Indy aluminum blocks

How much power you all pushing through these blocks?

I'm building a 605 with an Indy block now. Planning on 1,000 hp N/A. The blocks can handle way much more than that.

Indy says the water blocks are good to 1500. I think Bob,the guy with the Procharged 69 Dart broke an early one but he was at 1800+ hp on alcohol.

Really didn't what to do a aluminum block but there aren't a lot of choices there, but curios what type of power people were putting though them. Thought I read that Indy were going to start producing cast iron blocks in the next couple years hope there some truth to this

That's a lot I know of a ford fellow racer that runs a dart block with a turbo that run 1500 hp but he has concreted the block O-ring the heads/block , thought that was a bit much but.

[quote=racerx]Really didn't what to do a aluminum block but there aren't a lot of choices there, but curios what type of power people were putting though them. Thought I read that Indy were going to start producing cast iron blocks in the next couple years hope there some truth to this [/quote




First off unless your class requires it why in heck whould you pick cast iron over aluminum. That’s like picking lead over helium

It's not a class car , round here it's a run what you brung type thing and I prefer to do a cast type block over aluminum . You have a KB block you willing to part with it?

I know a well funded west coast Ford SB heads up 10.5 outlaw racer that went faster with a Dart cast iron filled block than they did with a filled Fontana aluminum block on NOS and with both super chargers and turbos
The rings sealed up way better and held the vacuum a lot better with the iron block than it did with the aluminum block towing it every where except for the burn out and the run
They where able to keep the weight the same as well as the weight on the front and back tires
Test, test and test some more, if you want to go faster than every one else in your class

Aaaaaaaaa NO. 😂

I see that Brodix is offering cast iron Chevy and Ford blocks for drag racing now

I'm running an Indy block.
Just a home built car. Runs 4.80's at 150+ in the 1/8. Indy -1 heads

Is this with a power adder or NA ?If so how was ring seal?

Single turbo. Seals fine at 7500

Not sure where you might have read it but I highly doubt Indy will be making IRON blocks anytime soon if ever. He made them years ago and his quote to me was. Making iron blocks is the easy part, making MONEY with them is almost impossible. Todd

Casting Iron blocks is the easy part. Getting someone to machine them is a whole other issue. They are hard on equipment and that's where the costs lie after the core boxes are done.

How far off are we from getting Keith Black blocks off the shelf? I e-mailed a couple of there suppliers about a low deck block but never heard back...would it not be the best block for a say a 1500hp build currently?

More KBs are about 12 to 15 weeks out.The lowdeck will not be available for the future although that could change with PROVEN demand. It is true that several lowdecks were made for some of the back ordered pieces, but these were a total nightmare,and insane to produce from a cost standpoint.
I have the first wedge that I have done from soup to nuts ready to put some fire in the hole in the next day or so. I will say SO far I have been pretty happy with the way it went together. NOt a total fire breather but motor should make around 880 to 900. We shall see and I will let you guys know what I find.
Todd

that would be good to see/hear Todd

Tex

Thanks for the info... post the RB build if you don’t mind.

1300 HP, 1050 tq @ 6800. Blown injected on Alky. 6th year on it no issues.

Dave

I actually thought it was the other way around, casting being the hard part. The reason is all the block manufacture(Koleno,Mopar muscle )to me seems like they were great in designing these blocks but only produce a few

This is what I hope for a low deck block and looking to be able to take some horse power.....Thaxs fellas

Race Winning brands who is buying up everything these days has now bought out a larger share of Dart Machinery. Maybe with time we can get them to make both iron and alum big blocks and small blocks?

Any fire in the hole on this yet?

Make it electric and save yourself some money

I want a low deck. Really would prefer a KB but since it doesn't appear to be in the cards will have to go with Indy. Damn I don't want to give them my money. Russ is such a you know what I really hate spending my money on their stuff even if it is thru a dealer.

Funny you say that...I got a quot from Bloodshed motorsports....The batteries were $50k

What sort of commitment are you looking for as "PROVEN" demand? Given the cost of stock blocks and all the band aids to hold them together there is a need, but I understand that there is a vast gulf from paying 500(+) for a used 230 block then girdles/aluminum caps+ additional machining and a 7500 KB unit.

When the blocks were a lot cheaper, they weren't selling like the other brands. Now that most of the previous suppliers are out, the cost inevitably goes up to buy one. Let alone the manufacturing expenses and tooling.

I was able to go to my local dodge dealer and pick them up. I think I paid just under $3k for that one.

I would say history has shown, the demand wasn't there, and probably still isn't. I am in the same boat...When I called around this winter, nobody had anything in stock.

For me, its cash and carry...Not going to sit back for months wondering about my nearly $8k investment. You either have them or you don't.

If I was one of those manufacturers fighting with a foundry and all my machines were sitting. I would have called a billet supplier and at least kept the machinery rolling as well as development. These is not an easy field to make money for sure. But as a consumer, its still important where my money goes.

These posts always end up the same by the same members every-time. Some guys are just meant to run concrete filled stock crap crap with girdles (LOL) on them. I wonder where the costs savings comes in.

Indy blocks are made from melted down 1980s folding lawn chairs .



Buyer beware .

KBs are just around the corner to the public. There are two companies machining the new design raw cast blocks to your specs. The blocks are a work of art and almost to pretty to use. Blocks are expect to handle all that one can toss into them.

you got me any ideal what the new KB block weigh?

Well, at least they are light weight and can be recycled. I'm hoping that my Indy block is slightly better quality than that.

That's only funny to me because I don't own one.

IIRC, 110 lbs. bare

Tnat"s Not bad...actually I thought they were a lot heavier...Thaxs.

A KB is 110lbs w/caps? Supposedly an Indy is 137lbs w steel caps.
Doug

I believe the new KB might weigh a little more do to the improvements to the new support in the lifter area and a few other things such as the new billet main caps. Is the weight of 110lbs on the old KB blocks or the new KB block. When I am up at FHO I will ask Tim if he has calculated the weight of the new block and what that block was machined for. Even if the new blocks are 5 more lbs that is a huge weight saving over a Iron block. If the iron block is filled the weight saving could be over 200 lbs.

My Mega blocked trimmed up is 274lbs w/caps.
Doug

That's impressive! What was your 'before' weight? 320ish?

It was already trimmed when I got it, 4.500" bore.
Doug

I have a 30 over 1970 iron block and it weighs 260lbs has some trimming, not much. I think the other factory iron blocks I have weigh a few lbs more depending on the bore size. A friend of mine has been running a Aluminum Indy block and has had a lot of trouble over the years keeping the motor together. 605 CI, lots of HP Callies Crank, Stage V Heads on and on. He is now going to use the new KB Block for his next build that is being done at present because he thinks the Indy block might be moving around and causing his problems.

Thats pretty trimmed up! my world mega HEMI block 4.5 bore was around 325lbs

I have had a few KB and couple of Indy blocks. NONE have been under 127lbs and that was a low deck deal with a big cam core.

Any new combos out there on either blocks?
preferably power adders.

Waiting on block for 10 weeks and just informed castings are not in,(note:block paid in full including freight) be 4 weeks more. From when?
built and sold many blocks from them in 20 yrs.
Note:
1. pressure test,pressure test upon arrival,If your guy can't do it find someone who can.
2. do not let them do any final machining
3. their cnc stroke clearance is spot on, have them do it, de-burr the heck out of it.
4. Cams don,t turn in block, got to fix it.
5. lifter bore size is mayhem, fix it
6. Deck square and parallel un-finished is not good. Do not let them finish deck,and good luck with your given CH on 10.720 deck with what your finished corrected deck will be.
7. Cut main caps loose, re-torque then re-align hone as needed. Ya I know its new, do it
8. If you want pushrod/lifter oiling have them prep it. Hard to find someone that is capable of gun drilling later.
9. There is more, I'm done, Yes they will handle lots of power we can make with our given selection of components, but not experienced with boosted applications

Oh, sorry, current 620 c.i engine at 1200hp,945tq wedge head Indy, no issues when corrected.

Thaxs for the advice......

I've built a few hemis using indy blocks for other people. The trouble i see with all of the indy aluminum water blocks is that the cylinders move around dramatically above 1000 hp. Every one of them ive done, has done it, killing power. Like thats the power limiter..make 1200 and watch the numbers fall as you run it. I don't think they're going to fly apart, but the cylinders do not stay round. KB is a different story entirely, at least the old ones. Haven't been able to do a new one yet.

Indy is made from white glue and wood chips.

Our bores on our Indy were .007 out of round and .011 taper....There was not enough left to correct it all....And yes when the Indy heats up, the bores shift a little. I am not sure if their sleeves are too thin, or there is not enough aluminum behind them. I would rather have a billet water block at this point...

This scares me .....I no of one fellow racer that runs a dart (Ford) block that is boosted has concert in it to make it more solid.

In fairness, 1000hp used to be a big number. These days telling someone you made 1000 gets the what's wrong with it question.

Nitrous, blowers, turbos, have for sure become the norm. Every project i see now has a power adder and not just a small plate. More often than not it's 3 foggers, or forced induction, myself included.

The old KB stuff would move around too on the first build, but would take a set, and stay there. I can't say what the limit is on the old stuff but i know they stay pretty round at 2000hp. The old KB design (wet sleeve ones) were in TF at one point in history. Not really the same as the dry sleeve blocks, but close.

I'm hopeful for the new KB stuff. Any improvement in the orig design will be a home run.

I'm going billet, or solid from here on out personally.

Back on topic though, if you can wait for a kb, do so. Ultimately the indy will bite you if you're a power adder guy.

My Indy block has been difficult to seal up the bore... I have been trying for almost 15 years now. Ever since I have ran a vacuum pump I see the vac has been hard to get, and hard to keep. My local machine shops hone could only net me 5-7 vac going down the track. (this is with nitrous) Now the most recent hone was done at BES. Not sure what they do (hot honing etc) but they told me the bores were not round. Now it has 9-10 going down the track ( I still have a stock timing cover so the stock type front seal it limiting me to 10) Also
what I have been doing at BES recommendation is to run it at 90 - 110* on the starting line. It does seem to help, and a Dale Cubic carb lets it go on the brake at literally ANY temp...

There's a huge difference in hone jobs for sure. Most of the straight, correct RA jobs are diamond head. The movement in the bores just is what it is. My nitrous KBs start moving noticeably around 1500hp. Thats with warren Johnson, or Kurt hone job. Some have been higher, and every block is a little different. I have a roots blown one that made over 1600on the dyno at 10 over. I've been at 30 over, detonated it, smoked and some pistons. Pulled the head, cleaned the aluminum off the bores, and the thing is still less than a thou out of round. Dingle honed it, slapped in new slugs, put the tune back and go cat go.

I'm getting a billet next, but I'll be filling all my kbs to the water port to see if it helps in the future. All my junk is race only so who cares.

The bore issue is the very same thing I have seen with the Indy stuff which is why I prefer KB, but since they seem to unobtanium what ya gonna do. Speaking of that if you are waiting on an Indy block Indy has lost their foundry as well, so plan on the wait to continue.

Looks like BMP may have wedge blocks available in November. Well they are listed on ebay.

[align:left][/align]https://www.ebay.com/i/290443097186...Y6Zq65AIVWMDICh0OOw10EAQYASABEgLVP_D_BwE

Yeah, I asked that guy a couple months ago on Ebay. He does not have anything. I don't know why he keeps the listing up.

That's NOT BMP running that auction on ebay. I do have a buddy who owns a machine shop here in town that just got one after an 8 month wait. Better than KB....Oh yeah they lost their foundry as well but have found a new one apparently.

Speaking of that if you are waiting on an Indy block Indy has lost their foundry as well, so plan on the wait to continue.
WHAT...…..it seem like Mopar wedge Blocks and foundry doesn't go together.

What foundry does Dart use?

I'm not sure but it doesn't seem like they any issues.

[quotie=racerx]I'm not sure but it doesn't seem like they any issues. [/quote]

I thought i saw on yellowbullet dart had to swap foundrys , no new stuff till late year if not in stock
IIRC

Tex

I hear guys are having issues getting Ried transmission cases too.

Yes Reid is having the same issues on cases.