Moparts

440/HEMI 'The Block' by Bulldog Performance.

Posted By: migsBIG

440/HEMI 'The Block' by Bulldog Performance. - 10/19/20 07:59 PM

The article on this was first by Muscle Motors, then Read it as being that of Bulldog Performance. Have seen no other info on it. Just wondering what people think, or know someone who got it. Race only, street applications? Worth the money if you want reliable power over 1000+hp?

https://moparconnectionmagazine.com...ance-joins-mopar-connection-for-2019-20/
Posted By: polyspheric

Re: 440/HEMI 'The Block' by Bulldog Performance. - 10/19/20 09:38 PM

Who wrote this: "priority oiling that supplied oil to the main and rod bearings prior to the lifters, ensuring lifter failure won’t happen as a result of total loss of main bearing oil pressure"?

Actually, priority oiling that supplied oil to the main and rod bearings prior to the lifters, ensuring lifter failure WILL happen as a result of total loss of main bearing oil pressure
Using the high school shop class again...
Posted By: sr4440

Re: 440/HEMI 'The Block' by Bulldog Performance. - 10/19/20 11:33 PM

I have one it's a 400 block, it's at the machine shop getting the cylinders finished, the pistons are on the brown truck, 55mm cam should be shipped next week. The b1 MC heads are waiting.
So far it looks good, Should have no issue with 1000HP


Joe
.
Posted By: CMcAllister

Re: 440/HEMI 'The Block' by Bulldog Performance. - 10/19/20 11:35 PM

Originally Posted by polyspheric
Who wrote this: "priority oiling that supplied oil to the main and rod bearings prior to the lifters, ensuring lifter failure won’t happen as a result of total loss of main bearing oil pressure"?

Actually, priority oiling that supplied oil to the main and rod bearings prior to the lifters, ensuring lifter failure WILL happen as a result of total loss of main bearing oil pressure
Using the high school shop class again...


Total loss of main bearing oil pressure is bad. M'kay?

Story is a year and a half old. Bulldog is a moving target. I don't know the status at this moment. Maybe someone else does. The one I saw at PRI 2 years ago was pretty. And the word was, all the issues were resolved and they'd be cranking them out.
Posted By: LA360

Re: 440/HEMI 'The Block' by Bulldog Performance. - 10/20/20 01:01 AM

A friend bought a 400 B based block for a clients build. He mentioned having to tweak a few things, but the casting looks pretty solid. It's a twin turbo (a pair of 76mm turbos from memory), Trickflow 270 headed deal for a 68-69 Charger. Not sure how they're going with it, the guy that the client got to do all of plumbing, intake and oil pan produced a bunch of grossly overpriced rubbish.
Posted By: Lee446

Re: 440/HEMI 'The Block' by Bulldog Performance. - 10/20/20 01:22 AM

A friend of mine called me today to come see his new Bulldog Hemi block. I believe that is one of the nicest aftermarket iron blocks I have ever seen! He is going to have it built by a Top local Hemi builder and when he gets it, we will find out how good it is dimensionally, but man, it looks great!
Posted By: Cab_Burge

Re: 440/HEMI 'The Block' by Bulldog Performance. - 10/20/20 06:42 AM

I hope to have one of his wedge 4.500 RB blocks home before turkey day, I'll post pictures and my thoughts on what I get it after that shruggy
It's being finish machine at a shop he recommended to use near his shop, bore, deck, lifter bores and main bearing bores luck
Posted By: markz528

Re: 440/HEMI 'The Block' by Bulldog Performance. - 10/20/20 06:32 PM

I do not believe that the Bulldog and The Block are the same blocks. I have one of the first The Blocks that came from Muscle Motors - came from the first casting run of 10 blocks.
Posted By: RBRE

Re: 440/HEMI 'The Block' by Bulldog Performance. - 10/20/20 07:24 PM

Over the last 4 years I have purchased 16 Bulldog blocks. Every single block had some kind of issue. They could all be corrected and used if you owned a machine shop except the last 5 we received. Many had the cam tunnel too tight, not an easy fix. All were too tight in the main saddles and needed align hone. Some had the main bearing tangs in the wrong locations. A few blocks wouldn’t accept a distributor because the hole was too small. Three blocks wouldn’t accept the oil drive gear and had to be machined longer for the gear. A recent block had a pin hole in a cylinder. All the blocks have an oil pump bolt that goes into the water jacket. We had 4 blocks that had the soft plug holes machined too small. Some blocks had the rear water holes tapped too big and the plugs would never tighten. All the HEMI blocks need to be machined for pushrod clearance. The oil pickups adaptor was a copy of the world block but is on the wrong angle and the adaptor + pickup hit the crank. Many of the blocks need to be lifter bushed because the lifter holes were .002” tapered. Last week we had a new 540 Hemi on the dyno for cam break in. When we removed the valve covers the oil was milky. Removed the intake and pressurized the tower and found 8 pin holes in the lifter gallery. When I called Bradshaw he said stop leak, should fix it and he would call me in the morning. That is not the answer I want to hear and wouldn’t send it out the door like that. After seeing this new problem we pressure tested the 5 new blocks I have and 4 of them all leak water into the lifter oil passage. There is no fix for this. I have called Bradshaw every day for 10 days and he will not even return my calls. If you have a Bulldog block or waiting for one I would check all the things I mentioned.

Ray Barton
Posted By: Cab_Burge

Re: 440/HEMI 'The Block' by Bulldog Performance. - 10/20/20 07:30 PM

Thanks ,Ray for your help on this up
Posted By: AndyF

Re: 440/HEMI 'The Block' by Bulldog Performance. - 10/20/20 07:53 PM

I have had not done any business with Bradshaw myself but this feedback is consistent with others have said about him and his products for many, many years. There are many threads on Yellow Bullet as well as other forums about Dick Bradshaw. Most of them are from people who were ripped off by him over the past 20 years. If people have been saying for more than 20 years that he ripped them off then that seems like a pattern.
Posted By: fast68plymouth

Re: 440/HEMI 'The Block' by Bulldog Performance. - 10/20/20 08:19 PM

I’m not getting a warm & fuzzy feeling from Rays post.
Posted By: INTMD8

Re: 440/HEMI 'The Block' by Bulldog Performance. - 10/20/20 08:26 PM

Wow that sounds horrible. Stop leak? Ahhh, hell no.
Posted By: fastmark

Re: 440/HEMI 'The Block' by Bulldog Performance. - 10/20/20 09:09 PM

WOW! This is why I would not want to be a test mule for a new block. I think I will keep my world block. And check it very thoroughly!
Posted By: AndyF

Re: 440/HEMI 'The Block' by Bulldog Performance. - 10/20/20 09:10 PM

If Bradshaw isn't going to keep Barton happy then zero chance he'll fix a problem if I buy a block from him. So count me out.
Posted By: iapco103

Re: 440/HEMI 'The Block' by Bulldog Performance. - 10/20/20 10:02 PM

I guess I should count myself fairly lucky with my Bulldog block.

Known issues: ( 1 ) needed to be align honed , this was stated on the paper work with the block, ( 2 ) needed cylinders honed , no big deal

Discovered issues:
( 1 ) one mechanical fuel pump bolt hole not tapped at all.
( 2 ) no clearance machined for mech fuel pump body, more of an annoyance than a problem.
( 3 ) Had to fabricate my own oil pickup adapter because of the problem stated by Barton.
( 4 ) fuel pump pushrod hole too small, had to be reamed to size.
( 5 ) one main bearing tang located wrong.
( 6 ) oil dipstick hole too small, had to be reamed to size.
( 7 ) lifter valley cylinder head studs are a special length, don't ask me how I know,LOL.
( 8 ) rodding from the casting process left in the water jacket, you must look carefully in there and pick it out.
( 9 ) small pit in one cylinder, this was characterized by Nickens Bros. as a sand pit from the casting process. We both agreed that for a street engine it was no big deal.

This block passed a pressure test with flying colors, this should be your first step with any block of unknown quality. Paul
Posted By: AndyF

Re: 440/HEMI 'The Block' by Bulldog Performance. - 10/20/20 11:21 PM

That seems like too much work for an aftermarket block. The engine shop I work with uses a lot of Dart blocks and typically those get bored, honed, washed and put together. When I bought my Mopar megablock back in 2007 that was all we did. Bore, hone, wash and assembly. Some of the steps you are describing could easily cause an issue with a smaller engine shop. A high end shop might be able to handle those things but not everyone has the tools to fix all that stuff.
Posted By: migsBIG

Re: 440/HEMI 'The Block' by Bulldog Performance. - 10/21/20 05:05 AM

Thanks for the info. Can't see spending that much money and being told to use block filler to fix problem that shouldn't be there to begin with. Will pass and see what other options come along for blocks.
Posted By: gregsdart

Re: 440/HEMI 'The Block' by Bulldog Performance. - 10/21/20 11:53 AM

Originally Posted by migsBIG
Thanks for the info. Can't see spending that much money and being told to use block filler to fix problem that shouldn't be there to begin with. Will pass and see what other options come along for blocks.

Give MARSH PERFORMANCE a call. Todd from Marsh has a good reputation on here and knows whats available. I have my name on a new aluminum block that he gas prepaid for. He didn't ask for anything down.
Posted By: blowndart

Re: 440/HEMI 'The Block' by Bulldog Performance. - 10/21/20 01:06 PM

Originally Posted by gregsdart
Originally Posted by migsBIG
Thanks for the info. Can't see spending that much money and being told to use block filler to fix problem that shouldn't be there to begin with. Will pass and see what other options come along for blocks.

Give MARSH PERFORMANCE a call. Todd from Marsh has a good reputation on here and knows whats available. I have my name on a new aluminum block that he gas prepaid for. He didn't ask for anything down.

How long is the current wait on the BME aluminum block?
Posted By: racerx

Re: 440/HEMI 'The Block' by Bulldog Performance. - 10/21/20 01:53 PM

Originally Posted by blowndart
Originally Posted by gregsdart
Originally Posted by migsBIG
Thanks for the info. Can't see spending that much money and being told to use block filler to fix problem that shouldn't be there to begin with. Will pass and see what other options come along for blocks.

Give MARSH PERFORMANCE a call. Todd from Marsh has a good reputation on here and knows whats available. I have my name on a new aluminum block that he gas prepaid for. He didn't ask for anything down.

How long is the current wait on the BME aluminum block?

Was talking to a BM dealer here and the word was that the next batch was 90 days out shruggy
Posted By: sasquatch

Re: 440/HEMI 'The Block' by Bulldog Performance. - 10/21/20 05:03 PM

RacerX You and I both know all about that LIST all to well. The srtraight answer about KB is I have no clue. Worlds are supposed to be 30 days out. Indys are running abot 4 to 6 weeds. Bull dogs I have no clue on leads times or issues. Had a hemi in the shop but only got to look (no assembly or machine work.Todd.
Posted By: dthemi

Re: 440/HEMI 'The Block' by Bulldog Performance. - 10/22/20 01:32 AM

I wonder how callies blocks are coming along.

Would be pure magic to have an available supply of high quality iron, and aluminum race blocks. Ya know like ford and chevy guys enjoy. Loving mopar takes a special kind of tough love to endure.
Posted By: blowndart

Re: 440/HEMI 'The Block' by Bulldog Performance. - 10/22/20 11:24 AM

Originally Posted by dthemi
I wonder how callies blocks are coming along.

Would be pure magic to have an available supply of high quality iron, and aluminum race blocks. Ya know like ford and chevy guys enjoy. Loving mopar takes a special kind of tough love to endure.

So true. If I could pick up the phone and order an aluminum block today and have it shipped this week, I would. I have a a hard time ordering a block with the promise that it will be shipped some day, way out in the future, with questionable quality. rolleyes
Posted By: copchaser

Re: 440/HEMI 'The Block' by Bulldog Performance. - 10/23/20 09:05 PM

Ray is correct, I bought a bull dog block. Nothing but issues. I have no internal water leaks, but the rear plugs leak water and the oil pan will not seal at the rear main seal retainer. Lots of extra machining required. Head bolts where only tapped 1/4 inch deep, lots of issues. At the end of the day, stay far away from the Bulldog blocks.
Posted By: AndyF

Re: 440/HEMI 'The Block' by Bulldog Performance. - 10/24/20 02:49 AM

That is too bad. I wonder why people go to all the work of making an aftermarket block and then do a poor job of it. It costs a lot of money to tool up a block so it doesn't make sense to spend all of that money to produce a bad product. Sending bad products out the door doesn't make money for anyone. Everyone loses.
Posted By: Cab_Burge

Re: 440/HEMI 'The Block' by Bulldog Performance. - 10/24/20 06:10 AM

I was told by Dave Koffel several years ago that there was a lot of problems in casting iron blocks, he mentioned black magic art also shock
I had to wait around 2 yrs for my Koleno block and then it had a casting problem on the #4 exhaust lifter bore that Koleno took care with no hassle with me up
You got to be hard headed and willing to wait if you want to build and race Mopar engines whiney shruggy
Posted By: fastmark

Re: 440/HEMI 'The Block' by Bulldog Performance. - 10/24/20 12:18 PM

Originally Posted by Cab_Burge
I was told by Dave Koffel several years ago that there was a lot of problems in casting iron blocks, he mentioned black magic art also shock
I had to wait around 2 yrs for my Koleno block and then it had a casting problem on the #4 exhaust lifter bore that Koleno took care with no hassle with me up
You got to be hard headed and willing to wait if you want to build and race Mopar engines whiney shruggy


If casting iron is so tough, how do the Chevy guys get it done? I don’t think world had that many problems and the first generation of the mopar reproductions were good.
Posted By: Leigh

Re: 440/HEMI 'The Block' by Bulldog Performance. - 10/24/20 04:24 PM

It’s my understanding, that patterns are critical. I wonder what the scrap rate is at Brodix?
Posted By: Clanton

Re: 440/HEMI 'The Block' by Bulldog Performance. - 10/24/20 04:58 PM

Originally Posted by copchaser
Ray is correct, I bought a bull dog block. Nothing but issues. I have no internal water leaks, but the rear plugs leak water and the oil pan will not seal at the rear main seal retainer. Lots of extra machining required. Head bolts where only tapped 1/4 inch deep, lots of issues. At the end of the day, stay far away from the Bulldog blocks.
I got a 1" tap and put it in without hitting the cylinder then cut 3 threads off to go deeper 3 turns and that got the screw in pug sealed on the rear rt plug.[koleno block #33]
Posted By: Rodenteliminator

Re: 440/HEMI 'The Block' by Bulldog Performance. - 10/25/20 10:49 AM

My Bull dog block looks decent, I chased the threads and checked the everything I could with the tools and measuring equipment that I have when I got it and did not find any major issues, now in saying that and knowing what I knew I did not go into this blind I understood the possibility of machining issues I am hard headed if I wanted something easy I would have bought a BB 69 Camaro and looked like the rest of the world !!! I will know more and report back here in a few weeks as this block will be headed to NC for machine work and assembly.
Posted By: sogtx

Re: 440/HEMI 'The Block' by Bulldog Performance. - 10/25/20 01:06 PM

Originally Posted by RBRE
Over the last 4 years I have purchased 16 Bulldog blocks. Every single block had some kind of issue. They could all be corrected and used if you owned a machine shop except the last 5 we received. Many had the cam tunnel too tight, not an easy fix. All were too tight in the main saddles and needed align hone. Some had the main bearing tangs in the wrong locations. A few blocks wouldn’t accept a distributor because the hole was too small. Three blocks wouldn’t accept the oil drive gear and had to be machined longer for the gear. A recent block had a pin hole in a cylinder. All the blocks have an oil pump bolt that goes into the water jacket. We had 4 blocks that had the soft plug holes machined too small. Some blocks had the rear water holes tapped too big and the plugs would never tighten. All the HEMI blocks need to be machined for pushrod clearance. The oil pickups adaptor was a copy of the world block but is on the wrong angle and the adaptor + pickup hit the crank. Many of the blocks need to be lifter bushed because the lifter holes were .002” tapered. Last week we had a new 540 Hemi on the dyno for cam break in. When we removed the valve covers the oil was milky. Removed the intake and pressurized the tower and found 8 pin holes in the lifter gallery. When I called Bradshaw he said stop leak, should fix it and he would call me in the morning. That is not the answer I want to hear and wouldn’t send it out the door like that. After seeing this new problem we pressure tested the 5 new blocks I have and 4 of them all leak water into the lifter oil passage. There is no fix for this. I have called Bradshaw every day for 10 days and he will not even return my calls. If you have a Bulldog block or waiting for one I would check all the things I mentioned.

Ray Barton
'wow
Posted By: Dragula

Re: 440/HEMI 'The Block' by Bulldog Performance. - 10/25/20 01:19 PM

Originally Posted by sogtx
Originally Posted by RBRE
Over the last 4 years I have purchased 16 Bulldog blocks. Every single block had some kind of issue. They could all be corrected and used if you owned a machine shop except the last 5 we received. Many had the cam tunnel too tight, not an easy fix. All were too tight in the main saddles and needed align hone. Some had the main bearing tangs in the wrong locations. A few blocks wouldn’t accept a distributor because the hole was too small. Three blocks wouldn’t accept the oil drive gear and had to be machined longer for the gear. A recent block had a pin hole in a cylinder. All the blocks have an oil pump bolt that goes into the water jacket. We had 4 blocks that had the soft plug holes machined too small. Some blocks had the rear water holes tapped too big and the plugs would never tighten. All the HEMI blocks need to be machined for pushrod clearance. The oil pickups adaptor was a copy of the world block but is on the wrong angle and the adaptor + pickup hit the crank. Many of the blocks need to be lifter bushed because the lifter holes were .002” tapered. Last week we had a new 540 Hemi on the dyno for cam break in. When we removed the valve covers the oil was milky. Removed the intake and pressurized the tower and found 8 pin holes in the lifter gallery. When I called Bradshaw he said stop leak, should fix it and he would call me in the morning. That is not the answer I want to hear and wouldn’t send it out the door like that. After seeing this new problem we pressure tested the 5 new blocks I have and 4 of them all leak water into the lifter oil passage. There is no fix for this. I have called Bradshaw every day for 10 days and he will not even return my calls. If you have a Bulldog block or waiting for one I would check all the things I mentioned.

Ray Barton
'wow


I was getting ready to order one.....ouch. Its like Indy all over again.
Posted By: fastmark

Re: 440/HEMI 'The Block' by Bulldog Performance. - 10/25/20 01:54 PM

Porosity problems can be a killer. I don’t think I would even consider a block with known problems in that area. Thanks to Ray for that testimony.
© 2024 Moparts Forums