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Block fill questions

Posted By: wyldebill

Block fill questions - 12/10/14 07:24 AM

Hey guys, I have a couple of questions about block filling. How high would you fill, for a 400 block? This will be driven as well as a race engine. Will be taking this on drag week. How will this affect water and, or oil temp?
Posted By: jyrki

Re: Block fill questions - 12/10/14 08:27 AM

I wouldn't fill much over the bottom of the freeze plugs unless you are going to use an oil cooler. I had one that was filled close to the top of the freeze plugs, and the oil got very hot in continuous driving loosing its viscocity.
Posted By: Cab_Burge

Re: Block fill questions - 12/10/14 08:36 AM

Why would you want to fill that block? I know a lot of racers that have used filled and then unfilled blocks after they found a good block that sonic tested okay. Why would you want to have two different temperatures zones in your cylinders? Especially on a car that will see a lot of road time If your block is thin buy a better block, no bandaids One thing to keep in mind on block fillers is all cement shrinks as it cures, even expensive commercial non shrinking cement BTW, I do have three brand new bottles of Moroso block filler if you want to buy some of them at a good price
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Block fill questions - 12/10/14 03:28 PM

NO advantage to a fill on street unit
Save that $$ for fuel
Just because it is in the magazines does not mean you should do it. No advantage --it is used to shore up thin castings and "bandaid" for stock blocks that will be stressed beyond common sense for a stock block---in these days of aftermarket blocks--their is just no reason to do it--got a thin cylinder in a race block you want to save?--OK
Ground through the water in a SBC while stroker grinding? well then ok..but doing it because you think it will make a stock block stronger?? Forget about it--and main cap bolts are fine too , not much need for studs in most cases--save that Loot!
Posted By: wyldebill

Re: Block fill questions - 12/10/14 04:14 PM

i have not been a big fan of block filling. it seems to me that you would want the top of the cylinder the strongest, but your reinforce the bottem with concrete. thats why i am asking the question before i do it.
Posted By: MR_P_BODY

Re: Block fill questions - 12/10/14 04:23 PM

Quote:

i have not been a big fan of block filling. it seems to me that you would want the top of the cylinder the strongest, but your reinforce the bottem with concrete. thats why i am asking the question before i do it.




Actually the center of the cyl needs some help.. the
top and bottom have the steel.. the top has the deck..
I have filled 2 blocks.. I cracked a cyl wall on one
and water still ran into the cyl... that tells me
that due to shrinkage it pulled back from the wall
and thus it really didnt do anything except increase
the temp of the water and the oil... specially on a
street engine I wont fill it
Posted By: Crizila

Re: Block fill questions - 12/10/14 04:27 PM

Quote:

Hey guys, I have a couple of questions about block filling. How high would you fill, for a 400 block? This will be driven as well as a race engine. Will be taking this on drag week. How will this affect water and, or oil temp?


I would not fill if you are contemplating street driving. I run a 3/4 fill on my small block ( race only ) because I am pushing well over 600HP with a stock block - even though it sonic tested good. On mine, water temp is no longer an issue. With about a gallon less than stock capacity, the water goes through the rad more often. I never see over 190. Oil temp is another issue. One pass and it is in the 200 degree range. Still ok, but it gets up there pretty fast and I am sure it would continue to climb with street driving. Unless you know that the bottom end is your weak link, I would not use fill.
Posted By: wyldebill

Re: Block fill questions - 12/10/14 04:44 PM

heat soak on the oil temp was my biggest concern. an aftermarket just isnt in the cards right now, or in the near future. unless someone knows of somwthing.
Posted By: Hemi_Joel

Re: Block fill questions - 12/10/14 06:38 PM

Rok Block is the only product to use. It has epoxy in it, so it does not shrink, and conforms and sticks way better.

http://www.competitionproducts.com/Rokbl...K/#.VIhxNdItCvE

Posted By: Thumperdart

Re: Block fill questions - 12/10/14 06:42 PM

Quote:

Hey guys, I have a couple of questions about block filling. How high would you fill, for a 400 block? This will be driven as well as a race engine. Will be taking this on drag week. How will this affect water and, or oil temp?




Been beatin on my 72 400 block almost 13 years stock caps and no fill.............
Posted By: Eric

Re: Block fill questions - 12/10/14 06:49 PM

I can give you a filled one.....just don't expect it to circulate water ....don't go to high
Posted By: pittsburghracer

Re: Block fill questions - 12/10/14 07:01 PM

Concrete is for in ground swimming pools not already over-weight race cars.
Posted By: FastmOp

Re: Block fill questions - 12/10/14 07:20 PM

I use hard block!
It has cast iron powder in it. It's magnetic if you need to chip it out lol
Don't go higher then middle of the freeze plugs. Much higher and you get into the head bolt hole boss's and you will cut off water flow.
Posted By: pittsburghracer

Re: Block fill questions - 12/10/14 07:50 PM

I look at it this way. My 500 cubic inch engine lasted 275 passes running 8.60's- 9.0's. (440 block) In Pa weather that takes me 3 maybe 4 years before I finally cracked a block.( no fill, no girdle) It costs me about 400-500 dollars paid out to do prep work on a race block so that's cheap in my eyes. If you go fast enough with a stock block sooner or later its going to fail and I don't care what you do to it. Now I know some street guys are going to jump in and say but,but, but in my statement I said IF you go fast enough. Running 9.0's-10.0's with stock stroke, stock crank engines my cranks would have cracks in them every rebuild (3-4 years)but i never cracked a block. I got to the place where I would tear the engine down and not even check the crank for cracks. I would just throw it on the scrap pile. I broke one stock main cap before switching over to a set of 440source bilit caps. By the way the block that cracked never leaked a drop of water, ran a 8.62@155mph on its last pass, and the crack was found during Winter tear-down.
Posted By: Crizila

Re: Block fill questions - 12/10/14 10:47 PM

Bottom line ( IMO ) with block fill is temp control. If you can't control the oil and or water temp, the rest is a moot point - and you could very likely have problems on the street in this area, even with a 1/2 fill. Here is what a 3/4 fill looks like on a small block. Yes, the water still dose circulate.

Attached picture 8357812-hardblock.jpg
Posted By: MR_P_BODY

Re: Block fill questions - 12/10/14 11:19 PM

Quote:

Hey guys, I have a couple of questions about block filling. How high would you fill, for a 400 block? This will be driven as well as a race engine. Will be taking this on drag week. How will this affect water and, or oil temp?




One other thing about drag week... it always seems to
be HOT.. seems common to be near a 100* and they tend
to run you in some SLOW city traffic just to see how
the cars can handle it... for my DW junker I didnt
fill it .. it can get up to 210* running down the road
at 75 for a hour or so.. if I back it down 5-10 mph
it cools back to 180*
Posted By: slippery440

Re: Block fill questions - 12/11/14 01:03 AM

How many pounds will it take to the bottom of the soft plugs? HARD BLOK
Posted By: MR_P_BODY

Re: Block fill questions - 12/11/14 01:27 AM

Quote:

How many pounds will it take to the bottom of the soft plugs? HARD BLOK




If I remember right it was 1/2 of the bucket of hard
block per side
Posted By: wyldebill

Re: Block fill questions - 12/11/14 01:54 AM

i pulled the plug on filling the block. if you'll notice im from west Texas. so heat is always an issue. we're sonic checking the block this weekend. if i have a thin cylinder, then ill address it. cap walk is a bigger concern at this point, and i think we have it handled. thanks guys.
Posted By: MoparBilly

Re: Block fill questions - 12/11/14 04:48 AM

Bill,
The 508 in the Barnyard Viper is a tall filled 440 (to the bottom of the water pump holes). It has completed two Drag Weeks. Water temp never gets over 190, oil temp usually 210-220. We have a small oil cooler on it, and it needs a bigger one, when we push it hard, oil temp climbs to 230-240, and pressure starts to drop, 10-15lbs less than normal, and we change the oil at the next track!

It was a race engine that got pressed into street duty, so far, so good.

Attached picture 8358143-SAM_2254-Copy.JPG
Posted By: Crizila

Re: Block fill questions - 12/11/14 04:55 PM

Quote:

Bill,
The 508 in the Barnyard Viper is a tall filled 440 (to the bottom of the water pump holes). It has completed two Drag Weeks. Water temp never gets over 190, oil temp usually 210-220. We have a small oil cooler on it, and it needs a bigger one, when we push it hard, oil temp climbs to 230-240, and pressure starts to drop, 10-15lbs less than normal, and we change the oil at the next track!

It was a race engine that got pressed into street duty, so far, so good.


Oil cooler would be the way to go if you decide to fill. I'm considering it, but since I never seem to get past the first round, . . . . . .
Posted By: Thumperdart

Re: Block fill questions - 12/11/14 06:58 PM

Quote:

i pulled the plug on filling the block. if you'll notice im from west Texas. so heat is always an issue. we're sonic checking the block this weekend. if i have a thin cylinder, then ill address it. cap walk is a bigger concern at this point, and i think we have it handled. thanks guys.




FWIW, I had a couple of thin cyls.(non thrust)of .118-.122 and the rest were decent averaging bet .164-.230 on the thrust sides. I asked Jason Pettis how my stock caps looked and if cap walk was an issue and he said "I`ve seen worse w/race blocks" so that`s re-assurig and 13+ years later it`s goin strong............stock crank n all........
Posted By: dizuster

Re: Block fill questions - 12/11/14 07:14 PM

I am always surprised with the "you can't block fill" crowd responses. I can only give my limited personal experience, but it has worked fine for me. On top of it I went against a LOT of the mainstream information that pops up from time to time.

1) I did not use hardblock... I used Embecco 885. It's a metallic based grout, and a 50lb bag is only about 1/3 of the cost of a hard block bucket. It's shrink rates are very good (Only 0.8% after 28 days). It also has the same thermal expansion rate as cast nodular iron (6.5 in/in). Meaning it's properties allow it to maintain it's shape long term, and it will grow/shrink with the block well.

2) I filled the block AFTER it was honed. The motor showed zero signs of blowby at idle cruise. It does show some oil out the breathers under high boost, but NEVER in the exhaust.

3) I have no oil cooler. I had previously never even come CLOSE to having an oil temp problem until I put the engine diaper on the car. The diaper holds a LOT of heat. But previous with standard pan out in the air, the car would idle/cruise/WOT just fine with nowhere near an oil temp issue.

I probably have 100 total runs on my stock block, anywhere from 600~800hp level (depending on boost). Obviously boost is a completely different animal, so it's hard to judge just how much better it made the block, but I certainly think it helped it.

Just my
Posted By: Crizila

Re: Block fill questions - 12/11/14 10:25 PM

Quote:

I am always surprised with the "you can't block fill" crowd responses. I can only give my limited personal experience, but it has worked fine for me. On top of it I went against a LOT of the mainstream information that pops up from time to time.

1) I did not use hardblock... I used Embecco 885. It's a metallic based grout, and a 50lb bag is only about 1/3 of the cost of a hard block bucket. It's shrink rates are very good (Only 0.8% after 28 days). It also has the same thermal expansion rate as cast nodular iron (6.5 in/in). Meaning it's properties allow it to maintain it's shape long term, and it will grow/shrink with the block well.

2) I filled the block AFTER it was honed. The motor showed zero signs of blowby at idle cruise. It does show some oil out the breathers under high boost, but NEVER in the exhaust.

3) I have no oil cooler. I had previously never even come CLOSE to having an oil temp problem until I put the engine diaper on the car. The diaper holds a LOT of heat. But previous with standard pan out in the air, the car would idle/cruise/WOT just fine with nowhere near an oil temp issue.

I probably have 100 total runs on my stock block, anywhere from 600~800hp level (depending on boost). Obviously boost is a completely different animal, so it's hard to judge just how much better it made the block, but I certainly think it helped it.

Just my


Didn't say you can't block fill, but you will have higher oil temps if you do. You are an exception. Actually, per the "Royal Purple" Techs, They got no problem running up to 250 degrees with their full synthetic race oil - what I use. They are speaking for their oil of course, not "other parts". I went with Moroso's filler. It's grout based. Other choice is epoxy based. All make similar expansion / contraction rate claims. If you go with grout type, mixing it with cold water will slow down the setting time and let you block vibrate more air pockets out. Also, most recommend filling prior to any machining work
Posted By: BuckeyeBrawler

Re: Block fill questions - 01/01/15 12:09 PM

FWIW Save your money I've ran my low deck stroker since 95 same block and crank ARP main studs some evidence of cap walk. Stock caps no fill still working. Last outing 10.17 @ 133mph 2838 da 1.40 60 ft. with the rear tires. 3540 lb. B body with Cal-tracs

Attached picture 8380359-image.jpg
Posted By: CompWedgeEngines

Re: Block fill questions - 01/01/15 06:29 PM

Quote:

I am always surprised with the "you can't block fill" crowd responses. I can only give my limited personal experience, but it has worked fine for me. On top of it I went against a LOT of the mainstream information that pops up from time to time.

1) I did not use hardblock... I used Embecco 885. It's a metallic based grout, and a 50lb bag is only about 1/3 of the cost of a hard block bucket. It's shrink rates are very good (Only 0.8% after 28 days). It also has the same thermal expansion rate as cast nodular iron (6.5 in/in). Meaning it's properties allow it to maintain it's shape long term, and it will grow/shrink with the block well.

2) I filled the block AFTER it was honed. The motor showed zero signs of blowby at idle cruise. It does show some oil out the breathers under high boost, but NEVER in the exhaust.

3) I have no oil cooler. I had previously never even come CLOSE to having an oil temp problem until I put the engine diaper on the car. The diaper holds a LOT of heat. But previous with standard pan out in the air, the car would idle/cruise/WOT just fine with nowhere near an oil temp issue.

I probably have 100 total runs on my stock block, anywhere from 600~800hp level (depending on boost). Obviously boost is a completely different animal, so it's hard to judge just how much better it made the block, but I certainly think it helped it.

Just my





....


I've given up responding to the block filler posts, I guess other than this one....I'll keep doing what I do.....lol...
Posted By: mshred

Re: Block fill questions - 01/02/15 08:29 PM

Quote:

I am always surprised with the "you can't block fill" crowd responses. I can only give my limited personal experience, but it has worked fine for me. On top of it I went against a LOT of the mainstream information that pops up from time to time.

1) I did not use hardblock... I used Embecco 885. It's a metallic based grout, and a 50lb bag is only about 1/3 of the cost of a hard block bucket. It's shrink rates are very good (Only 0.8% after 28 days). It also has the same thermal expansion rate as cast nodular iron (6.5 in/in). Meaning it's properties allow it to maintain it's shape long term, and it will grow/shrink with the block well.

2) I filled the block AFTER it was honed. The motor showed zero signs of blowby at idle cruise. It does show some oil out the breathers under high boost, but NEVER in the exhaust.

3) I have no oil cooler. I had previously never even come CLOSE to having an oil temp problem until I put the engine diaper on the car. The diaper holds a LOT of heat. But previous with standard pan out in the air, the car would idle/cruise/WOT just fine with nowhere near an oil temp issue.

I probably have 100 total runs on my stock block, anywhere from 600~800hp level (depending on boost). Obviously boost is a completely different animal, so it's hard to judge just how much better it made the block, but I certainly think it helped it.

Just my




A lot of what I think contributes to your oil temps remaining low is running E85. It will definitely be higher with regular gasoline.

I made a switch from Brad Penn last year to Mobil 1 15W50 full synthetic race oil this year- I also eliminated my remote filter setup and went back to running the filter on the side of the block...More expensive for the oil, but for a pump gas street car with hardblock, here is a NOTICEABLE difference in how quick my oil heats up as well as what temperature it hovers at once warmed...Driving the car this summer was ALOT more enjoyable then the year before! It also surprised me considering I moved the oil filter back to a hot spot under the headers instead of away from heat (and less oil capacity too!)

My 2 cents, if you fill it for a street car, E85 or some other alchol based fuel will help or run a good synthetic oil as their heat properties are much better then a conventional, or even semi synthetic like Brad Penn, especially in terms of what temperature the oil breaks down at (Which is really what one needs to be concerned about).
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