Does anyone make aftermarket 2 bolt main caps for a SBC 400? I need them for a rebuild of a block that was bought bare. I have already tried Summit and they said that they only have splayed main caps.


How much should a 4 bolt splayed job cost on a 2 bolt engine?

 

TTT

 

200 for caps ,100 or so for machineing, call shop in your area since prices differ from place to place

 

do you know where I could find aftermarket 2 bolt main caps? Or even a place to find junk ones that can be reground? I need some main caps.

 

I got a block without caps and it is now my 4-bolt 383. I called machine shops and junkyards until I got a set that was really close to matching my block and then payed $100 to get them matched and the block line bored.

 

I guess the price I got for $450 is outrageous then since I am buying the caps.

 

Yea, it sounds like that shop is on crack. If the set you find doesn't match the block really well then there will be more of a charge, but it was only another $60 to match them.

 

They never match the block. It doesn't matter whether they match it "well enough" or not, because there is no such thing; either they match ( = create a perfectly circular, centered bearing bore) or not, and since they never do, you always have to have the block alicn-bored when you change them. At least, if you want to avoid spinning your main bearings.

I've usually paid $150-200 to have the splayed 4-bolt caps installed, including cutting the saddles, drilling & tapping, and align-boring. Just an align-bore (what you'd need to put a set of random junkyard caps on your block) should be $75-150 depending on all the usual factors.

 

Yes as a matter of fact they do match the block, but this is on the outside. If they don't match on the outside then they must be matched or another set must be used. Of course you will have to align hone the block afterwards, if every block were cut the same then all you would do is find a set and bolt them on. Align honing a block should cost around $80, maybe more maybe less, but if the outsides don't match then it will cost more to match them.