Originally Posted by Dahlton
So now I'm starting to think things over.
I think that I'll sell the carbs and buy a birdcatcher.
then sell the eagle crank and rods
and buy a callies magnum crank and oliver billet rods
and last but not least use e85 fuel
now two questions. if I swap from the 4.5 stroke to 4.25 stroke and want to use the JE pistons I have I need a rod that is 0.25 longer then the rod that I would use with the 4.5 stroke crank RIGHT? now I have a 6.535 rod so the new would have to be 6.785, and because oliver do not have a "shelf" rod in tha messure the next would be 6.800 that should not be a problem if the block is 10.200 and not 10.180 like it sayes in the JE catalog. they also have a shorter rod 6.735 would that be better?
Second how much HP can a Dart big M block handle with the ductile caps? (no billet).
Little late to be making those kinds of changes now.
If you already have the pistons/rods/crank... Either sell what you don't need and buy what you do, or live with the combo you picked out.
I wouldn't try and 1/2 ass it myself. If your 4.5" arm is new, more than likely they'll let you trade it in for a new 4.25 for just the cost of shipping.
If it's a tall deck (I didn't re-read the entire thread), your best rod for ring pack and rod length will be a 6.7" rod.
If the pistons are 'shelf' pistons and not customs, you may be able to swap them out too.
Don't know anyone running E85, nor have I ever messed with it. So if you go that route, you better have a competent tuner handy.
Main caps are more sensitive to RPM than power. I'm throwing 1600 HP at my GM Bowtie block nodular caps and the mains look brand new. Plans (if it doesnt sell first) are to go to upwards of 2200.