The 4 bolt main LIE !!! Or is it???

[Sgt Gus]

Last time we moved we hired movers to load up and unload the truck. Best decision for sure.

Yeppers, comes a time when we just can't do that NO more. Or, well, shouldn't.

 

[Ricko1966]

Bearing speed. If you measure/calculate the circumference of a crank journal. That is the distance that bearing is traveling in one revolution. Say you have a journal that measures 4" circumference and one that measures 3", in 10 revolutions your 4" the bearing travels 40" your 3" only travels 30". Less heat,less friction,less likely to stick a bearing which is the reason for many rod bearing failures.

 

[Craig Nedrow]

Ricko is right on about the bearings. It’s also why you see some cranks wth the smaller Honda size journals. Great story Hotrod.

 

[HotRodPC]

Bearing speed. If you measure/calculate the circumference of a crank journal. That is the distance that bearing is traveling in one revolution. Say you have a journal that measures 4" circumference and one that measures 3", in 10 revolutions your 4" the bearing travels 40" your 3" only travels 30". Less heat,less friction,less likely to stick a bearing which is the reason for many rod bearing failures.

I get that. I guess what threw me off was when you said small journal will have less bearing speed as if the small journals will NOT spin up faster or higher rpm than large journal. There's alot to all that rod journal geometry that some don't get. I do understand it, but I understand it better saying the small travels less distance for a full revolution, like you point out the 30 and 40. There's also that geometry which doesn't apply to small blocks really sicne all the rod lengths are the same except for SBC 400. We all know how the 383 stroker came about. So now theres manufactures that make stroker KITS with the crank, rods and pistoms. They're not a natural born stroker kit like taking a 400 crank and having the main journals turned down to fit a 350 block like we did in the 80's. Now these cranks and rods are made in factory to fit 350 blocks. And the rods are also NOT factory OE lengths either in many stroker kits. The rods are longer putting the wrist pin higher in the piston closer to the top totally changing the geometry of that rod so the rods are not as busy as with shorter rods. The rods aren't making as sharp of an angle per revolution resulting in more rpm and staying together longer.

 

[Ricko1966]

I get that. I guess what threw me off was when you said small journal will have less bearing speed as if the small journals will NOT spin up faster or higher rpm than large journal. There's alot to all that rod journal geometry that some don't get. I do understand it, but I understand it better saying the small travels less distance for a full revolution, like you point out the 30 and 40. There's also that geometry which doesn't apply to small blocks really sicne all the rod lengths are the same except for SBC 400. We all know how the 383 stroker came about. So now theres manufactures that make stroker KITS with the crank, rods and pistoms. They're not a natural born stroker kit like taking a 400 crank and having the main journals turned down to fit a 350 block like we did in the 80's. Now these cranks and rods are made in factory to fit 350 blocks. And the rods are also NOT factory OE lengths either in many stroker kits. The rods are longer putting the wrist pin higher in the piston closer to the top totally changing the geometry of that rod so the rods are not as busy as with shorter rods. The rods aren't making as sharp of an angle per revolution resulting in more rpm and staying together longer.

We were doing long rods in the 80's you used Oldsmobile rods because no one could afford aftermarket rods back then. The price of good heads,rods and stroker cranks have come down so much in relationship to people's earnings.

 

[bucket]

I had a small journal, forged crank 327 once. And it had also been balanced. But I was dumb and sold it instead of having fun with it.

 

[bucket]

So @Craig Nedrow not moving, huh? Decided to stay home and deal with everything? My Bride and I moved about 10 years ago and it just about killed me. That's when most of my back trouble began. NOT gonna move again EVER!!!!!!

Yeah, I can feel that. It's already been 4 (5?) years since we moved. It still hurts like we just finished moving yesterday.

 

[Craig Nedrow]

also of note, most of the late 50s to mid 60s block were hi nickel blocks. Have a 283 with a high nickel block out in the pasture with the cows....

 

[idahovette]

That 283 block would make a great 301 engine!!!!!!!!

 

[HotRodPC]

We were doing long rods in the 80's you used Oldsmobile rods because no one could afford aftermarket rods back then. The price of good heads,rods and stroker cranks have come down so much in relationship to people's earnings.

Oh yeah, things like that were done back then. You know some people got out the books and did some real studying on specs. I forget what it was now, seems like another hack I heard of on Big Block Olds, was using some Big Block Chevy Pistons and having the have them fly cut or something like that due to the compression height of the wrist pin. Honestly I forget exactly what it was now, but something like that was done using the wrong pistons in an engine for cheap hack performance gain.

 

[HotRodPC]

That 283 block would make a great 301 engine!!!!!!!!

Yes, they do. 327 crank in a 283 block. You had to use the right year 283 block though, or do a lot of work to the block making room for the crank throws to clean the bottom of the cylinders but it was certainly done. Probably the first Stroker SBC ever made. Was it a 283 crank in a 327 block that made 307?? I forget that one now too, but that was also done. And the reason it was destroked, they figured with the bigger bore of the 4.0 and the shorter stroke of a 283, it would spin up the RPM quicker and guys would win races doing it. I know there's some guys that likes the 427 better than the 454 for that reason. Same blocks, 427 just had a shorter stroke. Well, fact is torque wins races and longer stroke will always make more torque. And there's guys today that prefer a 4.8 LS engine over the 5.3 for a turbo car with a super light body, like a Fox Body Ford. Mustang, Thunderchicken, Fairmont, Merc Zephyr, Merc Cougar etc, all are Fox Body formats. I prolly left a couple out tooo, but yep many of those Fox Body Ford guys run 4.8 GM LS turbo or twin turbo engines.

 

[Strick]

Have any of you folks seen @BarryTsGarage on YT? He has been doing "Ask Ed" episodes and I have found it to be both informative and entertaining. The experience and season of Ed Smith along with his personality and demeanor make it worth my half hour to watch. He has spoken about the 301 and many other engine concoctions and tricks in the segments. It may be something you're interested in if you have not seen or found it already.

HS

 

[Ricko1966]

The 301/302 combination was born out of necessity. The first versions was because that was as big as you could bore a 283 block. The later factory version was because the Trans Am racing class( which Camaros and Mustangs and Mustangs primarily ran) had a CID limit of 305 CID. Chevrolet already had goods heads and blocks for 4 inch bore so they took Heads and blocks for a HP 327 or 350 shortened up the stroke to the 3" stroke and they were legal. The factory 302 was not to make more power,they were de stroked to meet class limit. The big valve 350/327 heads and big 327 cam made the small engine turn more rpm than the bigger motors because the cam and heads could support more rpms on a smaller engine.Due to cfm requirements.

 

[idahovette]

Built a 301(racers terminology then) in 1965 with a .125 over 283 block, steel crank, and Gratiot Auto Supply 301 cast pistons, and an old 30-30 Duntov cam. Ran fair.......no gears and a 3 speed.... but sounded AWESOM. That's all I needed in a 56 2door 210 wagon.........scared a lot of people A better way would be a standard bore(4 inch) 1962,63,64,65 327 block with a 283 crank.......... YMMHV(your mileage may have varied)

 

[Rustisbest]

Its getting deep in here lol

Every 350 is a "Corvette motor"
Pop up pistons
Camel hump heads
3/4 cam
Bored, stroked, balanced, blueprinted
Glass packs
Cragar "mags"
Gabriel hi jackers
N50-15's
Can tape a $100 bill to the dash and I bet you can't grab it.
Sumbish will hop a coke can...I seent it

Should about cover it