Reply to "B. Goyaniuk's motor questions"

Bohdan & Ron,

I went searching the 'net this evening regarding the NASCAR block, what I found is that a NOS NASCAR block, never used, sold for $2500 USD 3 years ago. Used versions go for $1000 USD.

If you're paying anything more than that, you're paying too much.

Bohdan, the standard version Australian block is identical to the American block, nothing to be gained by purchasing an identical block for more money. Keep in mind the Aussie block's distributor hole may be non-compatible with American distributors. Another headache to deal with.

If you are being offered a pillow block, or a truck block, something that is being represented as heavier duty than the blocks available in the US, then visually inspect it & ask for a sonic check of the cylinder wall thickness. Keep in mind used versions of the NASCAR block go for $1000 USD. You shouldn't pay any more than that for any used Clevleand block.

I have included a picture below of a NASCAR block on the left & my D2AE-CA block on the right. In the upper right hand corner of the pictures you can see the casting numbers, my block reads D2AE-CA, although hard to read, the other block reads XE 192540. The NASCAR block's bulkheads are the thickness of the bearing saddle all the way up to the top, the other blocks bulkheads are scalloped for reduced weight (hard to see because the oily block is black & shiny). Finally the oil pan rails of the NASCAR block are the thickness of the gasket surface all the way up to the bottom of the cylinders, the other block's oil pan rails are visibly scalloped for reduced weight.

Personally I'll use the inexpensive block in the right picture, blue print it, run a main cap girdle, half fill the water jackets with hard block, prepare the oiling system properly, use a fordged steel crank & good fordged steel rods with dowled caps & 7/16" cap screws, balance the reciprocating assembly & I'll have no worries running it at 500 ft/lbs of torque, 500 bhp, 7200 rpm. I see no reason to stress out over what block I'm using. Too much emphasis has been given to the block's supposed weaknesses. Sure if I could get my hands on a NASCAR block for a fair price I would use it, but I don't feel I "need" it. I've seen plenty of Clevelands run at 7000+ rpm without problems, so my experience puts this issue in a different perspective for me.

George