building first BBC - advice please
 

I'm building a 496 BBC and am starting with a 4 bolt 1973 454 block. I have selected (but not bought yet) an Eagle forged stroker rotating assembly with H-beam rods and SRP domed pistons that will give me 10.5:1 with my aluminum Edelbrock RPM heads. I have a Victor JR 454-O intake that is port matched with the heads and a 750dp carb.
My questions to the masses are:
-What power level is the factory main caps/bolts good to? Do I need main studs? (target is around 650hp)
-I have looked at a Comp Cam solid roller cam with 252/260 duration at .050 with manageable .600 lift. Does this look like a decent cam to make around 650hp on 92 octane? This is a 90% street car with a 3200-3600 stall converter and correct gearing hence the pump gas criteria.
-Anybody built a similiar combo with some advice on selections?
I am putting this engine in a 68 camaro with a built th400 and ford 9". This is my first big block after a slew of nitrous small blocks. I hope to run 11's in full sleeper (heavy) street trim. I look forward to your responses and say thanks in advance.

First off r8ceredy welcome to the RJ forum.I am sure you'll get some feedback here on your combination.
Sounds like you are going to have a real nice engine,there for I'd say your alright with the stock bolts in the caps,with that HP level,but thats my opinion.

Then BBC will take a decent amount of HP,I'd say in the neighborhood of 700 to 750 hp then I'd stud the bottom end.

Just make sure your clearances up up to snuff for this combination to live,and a good oiling system,don't cheap out on the oil pump,

Make sure the crank rods and pistons are balanced and get a good machinest to mic up the crank and rods to ensure it is within tolerances,this is a big thing when using Eagle brand parts,things I have found,is their clearances are on the tight side.And you don't want that.

Who's next?
Thanks for stopping by

Tom

Tom's right about Eagle, i've been in their shop (my second home is only 40 miles away.). I donot for the life of me understand why they grind their cranks -.0005 -.001 when it's absolutely necessary to have .002/.003 clearances. But i always buy clevite H 1's which give me .001 extra clearance.

JMO .02

Zip.

For your first BB Chevy Street engine it looks like you have done some homework. Looks like a pretty good streetable combination. Should be lots of fun enjoying Big Block Torque.

Ed

Zip

Correction its the X bearings that give you Xtra clearance,not the H-1,them bearings are the .001 tighter bearings

H-1 .001 tighter
Std Standard
H-X .001 more clearance

Then of coarse you got the mix and match to achive alot more tolerances,within .0005
Thats 5 tenths, not thousands

I would say you will be safe with the 4 bolt block, but upgrading to studs will make it much stronger. Just make sure you have the line bore checked if you do go with studs. The extra clamping force the studs provide sometimes distort the bearing bores so get it line honed to be on the safe side. Make sure you check your rod to pan rail clearances. Sometimes they clear sometimes they dont. I'm building a similar bbc 496 except I am going with more compression ( 13 to 1) and a big lunati solid roller and mine is a 2 bolt but I have studs and a stud guirdle, what I did was after I got my block bored I installed 2 pistons at a time on the crank throws and rotated it alway around and checked clearances and then you can take you block back and have it vatted if you had to do any grinding and then have your cam bearings installed.
Goodluck and welcome to the forum, Charles

Sorry you are right,right,right, i had my head up my butt on that post,

.ooo thousands, .0000, tenths,
I've been a machinest for almost 50 yrs. and the hx's are the extra clearances, DUH, me STUPID-O
Hey Tom i'll bet it won't happen again, because there's too many sharpies out there to catch me HeHe.

Zip. :oops:

We all get confused Zip it comes with age,I right behind you

But you are correct in the clearances tho,a good .002 to .003 for the clearances,

I been doing this game (machinest-engine builder) 30 years or better,I'd like to know what you've forgot :P

One thing tho,we are all gearheads,live sleep and eat

HeHe, can't help you my friend, i forgot what i forgot. :lol:

Zip.

age--what about the carb!!--the wheels too wide---I'M TIRED OR OLD OR-----------------------------------