KB solid block for bracket racing

Anyone using a Solid KB block for bracket racing?

I haven't been to the track yet. But yes I have a solid KB block in my car. Have only a few minutes at my house on the motor. Have it set up with an injectorator on methanol. Only possible problem I see is putting heat in the motor. Any questions? Would be glad to answer

I have a solid kb block, it's no problem in my world running 40 degree lake water through to heads, I will tell you the oil temp comes up quickly, wouldent recomend a solid block for bracket racing on asphalt

Run a remote oil cooler and go for it! Let everyone know how it works!

Boatracer, are you running methanol?

C16 race gas

I plan on bracket racing with a solid Indy block on gasoline. I plan on running water through the heads and an oil cooler.

I just cannot see in a bracket situation where it would be a good idea. Especially on gasoline. Better get a HUGE oil cooler with an equally HUGE fan and figure out someway to circulate the oil between rounds. HP makes heat so if you are making any you are going to make some really warm oil especially late in the day when you get into quick turn arounds. Look no farther that what Tony is saying, he has access to unlimited COLD water to run through the engine and sees oil temps come up quick

This was a truck pulling engine. Would be on alcohol with water thru the heads. I was just thinking of a 3/4 filled block would be about the same?

Don't the pro mods and pro stocks run billet blocks now? About as solid as you can get.

Two TOTALLY different classes. In bracket racing you better be able to run the number all day and be ready for "round robin"

Pro Stock still runs radiators and iron blocks. Pro Mods are making stupid boost and horsepower and need the strength. A 3/4 fill block still has water at the hottest part of the cylinder and they will show higher oil temps. Between rounds maintenance routines are a little different between Pro cars and a guy running a 7 round bracket race on Saturday night.

It can be done. Solid and filled to the freeze plugs won't be the same and you'll be surprised at how little coolant capacity the engine will have. Anti-freeze is a no-no in a drag car and water will quickly turn to steam in the heads. How much are you willing to spend on monitoring the temps that may or may not get out of control? What methods could be used in short order to cool things down in late rounds? It's not uncommon to have a 7 rd. bracket race. 5 rounds is only 32 cars. I would think extra oil capacity and a way to cool/circulate it between rds. might work. Run the alcohol on the super fat side. FWIW, half the nitro pumped through fuel cars is coolant! A Top Fuel engine will weld itself together WFO after about 10 secs.

yes it can be done. But not with racing gas. Run methanol, I ran it for years in a low deck all iron 451. Only time I ever ran coolant was on way back to pits. In staging I had to lean it out using fuel shut off to put heat in the motor. And hot lapped it several races. I ran Hilborn stack injection, easy to tune and deadly consistent.
My current set up is a KB solid block 483. Only cooling is a small Honda radiator, electric pump. And running water through the heads to equalize the temp. I may have to install an oil heater. And you don't have to run it fat to cool it. Just run the idle a little fat. If your tune up is good. Try to launch about 180 to 200 degrees. And guarantee when you get to the return road it will be 10 to 20 degrees cooler. Just make sure you flush your fuel system if it's going to set for more than a week.

how are you circulating water through the heads with the solid block?

Add fittings on each end of both heads and make it work
I know some racer with solid blocks that use the cold water from their intercoolers to cool the heads after a run

That's what I was thinking but wasn't sure. Thanks

I machined my block in the mill to supply water to the deck from the water pump area, then return it through from the deck via -8 hoses

the machine work was really easy in my mill...the water could easily could be returned to water pump lower hole if you needed it to, im my case the -8 lines are meeting up with a -10 and dumping lake water out of the boat.when I orderd my KB the water blocks were impossible to get and I would rather had the the strength of a solid,so this was my best option …..

Very hard to see in the pic but very clean

2nd

Nicely done! I like that!

That looks awesome boat!

I ran a filled iron block with an oil cooler on the street with zero issues. Left about a 1/2 inch of water in the deck to make the water path factory.

I'm going to billet blocks now in 2 cars, with water only in the heads. I can't do what boat did in the front of the block because out the outboard idler for the blower pulley, but can on the nitrous mill.


I saw a guy running a billet block (chevy 5.3 BS) with -20 dry breaks on his oil tank. Every round the guy dumped 12 quarts into these nice aluminum catch cans with the fitting in them. Grabbed another with cold oil and dumped it in. The whole process took less than 5 minutes. He said he ran the same 4 cans of oil all season.

Thanks darren, it works perfect in my world ( boat racing ) back to back runs are not a problem , oil gets warner than a water block but not much more.