STROKIN’ THE DART WINDSOR Our current engine project begins with a 351W block and increasing displacement to a whopping 427 CID. Text & photos by Mike Mavrigian The Dart 351W iron-alloy block is available in either a 9.200” (standard Cleveland) or 9.500” deck height. We opted for the 9.5” deck. This project [...]
A Kalamazoo, MI racer added a $20,000 racing engine to his list of winnings during Engine Pro’s Engine Giveaway presented by Dart Machinery at US 131 Motorsports Park in Martin, MI on September 12, 2009, during the Fifth Annual IHRA Funny Car Nationals. Justin Wanamaker’s name was the last one remaining as names of [...]
by Mike Mavrigian FILE FITTING THE RINGS Because of our over-honed cylinder diameters (4.263″), standard size rings wouldn’t work, so I started with a set of Total Seal rings P/N CR7190 35, supplied with our Diamond pistons. These are intended for a bore diameter of 4.268″ (1/16″ top, 1/16″ 2nd, 3/16″ oil), requiring a custom [...]
WE BALANCE AND BEGIN ASSEMBLY text, photos and assembly by Mike Mavrigian Crankshaft balancing was next on the agenda. Since the Diamond pistons are already weight-matched by Diamond, and the Scat connecting rods are weight-matched at both small and big ends, we didn’t need to perform any weight corrections to those components (I [...]
BUILDING A STROKER 427 FE After salvaging an original, well-worn 1966 Ford 427 side-oiler block, we begin to build a 485-cube big-dog. Bigger bore and longer stroke…whoof whoof! by Mike Mavrigian all photos by author ENGINE HISTORY/GENERAL INFO The Ford 427 “side oiler” motor was produced from 1963 through 1967, and was used in a [...]
CARB WITH DISTRIBUTOR, NO COILPACKS The next carb-type setup involves the same intake manifold and carburetor, but with a twist-get rid of the eight individual coilpacks and mount a distributor at the front of the engine. GM Performance offers a distributor adapter kit (P/N 88958679) that includes a cast aluminum LS front distributor drive cover [...]
continued from Part 2 Considering the anticipated forces that a set of rod bolts will encounter during high-performance engine use, it doesn’t make sense to compromise by tightening with torque alone. Two examples of rod bolt stretch gauges. A variety of manufacturers offer these tools. The bottom anvil (stationary pointed pin) is adjustable to accommodate [...]
continued from Part 1 CYCLIC FATIGUE PROTECTION Whether measured by stretch or tightened by torque, rod bolts MUST be installed with the proper amount of preload (bolt stretch) in order to provide proper clamping force. If a rod bolt is installed without sufficient preload, every revolution of the crankshaft will cause a separation between the [...]
MEASURING CONNECTING ROD BOLT STRETCH Optimum bolt preload and clamping force is achieved by monitoring rod bolt stretch as opposed to applying torque value. by Mike Mavrigian photos by author Tightening connecting rod bolts while measuring bolt stretch provides a much more accurate method of achieving proper bolt preload and clamping force. Professional performance and [...]
All head studs were installed finger-tight. Our taller-than-OE Crane roller lifters required the use of spacer washers between the block and lifter buckets. The oiled roller lifters are inserted into the OE plastic lifter buckets. These register flat-to-flat, orienting the lifters properly for roller bearing operation at the lobes. With all four lifters snapped into [...]
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