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Thread: Bottom end

  1. #1
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    Default Bottom end

    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


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    96 Camaro Z28 Silver Mostly Stock, Full Exhaust
    96 Camaro Z28 Green Big Cam, Quick Performance 9 Inch Rear End, Full Exhuast

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    Default

    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.
    96 Z28 - ERE-383, AFRs, 9", Procharger D1, TermiX, etc.
    95 Roadmaster - T56 swap, H/C, suspension (aka The Cammaster)
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    Default

    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
    Chris
    1985 Monte Carlo SS
    Mods: 9:1 383 LT1, Ported Trick Flow heads, D1SC Procharger, 4L80E, 3.50 9"
    Check out the M122 MCSS build thread here!

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    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?
    '96 z28, 28x9x15 hoosier slicks, weld drag lites, 10 pt cage, pacesetter lth w/ 18" turn down ext, mild cam, msd opti, Jakes perf th350, perf torq conv of tx 3600 stall, b&m ms, k&n cai, 58mm tb/58mm intake, aeromotive fp reg, Ed Quay promod spoiler, nitro daves 150 shot, strange 12 bolt with 4:30 gears and tuned by pcmforless!

  6. #5

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    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.

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    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.
    SOLD - GONE TO A (VERY) GOOD HOME ! - 94 Formula A3+1: 381ci forged stroker - Callies Stealth, Oliver 5.85 billet rods, BME nitrous pistons / CNC LT4 heads / CC solid roller / TH400+GearVendors OD / 4.11 Strange 12-bolt / 300-shot N2O / Spohn Suspension / roll bar / MoTeC M48 Pro engine management system /a few other odds 'n ends.

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    Fred, were those failures @ 600+hp at the flywheel or wheels?
    Chris
    1985 Monte Carlo SS
    Mods: 9:1 383 LT1, Ported Trick Flow heads, D1SC Procharger, 4L80E, 3.50 9"
    Check out the M122 MCSS build thread here!

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    To my knowledge, they were flywheel.
    SOLD - GONE TO A (VERY) GOOD HOME ! - 94 Formula A3+1: 381ci forged stroker - Callies Stealth, Oliver 5.85 billet rods, BME nitrous pistons / CNC LT4 heads / CC solid roller / TH400+GearVendors OD / 4.11 Strange 12-bolt / 300-shot N2O / Spohn Suspension / roll bar / MoTeC M48 Pro engine management system /a few other odds 'n ends.

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    Good knowledge thanks guys


    Silver 96 Z28 SideSwype-DD
    Green 96 Z28 NightMare-Drag car
    96 Camaro Z28 Silver Mostly Stock, Full Exhaust
    96 Camaro Z28 Green Big Cam, Quick Performance 9 Inch Rear End, Full Exhuast

  11. #10
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    Well our hopes are to be past the 600hp mark so we need something stronger that a recon bottom end!!
    '96 z28, 28x9x15 hoosier slicks, weld drag lites, 10 pt cage, pacesetter lth w/ 18" turn down ext, mild cam, msd opti, Jakes perf th350, perf torq conv of tx 3600 stall, b&m ms, k&n cai, 58mm tb/58mm intake, aeromotive fp reg, Ed Quay promod spoiler, nitro daves 150 shot, strange 12 bolt with 4:30 gears and tuned by pcmforless!

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