The machinist that did my block told me i needed to pour some type of block filler down in the coolant holes on the deck to go down and harden the skirt area where material was removed. Anyone else ever heard of this ??? Here is where he said to pour it with 1 side up at a time and wait a day till it hardens.

 

Here is a picture of where the material was removed and a link to some of the moroso block filler.
Moroso block filler

 

Don't be putting block filler in there, not a very good idea. Either you mistook what he meant or he is an idiot. Normally you want to put block filler in the freeze plug hole in the side of the block.

It's actually a good idea to put a little block filler to fill the lower block. It strengthens it structurally and doesn't really hurt anything except weight. All the cooling of the cylinder is done in the top proportions of the block, so no conserns at all.

 

From a search of www.popularhotrodding.com:

"Filling the bottom half of the water jacket can substantially increase support for the cylinder walls while having zero effect on water temperature, although the oil will run hotter. Race Engineering in Lake Worth, FL (561) 533-5500 sells an easily poured block filler." (Here's the whole on-line article - http://www.popularhotrodding.com/tec...nic/index.html - it was about sonic testing cylinder walls on used factory blocks.) Use an engine oil cooler to counter the oil temp effect.

I haven't done it personally, but from the articles I've read (hey, does this make me certified "magazine mechanic"?), you fill from the cooling holes shown to the bottom of the freeze plugs. You do one side at a time, with the block rotated so the bank you're doing is straight up. You don't do as much of the water jacket on a street engine as you would a full-time 1320 warrior.

From what I've gathered, block filler is a pretty good idea for factory 400 blocks, and not a bad idea on 383's.

 

Thank you Five7kid and ME leigh im sorry but if you filled those holes i just showed it would go into the same place as if you poured into the freeze plugs. Also im not talking about filling the whole block just enough on the botom to strengthen the skirt area.

 

Did he put freeze plugs back in, or leave them out for you to install?

 

They are in but i was told it should be ok just dont put alot in. Cause with the freeze plugs out you can tell when you have enough i guess they are saying right.

 

It definitely couldn't hurt.

 

Yes i understand that, i haven't ever filled a block. But i'd think if you filled from the coolant holes you would run the risk of coating the cylinders jackets with filler, really hurting its cooling ability.

I don't know maybe i'm the idiot!

 

He also said that newer gen block's like mine need it even more so.

 

I haven't heard that.

Core shift is a quality control issue. It seemed to be worse (along with machining control) back in the late 70's.

On the other hand, the factory is always looking for ways to reduce weight and cost. Minimizing casting thickness is one way to reduce weight. Relaxing manufacturing tolerances is one way to reduce costs (up to the point where unusable product - scrap - increases).

Things have generally improved along those lines since the mid-80's. Any roller block should be better in that respect than any late-70's block.

 

Sooo do you think this can be done ok with the freeze plugs in?

 

Everything I've seen says to do it with the plugs out.

But, I haven't seen everything.

I'd say follow the directions from whomever you buy the material.

 

I figured you do it with the plugs out just so you dont get too much in. I might just not put as much in. If you are still concerned about cooling adding a remote filter will help and im going to run an aluminum radiator.

 

I found the problem!!!! Ill get some pix later. The machinist must have went through on one of the cylinders where he was taking out metal so the rod wouldnt hit. It looked like one of the places he had took out metal had jb weld on it so thats what happened and why he wants me to add this block filler. Im just mad cause he didnt tell me and kinda wondering if i should of just went with a 350 . Anyway thats why he was saying just to put a little bit in the skirt area. I dunno i guess this will hold its right at the bottom of the cylinder.

 

Hmmm.....I would make sure that area was welded then and I don't mean with JB. I made that mistake with my original block and ended up having a whole nother block prepped because I didn't want to take the chance.

 

Block filler will seal that up and strengthen it just fine.

 

lot of peolpe add the block filelr first then when they grind the metal away there is no hole to leak, there's filler already there to seal it up.

 

I just called a major hi performace engine builder in the area before i left for work. He said that had happened before on a 4 cylinder and they used block filler and it is still fine till this day. I think it should be ok. I just dont understand why he didnt tell me i thought we were cool Oh well. I think he just measured one and eyeballed the rest thats why he went through on 1.

 

I also found out some more about this block filling stuff some people with race engines fill all the way up to the water pump holes with the freeze plugs in. This way the block is real sound and the heads still get cooled. After i get this engine in i might start building another 383 with a aftermarket block from dart. But you dont want to fill it after the machine work cause it might distort the cyliners. In my case it wont hurt cause ill only use a little.

 

I just had my 383 built over last winter with Eagle crank and H beams. After 2500 miles perfect. When asked about block filler, he mentioned it wouldnt be needed. He mentioned if you were doing hardcore racing then he would recommend it.

 

Why waste a block? That is very very very common when making a 383 stroker. Probably 1 out of every 3 strokers I have seen have that issue. Fill it up with the block filler, and forget about it. Thats the normal procedure. It wont fail any sooner, or have any problems because of it. Its kind of what you could call "par for the course" when making a stroker motor. I definately wouldnt lose any sleep over it.

 

Thanks alot ljnowell with what paul engineering said I feel alot better.