Girdle?

2quick · Mar 15, 2017

So last year I bought a used/Freshened 446 for a pretty good price of 4500 bucks. My 66 Satellite is coming back from paint in the next couple of weeks so I thought I would start getting the drive train in order. I decided to pull a head and oil pan to inspect things and see what was actually in there. At one point someone installed billet main caps on a factory steel crank w/64 max wedge rods (1.094 ends) along with Wiseco 11.25:1 pistons.

My questions should I be installing a girdle before reassembling? Not really sure how much power this motor will make but I assume it will be over 600hp.. This will also require changing the already installed ARP Fasteners for the main caps. Is it worth the headache?

Engine specs:

446 CID Factory Steel Crank
64 Max Wedge rods, lightend, Balaced, and bushed for full floating pins and spiralocs
Billet Main Caps
Ported Indy -1 Heads 1:5 rockers
Indy 440-2 Intake
Comp Solid roller
- .278/.281 @.050 Dur
- .681 in. / .660 ex. Lift
- 108 LSA
TTI 2"-2 1/8 Stepped headers
F.A.S.T Sportsman fuel injection

1967coronet440 · Mar 15, 2017

I'm building a similar set up except mine is a 505 stroker with fuel injection, my builder recommended a girdle so that's what I'm doing. We're expecting around 700hp

68 HEMI GTS · Mar 15, 2017

You already have aluminum caps, a girdle with your current set up may require some machine work (from looking at it, hard to tell from pics). Run it the way it is and call it a day.

dieseldazzle · Mar 15, 2017

Aluminum caps on a street car?

I just had to make this decision and decided to run steel caps. My engine won't be torn down every season and is street car mostly with a burnout here and there and at the track it probably won't hook hard enough to care anyway. Also running 150 plate.

But if my motor was already together like yours is id just run the damn thing.

2quick · Mar 15, 2017

dieseldazzle said:
Aluminum caps on a street car?

I just had to make this decision and decided to run steel caps. My engine won't be torn down every season and is street car mostly with a burnout here and there and at the track it probably won't hook hard enough to care anyway. Also running 150 plate.

But if my motor was already together like yours is id just run the damn thing.

Like I said bought it used and didn't even know it had aluminum caps. Didn't think it was a bad thing! Just making sure I'm not leaving something on the table for a few hundred bucks, call it cheap insurance, but like 68 Hemi said maybe need some machine work to do that and don't want to get into that.

I will be racing this car..

PurpleBeeper · Mar 15, 2017

Well, if you change the main cap bolts/studs you'll need to align hone the block again. It won't be "expensive", but you'll have to take the motor apart down to the block & put it back together. Tough call....

2quick · Mar 15, 2017

What were the center threaded holes in the caps for?

68 HEMI GTS · Mar 15, 2017

2quick said:
What were the center threaded holes in the caps for?

For a slide hammer to pull the caps

68 HEMI GTS · Mar 15, 2017

if I was going to change anything on that motor it would be the rods. And it's pretty easy to throw out suggestions from a keyboard whet it's not affecting anyones wallet but yours.. lol.

That's a pretty stout upper end and would surly support a bigger motor in the future. Run it as is for now and have some fun. I would limit the rpm's to a reasonable level though, with that upper end it's gonna want to rev higher than I would take them 53 year old rods.

Roughbird72 · Mar 15, 2017

My question is, does a main girdle prevent the main webbing from breaking?

68 HEMI GTS · Mar 15, 2017

Roughbird72 said:
My question is, does a main girdle prevent the main webbing from breaking?

It'll tie everything together and help prevent cap walk as well as support the block. It's a bandaid though, the factory blocks can only handle so much. His stock stroke 440 will be fine with the alum caps, they Take a lot of the shock off the lower end.

Hemiwes · Mar 15, 2017

My engine builder and I decided not to run a stud girdle on my 493 build. Had to ditch the windage tray as well due to fittament issues. BUT I'm not racing it and it's only driven on the street with short burst of full throttle. I would just run it the way it is and do it later if you decide to rebuild it.

dvw · Mar 15, 2017

I broke one block at about 700hp with aluminum caps. Good fuel, minimum timing, relelitively low rpm (6900). Pulled the front two main cap right out in one piece, still bolted to the crank. The pieces spun perfect on the crank. Broke the crank in half right at the front of the #3 main. Except for #3 thrust damage all the other bearings were perfect. If the block is going to break nothing is going to stop it. The rods might be a little scary thoug.
Doug

fbs63 · Mar 15, 2017

dvw said:
I broke one block at about 700hp with aluminum caps. Good fuel, minimum timing, relelitively low rpm (6900). Pulled the front two main cap right out in one piece, still bolted to the crank. The pieces spun perfect on the crank. Broke the crank in half right at the front of the #3 main. Except for #3 thrust damage all the other bearings were perfect. If the block is going to break nothing is going to stop it. The rods might be a little scary thoug.
Doug

I would change the rods for sure!

NOSTRT980 · Mar 15, 2017

are they max wedge port - 1 indy heads?

2quick · Mar 15, 2017

NOSTRT980 said:
are they max wedge port - 1 indy heads?

Yep

2quick · Mar 15, 2017

fbs63 said:
I would change the rods for sure!

This motor has been together and running for more than a few years in a 68 RR. The only reason it was Freshened up and everything checked was the valves needed attention. As far as the rods go have you any experience with these particular rods? Swapping out rods is not in the budget at this time for sure. They are not Standard LY's

67 coronet · Mar 15, 2017

like others have said,run it and see.just limit the rpm's to an ok #.budgets being what they are, why worry now.you said it was a used motor,so do you have access to his shift points and such?

66Satellite47 · Mar 15, 2017

The builder of my new motor told me the block webbing was still the weak link. I agree with the others, run it but keep the RPM down. JMO

2quick · Mar 15, 2017

67 coronet said:
like others have said,run it and see.just limit the rpm's to an ok #.budgets being what they are, why worry now.you said it was a used motor,so do you have access to his shift points and such?

Previous owner said he didn't race it. He supposedly just messed around with it on the streets of staten Island. Whatever information I did get from him was wrong anyway. Not that I found anything bad in there just different than what he told me.

Does anyone know how Max Wedge rods compare to LY or Six pack rods?

Girdle?

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