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Any Input on Bill Mitchell Blocks lately? #2548766
09/11/18 01:41 PM
09/11/18 01:41 PM
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,541
USA
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hudsonhornet7x Offline OP
pro stock
hudsonhornet7x  Offline OP
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What are the pitfalls if any on current Bill Mitchell hemi blocks? How is the machining, what do I need to look out for, etc?

Thanks for any help. I am looking for a Hemi block for the street.

Re: Any Input on Bill Mitchell Blocks lately? [Re: hudsonhornet7x] #2548804
09/11/18 02:47 PM
09/11/18 02:47 PM
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 500
MD
JACK1440 Offline
mopar
JACK1440  Offline
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 500
MD
Here's what I can tell you about my RB block. I should be getting it from the builder very soon. It went back last August due to a machining / core error in the oiling system. The oil port in the front of the block used to bypass an internal pickup intersected the oil pump drive shaft bore causing it to suck air. The only other issue I had was I ended up running a tall roller lifter due to the bronze bushings being tall.

What I can say is that Bill Mitchell was very helpful in getting my issues fixed with the oiling system and great to work with. My block was purchased in Jan 2017

Re: Any Input on Bill Mitchell Blocks lately? [Re: JACK1440] #2548806
09/11/18 02:54 PM
09/11/18 02:54 PM
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 20,116
PA.
pittsburghracer Offline
"Little"John
pittsburghracer  Offline
"Little"John

Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 20,116
PA.
August of 2017 or August of 2018?


1970 Duster
Edelbrock headed 408
5.984@112.52
422 Indy headed small block
5.982@112.56 mph
9.42@138.27

Livin and lovin life one day at a time




Re: Any Input on Bill Mitchell Blocks lately? [Re: pittsburghracer] #2548825
09/11/18 03:30 PM
09/11/18 03:30 PM
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 11,408
Fulton County, PA
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CMcAllister Offline
Mr. Helpful
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Fulton County, PA
Originally Posted By pittsburghracer
August of 2017 or August of 2018?


These things matter to old guys.


If the results don't match the theory, change the theory.
Re: Any Input on Bill Mitchell Blocks lately? [Re: hudsonhornet7x] #2548872
09/11/18 05:05 PM
09/11/18 05:05 PM
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 500
MD
JACK1440 Offline
mopar
JACK1440  Offline
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MD
lol..... unfortunately it was August 2017 when I returned it. The bad thing about that is you think during down time. Since then it grew from 557" to 572", up a point of compression to 15:1 and bigger -1 heads.

Re: Any Input on Bill Mitchell Blocks lately? [Re: JACK1440] #2549011
09/11/18 10:34 PM
09/11/18 10:34 PM
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Posts: 559
Idaho
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LaRoy Engines Offline
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Idaho
Originally Posted By JACK1440
Here's what I can tell you about my RB block. I should be getting it from the builder very soon. It went back last August due to a machining / core error in the oiling system. The oil port in the front of the block used to bypass an internal pickup intersected the oil pump drive shaft bore causing it to suck air. The only other issue I had was I ended up running a tall roller lifter due to the bronze bushings being tall.

What I can say is that Bill Mitchell was very helpful in getting my issues fixed with the oiling system and great to work with. My block was purchased in Jan 2017


Same problem here. I plugged the block and went to an external oiling system. I received this block over a year ago. I'd have to go back into the paperwork to figure out the exact number of months.

Also the oil passages through the block didn't line up and 9/16" diameter intersections were only 3/16" so I had to do a bunch of re-drilling.

The bronze lifter bushings were so out-of-round that by the time they were honed round they were too big. Fortunately the lifer bores in the block were round so I replaced the bushings and honed them correctly.

The block decking wasn't anywhere near lined up with the crank and cam tunnels.

The rear main oil seal bore was some weird size that no main seal on the planet would fit. Unless Bill Mitchell had something special tucked away.

Before the block arrived I was told on the phone, "Let us know what you think and how the block turned out."

I couldn't get Bill Mitchell to return my calls or emails. I was left completely on my own to fix the problems.

Last edited by LaRoy Engines; 09/11/18 10:37 PM.
Re: Any Input on Bill Mitchell Blocks lately? [Re: LaRoy Engines] #2549189
09/12/18 01:15 PM
09/12/18 01:15 PM
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 500
MD
JACK1440 Offline
mopar
JACK1440  Offline
mopar

Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 500
MD
Originally Posted By LaRoy Engines
Originally Posted By JACK1440
Here's what I can tell you about my RB block. I should be getting it from the builder very soon. It went back last August due to a machining / core error in the oiling system. The oil port in the front of the block used to bypass an internal pickup intersected the oil pump drive shaft bore causing it to suck air. The only other issue I had was I ended up running a tall roller lifter due to the bronze bushings being tall.

What I can say is that Bill Mitchell was very helpful in getting my issues fixed with the oiling system and great to work with. My block was purchased in Jan 2017


Same problem here. I plugged the block and went to an external oiling system. I received this block over a year ago. I'd have to go back into the paperwork to figure out the exact number of months.

Also the oil passages through the block didn't line up and 9/16" diameter intersections were only 3/16" so I had to do a bunch of re-drilling.

The bronze lifter bushings were so out-of-round that by the time they were honed round they were too big. Fortunately the lifer bores in the block were round so I replaced the bushings and honed them correctly.

The block decking wasn't anywhere near lined up with the crank and cam tunnels.

The rear main oil seal bore was some weird size that no main seal on the planet would fit. Unless Bill Mitchell had something special tucked away.

Before the block arrived I was told on the phone, "Let us know what you think and how the block turned out."

I couldn't get Bill Mitchell to return my calls or emails. I was left completely on my own to fix the problems.


I have to correct myself... I've had my block since March of 2016. The issue from last August was that it had oil pressure but cooked rod bearings on rods 3,4,5 & 6 but the mains looked good. That's why we suspected air. That failure threw a rod cap and ended up messing up 2 bores. So Bill sent it to Ray Barton who did the repair work with 2 new sleeves. How did you find you had bad oil passages?

Re: Any Input on Bill Mitchell Blocks lately? [Re: JACK1440] #2549635
09/13/18 03:01 PM
09/13/18 03:01 PM
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 559
Idaho
L
LaRoy Engines Offline
mopar
LaRoy Engines  Offline
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Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 559
Idaho
Originally Posted By JACK1440
Originally Posted By LaRoy Engines
Originally Posted By JACK1440
Here's what I can tell you about my RB block. I should be getting it from the builder very soon. It went back last August due to a machining / core error in the oiling system. The oil port in the front of the block used to bypass an internal pickup intersected the oil pump drive shaft bore causing it to suck air. The only other issue I had was I ended up running a tall roller lifter due to the bronze bushings being tall.

What I can say is that Bill Mitchell was very helpful in getting my issues fixed with the oiling system and great to work with. My block was purchased in Jan 2017


Same problem here. I plugged the block and went to an external oiling system. I received this block over a year ago. I'd have to go back into the paperwork to figure out the exact number of months.

Also the oil passages through the block didn't line up and 9/16" diameter intersections were only 3/16" so I had to do a bunch of re-drilling.

The bronze lifter bushings were so out-of-round that by the time they were honed round they were too big. Fortunately the lifer bores in the block were round so I replaced the bushings and honed them correctly.

The block decking wasn't anywhere near lined up with the crank and cam tunnels.

The rear main oil seal bore was some weird size that no main seal on the planet would fit. Unless Bill Mitchell had something special tucked away.

Before the block arrived I was told on the phone, "Let us know what you think and how the block turned out."

I couldn't get Bill Mitchell to return my calls or emails. I was left completely on my own to fix the problems.


I have to correct myself... I've had my block since March of 2016. The issue from last August was that it had oil pressure but cooked rod bearings on rods 3,4,5 & 6 but the mains looked good. That's why we suspected air. That failure threw a rod cap and ended up messing up 2 bores. So Bill sent it to Ray Barton who did the repair work with 2 new sleeves. How did you find you had bad oil passages?


It was a simple as shining a light into the passages to see the junctions.

Re: Any Input on Bill Mitchell Blocks lately? [Re: hudsonhornet7x] #2549720
09/13/18 06:53 PM
09/13/18 06:53 PM
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 500
MD
JACK1440 Offline
mopar
JACK1440  Offline
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Posts: 500
MD
gotcha.. thanks! gonna make sure that happens.

Back to the first question.... I'm not sure the blocks are available. You would have to call

Re: Any Input on Bill Mitchell Blocks lately? [Re: hudsonhornet7x] #2549802
09/13/18 11:51 PM
09/13/18 11:51 PM
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,541
USA
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hudsonhornet7x Offline OP
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hudsonhornet7x  Offline OP
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Bill says the blocks will be available late November if everything goes right. Just talked to him yesterday on the phone.

Re: Any Input on Bill Mitchell Blocks lately? [Re: hudsonhornet7x] #2550006
09/14/18 03:38 PM
09/14/18 03:38 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 19,304
Las Vegas
Al_Alguire Offline
I Live Here
Al_Alguire  Offline
I Live Here

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Posts: 19,304
Las Vegas
Hell maybe I could buy another one smile


"I am not ashamed to confess I am ignorant of what I do not know."

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