Used 406 small block

[kornball426]

Depending on cam you are going to need a brass gear on the dizzy.

Solid flat tappet... Considering putting a hydraulic roller retrofit cam in it. Being that it's not a roller cam I'd assume it's not a hardened billet cam and a standard iron distributor drive gear should be fine, or am I wrong?

 

[500/600]

Had 12 point heads on the bottom end studs which I didn't anticipate and it was about an hour away so I didn't want to make a return trip. Although that is a good idea. The oil that was in it was dirty but there was no visible sign of metal particles in the oil so I'm keeping my fingers crossed the bearings are fine. It all looks very clean and new inside.

Keeping your fingers crossed isn’t much of a plan..............

 

[565bbchevy]

Also this i really don't know, I think it's a 6 inch rod build... Do they live relatively long? Those ring support things that protrude into the wrist pin hole makes me a little nervous, but a ton of guys are running strokers like that, so it must be fine... I personally would have built it with 5.7 inch rods to keep solid ring lands all around the piston, but you can't always get what you want.

My first 496 BBC I built was with a 4.25" stroke crank and stock length rods (6.135") and while it ran well when I eventually tore it down there was a lot of wear on the thrust side of the cylinder walls so after that I started building my BBC's with long rods that solved the wear issue but I had to use a support rail for the oil ring which has never been an issue for me or anyone else I know that runs them plus the longer rod gives you a better rod ratio and typically a lighter piston and mine are also all internally balanced.

 

[565bbchevy]

Had 12 point heads on the bottom end studs which I didn't anticipate and it was about an hour away so I didn't want to make a return trip. Although that is a good idea. The oil that was in it was dirty but there was no visible sign of metal particles in the oil so I'm keeping my fingers crossed the bearings are fine. It all looks very clean and new inside.

I would tear it down and clean and inspect everything along with adding new bearings and gaskets and stepping up to a roller cam IMO is always a good idea.
It sounds like a heathy SBC it would be a shame to have an issue or failure that could have been caught a head of time by going through it.
Plus you can verify exactly what parts you have internally.

 

[kornball426]

My first 496 BBC I built was with a 4.25" stroke crank and stock length rods (6.135") and while it ran well when I eventually tore it down there was a lot of wear on the thrust side of the cylinder walls so after that I started building my BBC's with long rods that solved the wear issue but I had to use a support rail for the oil ring which has never been an issue for me or anyone else I know that runs them plus the longer rod gives you a better rod ratio and typically a lighter piston and mine are also all internally balanced.

I guess being just the oil ring it's not under nearly the same strain as the upper rings.

I've never built a stroker motor so I don't really know what those support rails really look like, the idea of it being a separate piece just makes me nervous. I guess it's okay for a street engine though since you're doing it and plenty of other people are as well. It just sounds like exotic racing stuff, which is cool... But doesn't necessarily work well for a street car.

 

[565bbchevy]

I've never built a stroker motor so I don't really know what those support rails really look like, the idea of it being a separate piece just makes me nervous. I guess it's okay for a street engine though since you're doing it and plenty of other people are as well. It just sounds like exotic racing stuff, which is cool... But doesn't necessarily work well for a street car.

My engines are driven on the street, it is not a "race" thing it is just what is required when running a longer rod with a higher piston compression height.
The oil ring support is supported by the piston just like the rings, it is only needed where it crosses over the pin area

 

[kornball426]

I would tear it down and clean and inspect everything along with adding new bearings and gaskets and stepping up to a roller cam IMO is always a good idea.
It sounds like a heathy SBC it would be a shame to have an issue or failure that could have been caught a head of time by going through it.
Plus you can verify exactly what parts you have internally.

I would tear it down and clean and inspect everything along with adding new bearings and gaskets and stepping up to a roller cam IMO is always a good idea.
It sounds like a heathy SBC it would be a shame to have an issue or failure that could have been caught a head of time by going through it.
Plus you can verify exactly what parts you have internally.

There's so many benefits to running a roller cam I definitely think it's worth it. Not to mention I'm lazy and I don't want to have to adjust my valves regularly, the solid lifter cam has gotta go. It's not the end of the world having to add zinc additive for flat tappet cams but if I don't have to I'd prefer to go that way.

I'll pop the main caps off and look at the bearings at the least. I looked in the bores with a bore scope, the tops of the pistons are clean and the cylinder walls still have very fresh looking crosshatch from being honed.

 

[565bbchevy]

There's so many benefits to running a roller cam I definitely think it's worth it

In my BBC's I always run solid rollers but I bought a mild Howards hydraulic roller for my 355 SBC in my Regal and it works really well and only requires a melonized gear for the distributor and the set up was quite affordable

 

[kornball426]

In my BBC's I always run solid rollers but I bought a mild Howards hydraulic roller for my 355 SBC in my Regal and it works really well and only requires a melonized gear for the distributor and the set up was quite affordable

I'll probably run the solid cam for a bit then decide if I feel like spending the money. I don't know if I'll have to replace the valve springs too. I know other than obviously the cam and lifters themselves the pushrods would have to be replaced with shorter ones, and probably the timing chain cover. I know I find the roller cam extremely appealing just from a reliability and easy maintenance standpoint.

 

[565bbchevy]

I'll probably run the solid cam for a bit then decide if I feel like spending the money. I don't know if I'll have to replace the valve springs too. I know other than obviously the cam and lifters themselves the pushrods would have to be replaced with shorter ones, and probably the timing chain cover. I know I find the roller cam extremely appealing just from a reliability and easy maintenance standpoint.

Plus "break in" is a breeze.