And another vote for Best!! They just did my 572 and it is a work of art and runs even better then I expected!

I have only had a world products alumnium block, It has Edelbrock Victor JR. heads. race in Nostalgia Super Stock, makes 720 HP Only things I did in prep was hone the lifter bores, and bore to fit my pistons. been using it for 7 years, freshened once and it looked like new when I took it apart. Best investemnt I ever made for my race car. I cracked a stock iron block on average every two years. Never blew one up, but always found cracks on rebuilding.

We do use the Indy block a lot and they workout just fine, We would never use a aluminum world block. The thickness between the sleeves would be all the same between the blocks based on bore spacing. The only difference would be sleeve thickness and we use the thicker sleeve option on most high HP builds. The thick sleeve on the Indy leaves .160 between the sleeves and the std sleeve has .320. Not tin foil by the miss informed tech guy. If anyone compared the two blocks in person and used them to build engines and inspected them after running them you would pick the Indy block hands down. Our highest HP engines have been with Indy blocks, the new KB may change that though, but that's a different story.

Pete,
Thanks for participating on this topic!
Some have recommended you here as well as my current engine builder who has left the trade. You are also located within my driving range which is another plus. This all started when one of each of the blocks mentioned came up for sale. Thankfully I have learned a lot and need to call you some time and find out what it will cost to get an Indy aluminum block prepped and ready for assembly.
Thanks to all!
MJ

You are welcome, we are a Indy dealer and can get you the block, finish machine it and have it ready for you to assemble. Give a call anytime and we can go over the options for the block and cost for everything.

I have an indy block, collecting pieces to put it together. What should I look for? Any special prep work, or trouble areas to be concerned with? I was going to drill the drain holes bigger. What else?

There are no problem areas with the Indy block, we open up the valley drain holes on most and the normal stuff you do or check on a block, verify main bore size, deck, bore/hone with plate, etc. We do bush a lot of them for pushrod oiling also, good luck with your project.

Guess I need to clarify since I am the "misinformed tech" person. The area I refer to is the are supporting the sleeve, or the water jacket area, I said nothing about the sleeve thickness. I have had the unfortunate instance of having dealt with two blocks with damaged sleeves. One KB and one Indy. The water jacket area on the Indy is extremely thin, at least on my older Indy block. So thin in fact we could not get it welded to repair the area. I have a pic somewhere but in my block it was approx. .020" thick. Maybe I got a bad block, maybe its better now but it was so thin it could not be repaired by welding it back up. I lost a sleeve on a KB block and it also went through the water jacket area that supports the sleeve. It was repairable and that area while not exactly thick was .090" and we were able to weld it back up and use the block again.

So I will continue to share what I have personally found using these blocks. Instead of spreading misinformation on the net....

Wouldn't the sleeve seal the water jacket in that area when installed? Did you scrap the block because of this?

It might seal it off yes. I seem to recall back in the day the KB stuff was wet sleeved and was notorious for leaking?!? That area supplies some support for the sleeve as well. The KB block block got repaired and are in use now. It was fairly straight forward, welded in the piece that was broken out and it runs with block sealer just to make sure. The Indy ended up getting partially filled and the sleeve epoxied in and uses block sealer. It has been sitting ever since. Just have not put it back to use. I just don't feel right selling it to someone as an unknown deal. Will likely end up in a street car project for me at some point.


Both of them I purchased from people as complete engines, one brand new the other used. The Indy block engine was used and we ran it to finish a season, well it didn't quite make it and came apart. Likely was just older than advertised. The KB block was a new engine that was only run on the dyno when purchased, built by a recognizable builder. He missed something on assembly that ended up destroying the engine. Morale of the story buyer beware..Anything I buy now complete will be taken apart and thoroughly looked over before it is put into service.

Ive built, and ran the 3 mentioned here. What al is saying about cylinder support in the indy is the same we've seen, and the sleeves move around, and power suffers. They seem to be ok at 1000hp if the bore is no bigger than 4.53. More bore, or more power, and it starts. Also better bush the lifters.

The world has the weakest web of all.

The KB is the toughest by far, and the best oiling as made, but you still need to work on it.

Repairing the paper thin sleeve supports we've done several times by milling out the whole thing, and welding a plate in so you're welding on the ends where it's thick, then boring the sleeve holes again. Trying to weld up between, or on the fronts is a crap shoot as to whether or not it'll hold.

indy block in mine for about 3 yrs no problems so far got mine from BOB GEORGE !!! WE WILL PUT IT TO THE TEST NEXT YEAR !!! i have a f-2 procharger on it hope to make 1200 - 1400 hp !!!

The two latest indy block motors I built follow the same trend I've seen for a very long time. The first was a millennium head hemi that made as I recall 1180, while on the dyno power started falling off. Couldn't find a thing wrong, but decided to pull it apart and see. Found 3 cylinders way out of round. Re honed it, and power came right back, for 2 pulls, and back down it went, but not as far as before.

The second was a nitrous motor, that from the looks of it probably made 750-800NA, with a 350 shot in the fogger. When I tore it down to build it some cylinders were so out of round they had galled up the pistons in places. one cylinder was .007 out of round. The worst out of round I've ever seen save an explosion. I re built it as an NA single 4, and made 970. Power was stable when it came off the dyno.

All the indy blocks I've done have been fine at or around 1000, much more, and they've all suffered. That's just my experience with them.

All the indy blocks I've done have been fine at or around 1000, much more, and they've all suffered. That's just my experience with them.
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What have you seen from the World blocks in similar circumstances?

Thanks,
Mark

Happy Thanksgiving !

I bought two aluminum worlds that had known issues with rear seal alignment. After fixing that, one became a street hemi that only made 700. The other was 588 done for nitrous, that hasn't been sprayed yet. The motor made 915 na and has 2 kits on it. I suspect from what the web is like in the block, the second kit, if ever used will cause some issues with the block.

When you compare all the available aluminum blocks, a KB is by far the toughest one out there. The deck, and valley support is un matched, and the web is thick, and well supported.

Since they all cost about the same when you're finished, for me the KB is the way to go. Having to bet money on what will take the most power without failing in some way, the KB would be first, then the indy, then the world.