what do you guys think!?(long)

[DemonGT]

hey..if some of you remember i talked about geting a keith craft 331 short block..but i went to a car show the other day with my dad and there was a engine shop there and me and my dad talked to the guys and they do engine work..strokers,boring that kind of stuff..and it turns out they know my dads cousin who is a mechanic where there based!! there super nice...so now that i found a engine place im thinken of now just buying a 331 kit and useing my stock block...it has 91K on it..will it hold up to a 331 kit and mabe a A-trim im the future some time??

also..if i get the 331 kit and have it put in..will my engine still run ok with the stock heads,maf,tb,intake,cam...and yes i do plan on changing ALL these things...i just figure get the 331 kit installed and then use that as a base to work on..then slowly upgrade other parts?? what do you guys think..and besides balancing what all has to be done to it..and how much do you think it might cost to have them put the stroker kit in and do what they have to do???

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'91 GT,91K,T-5,air silencer removed,racing clutch(previous owner put in so dont know what kind),K&N air filter,Aiwa deck,power acoustic amp,2 12" pianeers,UPDATE: Just got my Mac long tube headers and Cat-back

Future Mods:3.73's,Pro 5.0,Shifter knob,FMS 9mm wires

[84_GT350]

I think you may wanna consider investing an extra $300 and getting a brand new hyd. roller block from Summit. I'm sure your block would be able to take a 331 kit...but I dunno about a blown 331 on a 91K mile block. If you do use the same block, have it hot tanked, bored and honed with torque plates, magnafluxed, decked, and clearenced. Just get the kit balanced and you should be ok.

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1984 1/2 GT350 (#842 Hatchback w/ T-tops), 302HO, Comp cams Xtreme Energy cam, Carter 625cfm carb, Weiand Stealth intake, MSD distributor, MSD coil, FMS 9mm wires, 1 5/8" MAC unequal shorties, 2 1/2" MAC Prochamber H-pipe, Flowmaster 2 chambers, KYBs, 16"x8" 4 lug Cobra Rs, Falken 245/45ZR16s

[86GT]

If you're getting all new crank, rods, pistons, etc. then why not use your stock block? It's gonna get bored/honed anyway, and it'll survive as long as you use good components, bolts, etc. Invest in a main stud girdle, and I think you'd be good for a lot of power. Unless you're going to make it a pure race car, I'd say the stock block is fine.

[DemonGT]

if i get a new block from summit for $300 what all has to be done to it to prep it for the 331 kit?

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'91 GT,91K,T-5,air silencer removed,racing clutch(previous owner put in so dont know what kind),K&N air filter,Aiwa deck,power acoustic amp,2 12" pianeers,UPDATE: Just got my Mac long tube headers and Cat-back and my H pipe is on its way

Future Mods:3.73's,Pro 5.0,Shifter knob,FMS 9mm wires

[DemonGT]

also..if i get a fresh block should i get a main stud girdle? where should i get the girdle if so?

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'91 GT,91K,T-5,air silencer removed,racing clutch(previous owner put in so dont know what kind),K&N air filter,Aiwa deck,power acoustic amp,2 12" pianeers,UPDATE: Just got my Mac long tube headers and Cat-back and my H pipe is on its way

Future Mods:3.73's,Pro 5.0,Shifter knob,FMS 9mm wires

[MiracleMax]

Why get a fresh block? Have you run insane amounts of nitrous through your old engine? Have you went out of your way to create a knock/detonation situation? Run sand through the intake?

If a 331 uses a .030 over piston then I would consider keeping the old block. It would be better anyway to tear the engine down and have the block checked out and see wahts going on before you order your kit.

One of the benefits of a used block, is the thermal cycling it has gone through. A new block has not been subjected to the this heat cycling so it still isn't as dimensionally stable as your old block. Where this really counts is when you take the time to "blueprint" the engine. All that money and time will be wasted if things like the lifter bores travel a bit off from the "blueprint" specification, or a bore jacks out of round causing some loss in cylinder sealing, etc. This thermal cycling could have also orientated the block material's grain structure making it a wee bit stronger too, but I have never heard this put forth as solid?

[DemonGT]

what exactly is "blueprinting"?

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'91 GT,91K,T-5,air silencer removed,racing clutch(previous owner put in so dont know what kind),K&N air filter,Aiwa deck,power acoustic amp,2 12" pianeers,UPDATE: Just got my Mac long tube headers and Cat-back and my H pipe is on its way

Future Mods:3.73's,Pro 5.0,Shifter knob,FMS 9mm wires

[Nicks5.0]

blueprinting is going through the motor and checking and double-checking all the tolerances and specifications, making sure every measurement is correct down to the thousandths, or even further in some cases. i dont see any reason you need a new block if the old one has been well maintained. i tore mine apart at 109k for a rear main seal leak, and everything looked factory fresh. im talking could still see the factory hone, zero knicks or scratches anywhere. with the minimal amount of mods your motor has seen, its my opinion a new block would be money best spent otherwise. MM also brought up a good point about the thermal cycling. just my two cents, hope it helps you out, nick

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1990lx coupe, 302, gt40p heads, wolv 1087 cam, 1.7rr's, 65mm tb, 75mm maf, comp box on top of cobra lower, anderson ford pms, full exhaust, drag type susp. and 3.55's. traps 105mph

[DemonGT]

ok guys...say i get a 331 kit from FPS or CCM, what exactly do i do with it haha?? just strip my motor down to the block and take the block and stroker kit to the engine shop and say.."hey..install this stroker for me and balance it"??? also..after i have installed the 331 will my engine still run ok with the stock heads,cam,intake,maf,tb??(id be upgrading these parts as soon as i could..meaning when money became availible for each)

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'91 GT,91K,T-5,air silencer removed,racing clutch(previous owner put in so dont know what kind),K&N air filter,Aiwa deck,power acoustic amp,2 12" pianeers,UPDATE: Just got my Mac long tube headers and Cat-back and my H pipe is on its way

Future Mods:3.73's,Pro 5.0,Shifter knob,FMS 9mm wires

[DemonGT]

ttt

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'91 GT,91K,T-5,air silencer removed,racing clutch(previous owner put in so dont know what kind),K&N air filter,Aiwa deck,power acoustic amp,2 12" pianeers,UPDATE: Just got my Mac long tube headers and Cat-back and my H pipe is on its way

Future Mods:3.73's,Pro 5.0,Shifter knob,FMS 9mm wires