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So I was on Lloyd Elliot's site just trying to decide when I save up which package I'm goin to go with and I have been meaning to ask this questions what's considers a built bottom end? Just a forged crank, rods, beams, and pistons? Or is there more because I may try and get the le3 package
Silver 96 Z28 SideSwype-DD
Green 96 Z28 NightMare-Drag car
The stock crank and rods (minus the bolts) are pretty stout. I would upgrade the rod bolts for peace of mind or get decent 4340 forged rods. The pistons aren't bad but they have pretty tiny valve reliefs so an aftermarket set is a must with big valves and lots of cam duration.
The biggest weakness of the stock bottom end is the bearing clearances. They're tight from the factory and don't play nice with high RPM needed with big LE3 cams.
While I agree the upgrade of the rod bolts will help strengthen the rods, the upgrade requires reconditioning the big end, which when paired up with the cost of the rod bolts, meets or exceeds the cost for a decent forged I beam. At that point you are going to have to rebalance the crank, so you may as well add the forged pistons. You'll have to ask Lloyd, but unless you are looking for an all out build, many people run his le2 package on stock bottom ends (and higher end FI builds) with great results. I would figure out what your goals are and see what he says. He's great to work with.... @NightTrain66
We too are going with the LE3 package to go on our soon to be built 383 stroker! What forged bottom end should we go with?
The stock rods are stouter than you think, with arp bolts I have seen many spin to the 6500+ mark, A good balance job will make it live.. I dont know how our rods compare to the rods of yester year, but back in the day of the ole small block we finally threw a rod but after spinning the motor to multiple 7800 RPM redlines..this was in a 302 Cubed Z.
The only two documented cases I have seen of stock PM rod failure both occurred at the 600+HP level. GM claimed they are stronger than the "pink" forged rods. But as noted above, recon costs may exceed the cost of new forged rods. I would also consider having the stock crank polished and radiused.
Fred, were those failures @ 600+hp at the flywheel or wheels?
To my knowledge, they were flywheel.
Good knowledge thanks guys
Silver 96 Z28 SideSwype-DD
Green 96 Z28 NightMare-Drag car
Well our hopes are to be past the 600hp mark so we need something stronger that a recon bottom end!!