Small Block Chevy Build Stage 3: 383 Becomes A 406 To Make Mega Horsepower

(PAT)>> YOU'VE ASKED FOR IT AND YOU HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR ITS RETURN, THE SMALL BLOCK CHEVY BUILD WE NAMED "IN HOUSE POWER MOUSE". IT'S A TWO STAGE BUILD THAT STARTED OFF AS A BARE BONES BUDGET EXTRAVAGANZA OUT OF THE SUMMIT RACING CATALOG.

(MIKE)>> THE STARTING POINT WAS A SUMMIT RACING REMANUFACTURED BLOCK THAT CAME FULLY MACHINED AND CLEARANCED FOR UP TO A THREESEVEN-50 STROKE WITH HBEAM RODS.

THEN WE FILLED IT WITH ONE OF THEIR 355 INCH ENGINE KIT PRO PACKS. THIS INCLUDED A CAST STEEL CRANK, IBEAM RODS, AND FLAT TOP CAST PISTONS. A HYDRAULIC FLAT TAPPET VALVETRAIN WENT IN AND FOR INDUCTION IT RECEIVED SUMMIT RACING ALUMINUM HEADS AND A WEIAND INTAKE MANIFOLD. A 650 CFM HOLLEY STREET CARB FED IT FUEL SO IT COULD CRANK OUT 357 HORSEPOWER AND 389 POUND

FEET OF TORQUE.

(PAT)>> STAGE TWO IS WHERE IT GOT A LITTLE MORE SERIOUS. STILL DUBBED "IN HOUSE POWER MOUSE" BUT GOT A HELL OF AN ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT. THE CUBIC INCHES INCREASED TO 383 WITH AN EAGLE COMPETITION ROTATING ASSEMBLY, A SOLID ROLLER CAM, AND MAHLE FORGED PISTONS BROUGHT THE COMPRESSION RATIO UP TO 11 TO ONE. NEW ROLLER LIFTERS, PLUS THE INDUCTION AND VALVETRAIN GOT A HARDCORE UPGRADE AS WELL. ADDING A SET OF AFR 220 ELIMINATOR CYLINDER HEADS AND A SUPER TRICK AFR TITAN TXR RACE COMPOSITE

INTAKE, PLUS JESEL'S SPORTSMAN

SHAFT ROCKER SYSTEM. TOPPED WITH A QFT BLACK DIAMOND 950 CARB, IT UNLEASHED AN IMPRESSIVE 547 HORSEPOWER AND 495 POUND FEET OF TORQUE.

(MIKE)>> NOW THIS IS HOW THE ENGINE HAS SAT AFTER THAT DYNO SESSION UNTIL NOW. NOW PAT AND I ARE GOING TO TEAR THIS THING APART AND LAY ALL THE PIECES OUT IN THE RESPECTIVE ORDER AND LOCATION. NOW SOME OF THE PARTS ARE STAYING THE SAME, BUT SOME ARE CHANGING, LIKE THE BLOCK, PISTONS, INTAKE MANIFOLD, AND A COUPLE OF OTHERS. NOW THE REASON FOR THAT IS WE'RE GONNA BE ADDING SOME SERIOUS BOOST. SO WE'LL SHOW YOU WHY WE CHOSE THOSE OTHER PARTS WHEN WE GET TO THEM. TO GET STARTED THE MSD PRO BILLET DISTRIBUTOR COMES OUT. THE AFR INTAKE CAN BE REMOVED. THE VALVE COVERS ARE NEXT, FOLLOWED BY THE JESEL SHAFT ROCKERS, ALL THE PUSH RODS, THE ARP HEAD BOLTS ARE REMOVED IN THE OPPOSITE ORDER THEY WERE TORQUED IN AT. THIS PREVENTS ANY WARPING OF THE CYLINDER HEAD.

UP FRONT THE WATER PUMP COMES OFF, AND SO DOES THE BALANCER. WITH THE OIL DRAINED, THE PAN IS REMOVED, ALONG WITH THE TIMING COVER, AND TIMING CHAIN. NOW THE CAM IS PULLED OUT AND WE CAN ROLL THE ENGINE OVER AND START REMOVING THE PISTON AND ROD ASSEMBLIES. FINALLY THE CRANK COMES OUT AND THIS BLOCK WILL BE CLEANED, SPRAYED WITH ANTIRUST, AND BAGGED FOR FUTURE USE. WHEN THE TIME COMES TO MAKE OVER 550 HORSEPOWER WITH A FACTORY SMALL BLOCK CHEVY BLOCK, THAT'S WHEN THE RED FLAG GOES UP AND IT'S TIME TO START LOOKING FOR AN AFTERMARKET ONE. NOW WE PLAN ON ALMOST DOUBLING THAT POWER NUMBER WITH A POWER ADDER ON THIS ENGINE BUILD. SO WE WENT AHEAD AND ORDERED A BLOCK THAT CAN HANDS DOWN HANDLE THAT KIND OF POWER. THIS IS DART'S LITTLEM IRON BLOCK. NOW IT'S DESIGNED TO BE A TRUE RACING PIECE AND ACCEPTS OFF THE SHELF SMALL BLOCK CHEVY COMPONENTS. IT COMES IN A STANDARD NINEZERO-25 DECK HEIGHT

AND HAS EXTRA THICK SIAMESE CYLINDER WALLS, WHICH RESISTS CRACKING AND IMPROVE RING SEAL.

NOW THEY'RE AVAILABLE IN A FOUR INCH OR FOURONE-25 BORE, AND 350 OR 400 MAIN BEARING SIZES. THE HEAD BOLT HOLES ARE BLIND TAPPED, WHICH ELIMINATES WATER LEAKS, AND THE DECKS ARE EXTRA THICK TO PROMOTE GREAT HEAD GASKET SEALING. THE LIFTER VALLEY IS OPEN, WHICH IMPROVES OIL RETURN DOWN TO THE PAN, AND ENLARGED LIFTER BOSSES ACCOMMODATE OVERSIZED AND OFFSET LIFTERS. A PRIORITY MAIN OILING SYSTEM IS ANOTHER FEATURE. NOW THE TERMINOLOGY MEANS OIL IS DIRECTED TO THE MAIN BEARINGS FIRST FOR MORE DEPENDABLE LUBRICATION. IN TRUE RACE FASHION IT'S ALSO EQUIPPED WITH FRONT AND REAR EXTERNAL OIL INLETS, CROSSOVERS, AND RESTRICTOR PROVISIONS, WHICH MAKE PLUMBING AN EXTERNAL OIL PUMP SUPER EASY. ON THE BOTTOM BILLET STEEL FOUR BOLT SPLAYED MAIN CAPS WILL KEEP THE CRANKSHAFT IN PLACE. WHEN WE COME BACK ASSEMBLY BEGINS.

(MIKE)>> ALL BUILDS HAVE TO START SOMEWHERE, AND THE CAM BEARINGS ARE FIRST. THIS BLOCK REQUIRES A SPECIFIC CAM BEARING SET THAT YOU CAN GET DIRECTLY FROM DART, ALONG WITH FREEZE PLUGS AND OIL GALLERY PLUGS THAT COME IN A KIT. THIS BLOCK HAS MORE PLUGS IN IT THAN A STOCK SMALL BLOCK CHEVY. SO MAKE SURE THEY ARE ALL IN. WE CHECKED ALL OUR MAIN BEARING CLEARANCES AND ARE IN THE GO. WITH ROYAL PURPLE ASSEMBLY LUBE ON THEM, THE CRANK GOES IN. THE CAPS ARE PUT IN PLACE AND SEATED. THEN TORQUED TO 65 POUND FEET FROM THE CENTER OUT.

(PAT)>> WHAT DO YOU THINK, THAT'S DONE?

(MIKE)>> NOW WE SPEC'ED THE CUSTOM CAM AND HERE ARE THE NUMBERS. DURATION AT 50 THOUSANDTHS IS 256 FOR THE INTAKE,

264 ON THE EXHAUST. THE LOBE SEPARATION IS 115 DEGREES, AND GROSS LIFT AT THE VALVE IS 631 ON BOTH THE INTAKE AND EXHAUST. THE SAME ADJUSTABLE TIMING SET IS GOING BACK ON, AND WITH THE PISTON AND ROD IN THE NUMBER ONE CYLINDER, THE CAM CAN BE DEGREED. IT'S IN STRAIGHT UP AT 115 DEGREES INTAKE CENTER LINE. OUR COATED BEARINGS, RINGS, AND PISTONS ALL CAME FROM OUR OFFICIAL SUPPLIER, MAHLE. NOW THEY WENT AHEAD AND DROPPED BY TO DELIVER ALL THIS STUFF TO US BY HAND AND TALK ABOUT IT A LITTLE.

(BILL)>> WHEN WE DO THESE AND PUT THAT COATING ON, THAT COATING'S AROUND THREE-10 THOUSANDTHS

THICK, AND WE TAKE VERY LITTLE MATERIAL OFF THE BEARING BEFORE WE COAT IT.

(TREY)>> SO THIS HAS GOT OUR SLIPPER SKIRT STYLE DESIGN. IT USES PIN BORES, COME INBOARD, MAYBE JUST CUT THE SIDES OF THE PISTON AWAY. AND THEN WE'VE GOT ANODIZED RING GROOVES IN SOME CASES, BUT ALL OF THEM HAVE GOT ACCUMULATOR GROOVES. WE RUN THICK FIRE LANDS ON THE, ESPECIALLY IF A BOOSTED APPLICATION, TO MAKE SURE WE'VE GOT ENOUGH MEAT IN THERE. WE TYPICALLY USE A NICE RADIUS ON THE DISH SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY ISSUES WITH A THIN SPOT ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE RING GROOVE.

(MIKE)>> THE PISTON AND ROD ASSEMBLIES ARE READY TO GO IN NOW. NOW THE PISTONS HAVE A ONE MILLIMETER, ONE MILLIMETER, TWO MILLIMETER RING PACK, AND WE GAPPED THE SECOND RING TO 28 THOUSANDTHS AND THE TOP RING TO 26 THOUSANDTHS FOR OUR BOOSTED APPLICATION. NOW WITH THE BEARING LUBED UP THEY'RE READY TO GO IN. USING AN ARP TAPERED RING COMPRESSOR, WE CAN TAP THEM INTO THE BORES. THE RODS ARE BEING TORQUED TO 63 POUND FEET WITH ARP ULTRA TORQUE AS THE LUBE.

(PAT)>> NICE!

(MIKE)>> NOW WE'LL ADD SOME DUPLICOLOR ENGINE ENAMEL TO THE BLOCK. NOT WHAT YOU'D EXPECT FOR COLOR BUT WE DID IT BECAUSE WE CAN. WE'RE INSTALLING A TWO PIECE SUMMIT

RACING TIMING COVER. IT MAKES CAM CHANGES EASIER IF WE DECIDE TO SWAP IT OUT DOWN THE ROAD. ON THE BOTTOM WE CAN INSTALL THE OIL PUMP STUD ALONG WITH THIS MELLING SHARK TOOTH HIGH VOLUME, HIGH PRESSURE OIL PUMP. THE PICK UP IS FRONT CANTON TO MATCH THEIR PAN WE'LL BE USING, WHICH IS A ROAD RACE STYLE WITH DUAL KICK OUTS, A WINDAGE TRAY, AND BUILT IN CRANK SCRAPPERS. IT'S OIL CAPACITY IS SEVEN QUARTS. ARP FASTENERS WILL CINCH IT DOWN.

THE SUMMIT RACING BALANCER WE USED IN STAGE TWO IS MEETING BACK UP WITH THE CRANK SNOUT. NOW PRELUBED TIE BAR STYLE SOLID ROLLER LIFTERS CAN DROP IN THE BLOCK'S LIFTER BORES, AND COMETIC 36 THOUSANDTHS THICK MLS GASKETS WILL SEAL THE HEADS TO THE BLOCK. WITH ALL THE OTHER VARIABLES AND THIS GASKET THICKNESS WE HAVE A NINE POINT TWO TO ONE COMPRESSION RATIO. WE'RE REUSING THESE AFR 220cc ELIMINATOR CYLINDER HEADS. THEY'RE RECOMMENDED FOR RACE OR RADICAL STREET ENGINES.

NOW WE STEPPED UP TO ARP STUDS. WITH ULTRA TORQUE LUBE, THE FINAL TORQUE SPEC IS 80 POUND FEET. WITH THE ROCKER STANDS ON, THE ORIGINAL PUSH RODS ARE DROPPING IN, FOLLOWED BY THE ONE POINT FIVE RATIO SHAFT ROCKERS. COLD LASH SETTING IS 14 THOUSANDTHS ON THE INTAKE AND 16 THOUSANDTHS ON THE EXHAUST ROCKER. FOR INDUCTION AN EDELBROCK SUPER VICTOR WILL SEAL THE DEAL, AND AFR VALVE COVERS WILL COVER THE VALVETRAIN.

UP NEXT WE'RE DYNO BOUND.

(MIKE)>> THIS LITTLE THING'S COMING TOGETHER NICE.

(PAT)>> IT'S TIME TO GET SERIOUS AND SEE WHAT THIS

406 CUBIC INCH SMALL BLOCK IS ALL ABOUT.

WE'RE GONNA GIVE IT TO YOU IN BOTH FORMS TOO, NATURALLY ASPIRATED AND BOOSTED.

(MIKE)>> THE BOOST PRODUCER FOR OUR SMALL BLOCK IS ONE OF PRO CHARGER'S FONEA'S IN A POLISHED FINISHED. NOW THIS IS A SELF CONTAINED UNIT, MEANING THAT IT DOES NOT RELY ON THE ENGINE'S OIL FOR LUBRICATION. NOW THIS UNIT IS REALLY COMPACT FOR ITS POWER POTENTIAL, ABLE TO SUPPORT 1,100 HORSEPOWER

AND 1,575 CFM. NOW IT HAS A MAXIMUM IMPELLER SPEED OF 74,000 RPM AND A 540 TO ONE INTERNAL STEP UP RATIO. THEY SUPPLIED THIS BEEFY BUT LIGHT WEIGHT BRACKETRY

IN BLACK THAT HOUSES THE BELT TENSIONER. NOW IF YOU NEED A CUSTOM BRACKET SETUP MAKE SURE TO SPEAK TO THEIR TECH GUYS.

(PAT)>> THESE BLOWERS HAVE AN AERATOR INSIDE THAT MUST BE IN A SPECIFIC POSITION FOR PROPER LUBRICATION. SO THIS TAG MUST BE STRAIGHT UP WHEN THE UNIT IS INSTALLED.

(MIKE)>> WE ORDERED THIS KIT WITH A 12 RIB SERPENTINE SYSTEM. THEY ALSO OFFER COG DRIVES. WHEN USED WITH A SERPENTINE SETUP, THE

FSERIES BLOWERS RECEIVE A ONE YEAR WARRANTY. THESE SYSTEMS CAN BE RAN WITH OR WITHOUT AN INTERCOOLER.

NOW WE OPTED TO USE ONE, AND OUR CHOICE WAS THIS PRO CHARGER UNIVERSAL PIECE THAT WILL SUPPORT UP TO 1,300 HORSEPOWER. NOW RUNNING AN INTERCOOLER LIKE THIS ALLOWS YOU TO RUN MORE BOOST, HAVE A HIGHER PERCENTAGE POWER GAIN, AND ALSO RUN A LOWER OCTANE FUEL AT THE SAME BOOST LEVEL AS A NONINTERCOOLED PIECE. TO PLUMB IT ALL THEY SENT A UNIVERSAL PIPE KIT WITH ALL THE NECESSARY CLAMPS AND COUPLERS.

(PAT)>> UP FRONT IS PRO CHARGER'S RACE BYPASS VALVE, AND ITS JOB IS TO DUMP PRESSURE FROM THE

SYSTEM WHEN THE THROTTLE BLADES GO FROM WIDE OPEN TO THE CLOSED POSITION, WHICH WILL PREVENT DAMAGING COMPRESSOR SURGE ON DECELERATION, WHICH CAN WRECK A HOLE LIST OF PRECISION PARTS.

(MIKE)>> NOW THAT YOU KNOW HOW THE PRO CHARGER SYSTEM IS INSTALLED AND WORKS, I WENT AHEAD AND REMOVED THE BELT, THE HAT, AND THE INTERCOOLER TUBE SO WE COULD RUN THIS THING NATURALLY ASPIRATED AND SEE WHAT THIS SMALL BLOCK'S GOT ON A NINE POINT TWO TO ONE COMPRESSION RATIO.

(PAT)>> WITH AN IMMEDIATE FIRE UP WE BROUGHT IT UP TO OPERATING TEMP AND EVERYTHING LOOKS SOLID AND HAS NO LEAKS.

OUR PURPOSE FOR DYNO'ING THIS ENGINE NATURALLY

ASPIRED IS TO SEE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ALL MOTOR PULLS AND BOOSTED PULLS WITH THE PRO CHARGER. NOW THIS ENGINE WAS BUILT SPECIFICALLY FOR BOOST. SO THE NA PULLS WON'T MAKE AS MUCH POWER

AS AN ENGINE BUILT SPECIFICALLY FOR THAT. NOW WE PLAN ON ADDING 15 POUNDS OF BOOST WITH THE PRO CHARGER, WHICH IS ONE ATMOSPHERE OF PRESSURE, AND THAT SHOULD COME CLOSE TO DOUBLING THE POWER OUTPUT. LET'S SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

HERE WE GO.

(PAT)>> WE'RE STARTING WITH 30 DEGREES OF TIMING AND AN RPM SWEEP FROM 4,000 TO 7,000 RPM.

(MIKE)>> SPICY!

(PAT)>> THAT'S MORE THAN I EXPECTED.

(MIKE)>> WOW, 538 ON POWER, 492 ON TORQUE, WOW! ALRIGHT, THE ONLY THING WE NEED TO DO WITH THIS IS JUST SEE WHERE IT MAXES OUT ON TIMING, AND THEN WE'LL GO TO BLOWER PULLS.

(PAT)>> SO WE BUMPED THE TIMING UP TO 32 DEGREES AND REPEATED THE ORIGINAL SWEEP. [ engine revving ]

(MIKE)>> 546 WITH 497 POUND FEET.

(PAT)>> BOY IF YOU JUST RAN THIS THING NATURALLY ASPIRATED ALL ITS LIFE YOU'D HAVE A REALLY NICE ENGINE.

(MIKE)>> OH YEAH, ABSOLUTELY, IT'S BLOWING MY MIND WHAT IT'S DOING, I MEAN BUILT FOR BOOST THIS

THING'S GONNA MAKE SOME SERIOUS POWER.

(PAT)>> WITH EVERYTHING SOUNDING GREAT WE ADDED ANOTHER TWO DEGREES FOR A TOTAL OF 34.

(MIKE)>> 552 AND 501!

(PAT)>> I KNEW IT WAS GONNA CRACK FIVE ON THAT ONE. SO WE'LL SNEAK ANOTHER DEGREE IN IT FOR A TOTAL OF 35 AND MAKE A FINAL PULL.

(MIKE)>> 55, 501 ON TORQUE.

(PAT)>> ALRIGHT, WE'RE THERE ON TIMING, WHICH IS FINE BECAUSE I WANT TO SEE SOME OF

THOSE BOOST NUMBERS.

(MIKE)>> WE'RE GONNA TAKE A BREAK, BUT WHEN WE COME BACK THIS THING'S GONNA BE READY TO

RUN IN BOOSTED FORM. WE'LL SEE YOU THEN.

(PAT)>> WE'RE BACK AND HAVE EVERYTHING READY TO GO, BUT WE HAD TO DO ONE MORE THING BEFORE WE FIRE IT UP. WE TAKE APART EVERY OIL FILTER ON EVERY ENGINE WE RUN ON THE DYNO WHETHER YOU SEE US DO IT OR NOT, AND THIS TIME IT'S A LITTLE BIT EASIER BECAUSE WE HAVE A SYSTEM ONE CLEANABLE FILTER. NOW WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR ARE CHUNKS OR ANY DEBRIS

INSIDE THE FILTER ELEMENT, AND THIS ONE LOOKS GREAT. SO WE'RE GOOD TO CONTINUE ON.

(MIKE)>> RACE GAS IS OUR CHOICE FOR HIGHER OCTANE FUEL WHEN WE NEED SOMETHING UP TO 105. NOW THIS STUFF MIXES RIGHT INTO PUMP GAS TO INCREASE THE OCTANE POINTS. NOW IT'S PROVEN AND IT'LL KEEP OUR BLOWER ENGINE SAFE FROM DETONATION. SO FOLLOWING THIS MIXING CHART WE WANT 100 OCTANE. NOW WE'RE USING 93 OCTANE PUMP GAS. SO WE'LL MIX IT AT THREE AND A HALF OUNCES PER GALLON. WE HAVE FIVE GALLONS IN THE JUG, SO 17.5 OUNCES OF RACE GAS IS THE TARGET. ONCE MIXED, SHAKE THE JUG AND POUR IT IN THE CELL, THAT'S IT.

(PAT)>> WE'VE GOT IT PRIMED AND READY BUT WITH ONE NEW ADDITION. A QUICK FUEL TECHNOLOGIES 850 CFM CARB

SPECIFICALLY BUILT FOR BLOW THROUGH BOOSTED APPLICATIONS.

(MIKE)>> THAT THING PUSHES SOME AIR OUT OF THE VALVE DOESN'T IT?

(PAT)>> YEAH, IT'S A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT SOUND.

IT'S ACTUALLY KIND OF FREAKY.

(MIKE)>> ALRIGHT 35 TO 55 AT 600.

(PAT)>> LET'S SEE WHAT IT DOES. [ engine revving ]

(PAT)>> OH MY GOD, 919 HORSE, 885 POUND FEET OF TORQUE. NOW 28 DEGREES OF TIMING IN IT. AT THIS POINT WE'LL INCREASE THE TENSION ON

THE BELT, AND BY ALL MEANS CHECK THE PLUGS FOR ANY SIGN OF DAMAGE. NO CRAZINESS! WE'LL LEAVE THE TIMING RIGHT THERE FOR NOW AND INCREASE THE SWEEP FROM 4,000 TO 6,500 RPM. [ engine revving ]

(PAT)>> LOOK AT THAT.

(MIKE)>> NOT TOO SHABBY, 936 WITH 881 POUND FEET.

MAN THIS POWER CURVE IS JUST AWESOME.

(PAT)>> LOOK HOW IT LEVELS RIGHT OFF. DOESN'T REALLY RUN OUT OF AIR BECAUSE IT'S PRESSURIZED.

WE'LL ADD TWO DEGREES OF TIMING FOR A TOTAL OF 30 AND MAKE ANOTHER RIP. [ engine revving ]

(MIKE)>> 976 WITH 893.

(PAT)>> WOO WE, YOU KNOW WE CAN STILL KEEP PUTTING TIMING IN IT UNTIL IT QUITS.

(MIKE)>> YEAH, I MEAN WE'VE GOT GOOD GAS IN IT.

(PAT)>> YEAH, I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT THE GAS, AND IT HAS NO SIGN OF DETONATING. IT ACTUALLY LOOKS REALLY, REALLY GOOD. WE'LL CHECK THE PLUGS ONE MORE TIME, THEN ADD AN ADDITIONAL TWO DEGREES FOR A TOTAL OF 32. WELL THIS IS IT.

(MIKE)>> THIS IS IT.

(PAT)>> WILL IT DO IT OR WON'T IT. [ engine revving ]

(MIKE)>> 982 WITH 899 POUND FEET.

(PAT)>> OH MY GOODNESS, BUT LOOK HOW MUCH POWER IT HOLDS.

(MIKE)>> IT HOLDS IT TO 6,500.

(PAT)>> ALL THE WAY UP TO 6,500.

(MIKE)>> DO YOU THINK IF WE REALLY COOLED THIS INTERCOOLER AND LET THE HEAD UNIT COOL A LITTLE BIT?

(PAT)>> AND SEE WHAT IT'LL DO.

(MIKE)>> LET'S DO IT.

(PAT)>> AFTER 20 MINUTES ON ICE WE'RE BACK ON OUR FINAL QUEST FOR 1,000 HORSEPOWER.

[ engine revving ]

(PAT)>> 993 HORSE, 917 POUND FEET OF TORQUE. THAT IS CLOSE AS YOU CAN GET WITHOUT ACTUALLY DOING

IT BUT I DON'T CARE. EVERYTHING LOOKS GREAT, STILL MAKING GREAT POWER.

(MIKE)>> AND CAN BE USED AS A STREET ENGINE, TRUE STREET ENGINE, IT DOESN'T MATTER.

JUST GREAT COMBO, GREAT JOB.

(PAT)>> THAT'S AWESOME, AWESOME, AWESOME, AWESOME!

NOT TOO LONG AGO WE SHOWED YOU GUYS THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF PISTON RINGS THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR THE

BULLET YOU'RE BUILDING. NOW I'M GONNA SHOW YOU WHAT IT TAKES TO SET THEM UP RIGHT FOR YOUR APPLICATION AND I'M TALKING PISTON RING END GAP. IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT IN ANY ENGINE BUILD, AND JUST LIKE SETTING BEARING CLEARANCES, WE AS ENGINE BUILDERS HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAKE THOSE TOLERANCES ANYTHING WE WANT THEM TO BE WITH MEASUREMENT AND USING THE PROPER TOOLS. DEPENDING ON THE MATERIALS AND APPLICATION, RING GAPS MUST HAVE A MINIMUM AMOUNT TO OPTIMIZE POWER BUT ALSO NOT TO CAUSE DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE. ON THE OEM SIDE RINGS GENERALLY COME PREGAPPED TO SPEED UP THE ASSEMBLY PROCESS. THEY ARE ENGINEERED SO MASS PRODUCTION WOULDN'T BE SLOWED BY HAVING TO HAND GRIND THE RINGS FOR EVERY ENGINE.

THAT DOESN'T MEAN THE GAPS SHOULDN'T BE CHECKED THOUGH. WE'LL GET TO THAT IN A BIT. AFTERMARKET RINGS FOR PERFORMANCE ENGINES ARE

THE DIRECT OPPOSITE. THE MAJORITY ARE MADE SO THE ENGINE BUILDER HAS THE FREEDOM TO SETUP WHAT GAP THEY WANT DEPENDING ON WHAT TYPE OF POWER PLANT IS BEING BUILT. WHY IS GAP SO IMPORTANT? WELL IT'S ALL ABOUT SEALING CYLINDER PRESSURE THAT COMBUSTION GENERATES. THE BETTER THE SEAL THE MORE POWER YOU CAN MAKE,

BUT IF YOU HAVE TOO MUCH GAP THAT GIVE AN AVENUE FOR COMBUSTION PRESSURE TO GO PAST THE RINGS AND INTO THE CRANK CASE, WHICH WE REFER TO AS BLOW BY. ON THE OTHER END NOT ENOUGH GAP DOES NOT LEAVE

ENOUGH ROOM FOR THERMAL EXPANSION AND WILL ALLOW THE RING ENDS TO BUT TOGETHER, AND THAT WILL CAUSE DAMAGE TO BOTH THE CYLINDER AND THE PISTON,

AND IN EXTREME WORST CASE SCENARIO WILL CAUSE CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. PROPER RING FILING AND FITTING ISN'T PARTICULARLY

DIFFICULT BUT IT DOES REQUIRE SOME SPECIALIZED EQUIPMENT AND SOME GOOD ATTENTION TO DETAIL TO DO THE JOB RIGHT. YOU'LL NEED A RING SQUARING TOOL IN YOUR BORE SIZE, AND A QUALITY SET OF FEELER GAUGES TO PUT YOU IN BUSINESS FOR THIS OPERATION. ALSO A STONE FOR DEBURRING THE RING AFTER IT'S BEEN GROUND. KEEPING THE END GAP SQUARE WITH ONE ANOTHER IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS THE GAP ITSELF, AND TO DO THAT YOU NEED TO USE A RING GRINDER. NOW THERE'S A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT TYPES BUT THEY BOTH ACHIEVE THE SAME GOAL. THIS MANUAL RING GRINDER FROM SUMMIT RACING HAS A HAND CRANK THAT TURNS AN ABRASIVE WHEEL. ONCE SETUP CORRECTLY, THE RING CONTACTS THE WHEEL REMOVING MATERIAL. A HIGH QUALITY ELECTRIC GRINDER LIKE THIS ONE AVAILABLE FROM GOODSON HAS VERY ACCURATE FIXTURING, PRECISION CONTROLS, AND A DIAL INDICATOR FOR CONSISTENCY. RING MANUFACTURERS PROVIDE A GUIDE LINE WITH EVERY RING SET SO YOU CAN SET UP MINIMUM RING END GAPS AS PER THEIR RECOMMENDATION. IT'S DONE BY TAKING THE BORE SIZE AND MULTIPLYING IT BY THEIR FACTORS DEPENDING ON WHAT THE ENGINE HAS FOR CYLINDER PRESSURE, FROM NATURALLY ASPIRATED ALL THE WAY UP TO HIGH BOOST APPLICATIONS INCLUDING BLOWERS, TURBOS, NITROUS, AND EVEN EXOTIC FUELS. THIS IS YET ANOTHER PROCEDURE THAT SHOULDN'T BE TAKEN FOR GRANTED BECAUSE REMEMBER, THERE'S NO GUESS WORK IN ENGINE BUILDING.

(MIKE)>> AS MUCH FUN AS THIS ENGINE IS, IT'S CAPABLE OF A WHOLE LOT MORE WITH A PULLEY CHANGE.

(PAT)>> YEAH!

(MIKE)>> AND WE'VE GOT A LOT MORE FOR YOU NEXT TIME.