happen!..on the line-bore ,line hone deal for the billet caps first the billet caps dont just "drop in"...they must be carfully FIT in the block!(machine time)..next is the line bore...kinda tricky when half the steel being removed is billet..and the other cast iorn!...so when its finally ALL done hone and all! you got some machine time to pay for!...i'm gunna forget the billet caps on my next motor..and put a girdle on it with the stock main caps!...polish& de burr the webbing and the caps...IMO

 

[Russ Merritt]

I had the center caps fit, block bored .020, JEs, shot peened rods, turned crank 10/10, chamfered oil holes, polished crank, balanced rotating assembly, and it cost around 2200$ with file fit rings and clevite bearings.

 

[NICKG]

so i should sell the billet caps ?

and use the girdle? i know i can set it up for the girdle

 

[Russ Merritt]

Girdle is better than caps. I'm doing that on my next one instead of billet caps

 

[dconnor]

Go with the girdle, it ties the entire bottom end of the block together making things stronger than billet caps alone & gets rid of any cap walk problems.

Doug C.

 

[Jeff Rand]

Call Evans Speed in El Monte, Ca. They quoted $450 to set up the girdle and line bore the mains. This shop has been around for many years and is well respected. They said it would take two weeks to get this work done.
Good Luck,
Jeff Rand

 

[gnsrule]

They quoted $450 to set up the girdle and line bore the mains.

Thats more like it. I think wherever you got the $1000 figure from was includeing the caps and girdgle. For labor, it should be somewhere in the 4-500 range.

 

[frankg]

I can do it for alot less than $1000. The cylinders just need honed unless they are cone shaped badly. Frank

 

[Louie L.]

When it comes to being thirfty , im the master! But building a mid 10 sec motor is not cheap.
The machine work for my short block was 1k. Bore/hone,tanked, redrilled cam bearings,and all machine work for a girdle yada, yada...... This was with stock caps. adding billet caps to this would have added another 200-300.00 to the bill.

Remember there are 2 washers that have to be welded on , all main caps then have to be milled as per instructions then the line bore must be done with the girdle on fully assembled. There is a lot of set up time involved.

 

[Two Lane]

The T/A block keeps looking better & better.

 

[NICKG]

beleive me ...you ain't kiddin'

why lay out all that $ and have a stock block? that is the delema i am looking at

 

[Two Lane]

If the choice is 1200-1500 spent on a bare 109,

or 3500 invested in a T/A block...

www.taperformance.com



HTH

 

[Louie L.]

Originally posted by Two Lane
If the choice is 1200-1500 spent on a bare 109,

or 3500 invested in a T/A block...

www.taperformance.com



HTH

Dont forget that u have to fill that $3500.00 block with a 1800.00 crank,1000.00 rods and 600.00 pistons.
Not counting any labor and machine work.

 

[NICKG]

it comes completely machined

and uses all of the stock components(save oil pic up i understand)

 

[Two Lane]

I Hear You, But...

Louie,

The internals for the T/A block can be whatever anyone chooses, just like a 109 or Stage build-up.

The T/A block's internals would be in a "safer environment", and not as likely to meet Mr. Pavement, due to far greater stability.

The block itself will help its internals have a longer useful life, and not require the expense of buying & installing girdles & caps, etcetera.
______________________________________________

I'd rather have one T/A block versus 3 prepped 109s for 2 reasons:

1.) Not worrying about all the known weaknesses of the 109
will be worth it.

2.) Not popping an 8-10K motor saves 8-10K, right?

HTH