DrummerDad

Im starting to plan an engine build, after a few weeks of research and option exploring. Ive found itll be better, in the long run to buy my own parts, and either build it, or have an engine builder put it together. I am shooting for a 400+ hp small block, and want to run nitrous. My question is in strength. I dont have $4500 for a long block. I will be buying as I get the money, so while I dont have a budget, the more it costs, the longer itll take. Ive read David Vizards nitrous book, and he says I need a forged crank, rods, and pistons. I knew I needed forged pistons, and at least very good connecting rods, but the cranks are outrageous. And a good set of I-beam con rods are about $800. Will I need all this? The reason for not doing a crate engine is because of the lower grade of parts they use, and the fact they are mass produced. Plus I would have to tear it apart, and replace the cam, and pistons before I run it. I know Im taking the expensive, long way, but I want a good 400 hp engine, thatll last 100,000 miles, and take some abuse. Im looking at spraying a 200-250 shot, and crossing my fingers for 11s. If you were shooting for a good 400 hp/600 hp on nitrous motor, what would you put in it? Ill buy the forged crank, and con rods, if I need them. But, I dont want to be one of those guys with a ton of expensive parts in an engine that makes 250hp.

88IROC350TPI

you'd be suprised at how much cheaper parts can handle when put together properly using good hardware. I know a few people who have run 200+ shots on basically stock motors for years without trouble. One guy around here had a 2-bolt 350 all stock inside (crank, rods, pistons). He was in the mid/low 10's on a 200 shot using a bottle pretty much every weekend for 5 years before the crank failed. Nobody believed it was all cast stock parts until they were sticking outta the oil pan.

I wouldn't be hesitant to spray my motor with a 200 or 250 shot for that matter and all I have is an Eagle cast steel crank, unknown-brand i-beam rods, and trw forged flat tops... but then again I really dont care if it blows up (but I dont think it would...)

86t/a owner

i found some great deals from a place named
CNC-Motorsports.com is your resource for High Quality, Hi-Performance auto parts from industry names you trust. Home page
i bought my eagle forged 4340 crank and H beam 4340 rods along with my pistons there, that all cost me 1100 bucks. the crank was .10 under on the mains from eagle. my engine builder lovers the eagle stuff. there is cheap ways to do it. im usen these parts spraying 300shot maybe more later.

DrummerDad

I just didnt want to buy all this stuff, and spend money on something Im not going to use. Ill never use a profogger, only a plate, but they can be plenty potent. And I dont want to tear the engine down, to replace any sub standard parts. I was already looking at eagle kits, and they appear to be pretty cheap. I can get a 2 bolt block for dirt around here, and add splayed 4 bolt main caps. And I might go ahead and get the better connecting rods. And a good balancer, is supposed to help. And trick flow sells top end kits, that are supposed to be nice, but Im hesitant. This kit: Trick Flow 465 HP 23 Degree Engine Kits for Small Chevy: TFS-K315-465-450 - summitracing.com, claims a nice 465hp motor, but I dont know anyone using it, and havent heard anything about it. IF it was good, and I could build the bottom end for about $1500 ( Im thinking less) I could have a 450+ hp motor for about $2900-$3400.

86t/a owner

i would not spend the money to splay the caps, just find a good 4 bolt core and stud the mains, really i would go ahead and get the forged pistons, and if you want rods, pick up a cast eagle crank, that will save you some coin, i really didnt need all the forged parts that i got, but i wanted to make shur i could move up if i wanted to. Also the forged parts are a little more forgiving, then the cast, as in they will take a little more detation. but the cast crank should do you fine.

DrummerDad

Thats what Im afraid of. Ill get to likeing the N20, and want to use a bigger shot. Id like to know it would hold. I cant see me spraying anything more than say 300, but thats probably pushing it. And I will be on pump gas, so thats a factor too. I have to have 92 octane, and a cr of about 9:1 give or take. I could make my goal with 12:1+, but screw that. I want to drive it.

86t/a owner

spraying 300 on pumpgas just ant going to happen, you can either mix the fuel with some race gas, or get a small 1 gallon cell for race gas just for the
N20 side, also you will need a very good fuel pump to run both but should run 2.

DrummerDad

But, I can get by with a 150 on pump gas right? Then if I go bigger, Ill build a second stage, with a dedicated fuel system. And can I get by with an in-line pump to "assist" my factory TBI pump? Or should I just pull the pump out of the tank, and go with a new fuel system, altogether. Im not going to build a race car, just a potent street car. I know I mentioned a 300 shot, and thats extreme. But, I can honestly see me going for a 200-250 shot.

86t/a owner

im not much of a tbi guru, i dont no much about it i figured you where going to run a carb. i dont no what the gph is on a stock pump, i run a bg280 but this is for my carb. also a tbi intake, is it a duel plane intake? most guys dont like running alot of n20 threw duel plane bec of unequil dist between cylinders. most guys dont run more then 150 but some run more. you might have to make some changes but it will be worth it n20 is alot of fun and first time you run it you will want more.

88IROC350TPI

if this were my engine I'd build something like...

383 with whatever parts you can afford inside it. Me being a cheap bastard I'd go with an Eagle cast steel crank, SIR rods, and SpeedPro/TRW forged dished pistons (would give a little over 10:1 with a 0-decked block). For heads I'd go with Canfield 200's from Competition Products ($1060 with good springs). You can clean these up yourself or have Competition Products do it for like $200 extra. Now for a cam I'd look for something like one of Comp's XE retro-fit roller (assuming you get a non roller block). Maybe the XR288HR. For the top-end I'd go with a Victor Jr intake, Holley or Demon 750 mechanical secondary, MSD Pro-billet, 6AL box, etc. For a fuel system I'd go with 2 different ones (like I currently have..) Right now I have the stock lines into a 110gph Holley mechanical pump for the carb/motor and a 3 gallon fuel cell mounted where the charcoal canister once was with a Holley blue pump and regulator feeding the nitrous solenoid.

If this was all put together right and put behind the right gears/convertor there is no reason you shouldn't be able to run 11's on motor and 10's on the shot all while running on premium pump gas and being completely streetable.

DrummerDad

Thanks for the help guys. Im gonna do this, but its gonna take some time. Im sticking with the TBI, but itll be upgraded to the 454 TBI, with bigger injectors (and a dual plane intake). Im also gonna learn to tune, and get the EBL computer. Just a matter of time, before I get the engine (looking into blocks and a bottom end now), then once Im confident with the tune, Ill spray it. Might have to upgrade the rearend first, and the tranny, so I dont grenade them. But itll get an engine first. If I run a seperate fuel system (tank, pump, lines, filter) for the N20, with race gas, wont it mess with the computer? I wont carb the car, unless its temporary to get it running. Its gonna be fuel injected. It looks like it would mess with the sensors. Maybe thats a question for the TBI board though.