Summit Racing 383 Stroker Pt. 1

(ANNOUNCER)>> TODAY ON HORSEPOWER, THE RIGHT WAY TO BLUE PRINT AND BUILD A CHEVY STROKER SMALL BLOCK. WITH COST EFFECTIVE PART SELECTION, DETAILS OF PROFESSIONAL BLOCK PREP, AND SPECIAL TECH TIPS FOR ASSEMBLY. IT'LL BE THE ULTIMATE 383 STROKER, AND IT COULD BE YOURS.

(JOE)>> IF YOU OWN ONE OF THE 90 MILLION SMALL BLOCK CHEVYS GM BUILT DURING A PERIOD OF SIX DECADES, YOU BETTER LISTEN UP.

WE'RE GONNA SHOW YOU HOW IT'S ACTUALLY POSSIBLE TO BUILD A NEW 383 STROKER IN LESS TIME, BETTER AND CHEAPER THAN YOU COULD BUILD USING THE OLD ENGINE YOU HAVE.

(MIKE)>> SO HOW'S THAT POSSIBLE? FIRST BY ELIMINATING ALL THE MACHINE SHOP COST AND TIME BY NOT REUSING ANY OF YOUR OLD PARTS. NOW IT'S A COMBINATION FROM SUMMIT RACING THAT ALL STARTS WITH THIS FULLY MACHINED MAIL ORDER BLOCK WITH FEATURES LIKE A HIGHER NICKEL CONTENT THAT MAKES IT STRONGER. PLUS IT'S A LATE MODEL ROLLER BLOCK WITH A ONE PIECE REAR MAIN SEAL. IT'S GOT THE ALL IMPORTANT FOUR BOLT MAINS AND IT'S ALREADY NOTCHED FOR A STROKER CRANK. THE COSTS, $650 BUCKS.

(JOHN)>> NOW THINK ABOUT IT, TO TRY TO REUSED YOUR OLD BLOCK THERE'S ALL THAT TIME AND WORK IN DISASSEMBLY. REMOVING THOSE OLD PARTS THAT NEED TO BE CLEANED, INSPECTED, AND MACHINED AT A PROFESSIONAL SHOP, AND THEN

YOU GET INTO THE COSTS. TEAR DOWN WILL BE ABOUT $150 DOLLARS AND YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO PAY THAT UP FRONT. TO BAKE, SHOT PEEN, AND MAGNAFLUX, THAT'S ANOTHER $50 DOLLARS. FITTING FOUR BOLT MAIN CAPS, $350 DOLLARS, PLUS AT LEAST $100 DOLLARS FOR THE MAIN CAPS. BORING AND PLATE HONING ANOTHER $150 BUCKS. DECKING THE BLOCK, THAT'S $75 DOLLARS.

THEN THERE'S CLEARANCES FOR THE STROKE, AT LEAST ONE HOUR OF SHOP TIME AT $65 DOLLARS. INSTALLING CAM BEARINGS, FREEZE PLUGS, AND PIPE PLUGS, $75 DOLLARS. THE COSTS WILL VARY OF COURSE BUT THAT'S

RIGHT AT $1,015 DOLLARS. NOW THAT'S $365 DOLLARS MORE THAN OUR MAIL ORDER BLOCK. AND JUST LIKE THE BLOCK, YOU WON'T BE MAKING ANY TRIPS TO THE MACHINE SHOP WITH YOUR ROTATING ASSEMBLY. WE ACTUALLY PICKED UP ALL THESE NEW PARTS FROM SUMMIT RACING DOT COM FOR LESS MONEY THAN IT WOULD COST TO MACHINE YOUR OLD STOCK PARTS. NOW THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH CLEANING AND STARTING YOUR BUILD FROM HERE, BUT THERE ARE A FEW INEXPENSIVE TRICKS THAT WILL HELP OUT THE LONGEVITY OF YOUR BLOCK AND PARTS. NOW ALL YOU'RE GONNA NEED IS SOME THREAD CHASERS, CARBIDE BURRS, CHAMFERING TOOL, AND SOME CARTRIDGE ROLLS. CHASING THE BOLT HOLES WILL MAKE SURE THERE'S NO TRASH IN THE THREADS, AND IT'LL HELP INSURE

A GOOD BOLT TORQUE. THEN JUST USE SOME COMPRESSED AIR TO BLOW THE HOLES OUT. REMOVE ANY CASTING FLASH WHICH CAN LEAD TO STRESSED RISERS AND CRACKS. USE A CARBIDE BIT TO DEBURR THE ENTIRE BLOCK. SINCE WE'RE BUILDING THIS SHORT BLOCK TO HANDLE UP TO 500 HORSEPOWER, WE'LL BE USING A HIGH VOLUME OIL PUMP FOR IMPROVED OILING. FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS THOUGH IS TO OPEN UP THE REAR MAIN FEED HOLE TO ACCOMMODATE THAT EXTRA OIL FLOW. FIRST, USING A CARBIDE BURR, THEN SMOOTHING IT OUT WITH A CARTRIDGE ROLL. SINCE THIS WILL MOVE MORE OIL TO THE TOP OF THE ENGINE, WE'RE GONNA OPEN UP THE FOUR OIL RETURN HOLES IN THE LIFTER VALLEY TO GET IT BACK TO THE PAN QUICKER. NOW THIS IS CRITICAL ON A STREET ENGINE SO YOU DON'T SUCK THE PAN DRY AND STARVE YOUR BEARINGS. TO GET RID OF ANY ROUGH EDGES IN THE WATER PORTS WE'RE GONNA SMOOTH THEM OUT, WHICH WILL HELP

WITH COOLANT FLOW. NOW HERE'S ANOTHER BLUE PRINTING TIP. WHEN THE PISTON IS AT BOTTOM DEAD CENTER, IT ACTUALLY STICKS OUT OF THE CYLINDER BORE JUST A LITTLE BIT. TO AVOID SCORING THE SKIRTS I'M GONNA CAREFULLY BEVEL THE ROUGH EDGES ON BOTH SIDES WITH A CARTRIDGE ROLL WHERE THE SKITS CAN CONTACT THE BOTTOM OF THE BORE. TO INSURE ALL OF THE DEBRIS IS OUT OF THE OIL GALLEY WE'LL REMOVE THE SCREW IN PLUGS IN THE BACK SO WE CAN TAP OUT THE PRESSED IN PLUGS AT THE FRONT. THEN USING THE BRUSH KIT FROM MISTER GASKET WE CAN SCRUB THE GALLEYS TO MAKE SURE THE DEBRIS IS LOOSE BEFORE WE CLEAN THE BLOCK. AND FOR THAT DISH WASHING SOAP AND WATER ARE ALL YOU NEED. BLOW IT DRY WITH COMPRESSED AIR.

THEN TREAT THE MACHINE SURFACES WITH SOME WD 40 USING A LOW LINT SCOTT TOWEL. NOW DON'T FORGET TO REINSTALL THE SCREW IN

GALLEY PLUGS AND REPLACE THE PRESS FIT PLUGS. NOW USING SOME OLD TINS AND CARDBOARD WE CAN PAINT THE BLOCK WITH HIGH HEAT CHEVY ORANGE, AND THIS PAINT'S GOOD FOR UP TO 500 DEGREES.

(JOE)>> THE 383 STROKER IS A POPULAR COMBINATION GOING BACK TO THE '70'S. THAT'S WHEN GUYS WOULD TAKE A 400 SMALL BLOCK CRANK SHAFT, PUT IT IN THEIR 350 BLOCK, AND INCREASE THE STROKE A LITTLE OVER A QUARTER INCH. THAT COMBINED WITH THE 30 OVER BORE IS WHERE YOU GET THE EXTRA 33 CUBIC INCHES ALONG WITH A LOT MORE TORQUE.

(MIKE)>> TODAY WE CAN DO THE SAME THING WITH NEW AND MUCH

STRONGER PARTS FOR ABOUT $200 DOLLARS LESS. NOW IT ALL STARTS BY USING THE EAGLE CAST STEEL CRANK THAT CAN SUPPORT 500 HORSEPOWER AND 7,000 RPM. THE RODS ALSO CAME FROM EAGLE AND THEY'RE A FORGED STEEL IBEAM DESIGN SETUP FOR A FULL FLOATING PIN AND THREEEIGHTHS CAP SCREW BOLTS. NOW THESE THINGS HAVE BEEN SHOT PEENED FOR STRESS

RELIEF, WHICH MAKES THEM UP TO 50 PERCENT STRONGER THAN THE STOCK ONES. THESE FORGED FLAT TOP PISTONS FROM MAHLE ARE WAY STRONGER THAN STOCK TOO. NOW THEY'VE GOT A COATING AROUND THE ENTIRE PISTON TO HELP PROTECT THEM DURING FIRE UP AS WELL AS AN

ADDITIONAL COATING ON THE SKIRTS TO HELP PREVENT THEM FROM SCUFFING DURING HIGH RPMS. THEY'RE ADVERTISED TO GIVE US A 10 TO ONE COMPRESSION RATIO USING A CYLINDER HEAD WITH A 64cc COMBUSTION CHAMBER. NOW THIS WHOLE ROTATING ASSEMBLY WAS NEUTRALLY BALANCED SO IT CAN BE USED WITH EITHER A MANUAL OR AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION.

(JOE)>> THE NEXT STEPS ARE IMPORTANT

FOR ANY ENGINE BUILD. WE KNOW A LOT OF GUYS GET EXCITED AND WANT TO START BOLTING THINGS TOGETHER NOW, BUT IT'S CRITICAL THAT YOU

FIRST CHECK YOUR ROD AND MAIN BEARING CLEARANCES AS WELL AS THE THRUST DIMENSIONS FOR

THE CRANK AND CAM. SINCE EVERY ENGINE USES PARTS FROM DIFFERENT MANUFACTURERS THIS IS REALLY A MUST.

(JOHN)>> NOW TO DO THAT WE'RE GONNA NEED JUST A COUPLE OF BASIC ENGINE BUILDING TOOLS, LIKE A DIAL BORE GAUGE, A SET OF MICROMETERS, A CALCULATOR,

AN ENGINE BLUE PRINTING SHEET YOU CAN PRINT RIGHT OFF OF OUR WEBSITE. NOW IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE PARTS AND TOOLS BE AT THE SAME ROOM TEMPERATURES. THE FIRST STEP IS TO MIKE THE CRANK SHAFT MAIN JOURNAL OUTSIDE DIAMETER. THEN INSTALL THE BEARINGS DRY AND TORQUE THEM DOWN TO SPEC.

NOW YOU CAN STABILIZE THE MICROMETER AND SET YOUR DIAL BORE GAUGES TO ZERO. PUT THE GAUGE INSIDE THE MAIN BEARING AND THE READING

WILL TELL YOU YOUR CLEARANCE. TWO AND A HALF THOUSANDTHS, WELL THAT'S PERFECT. NOW IF IT'S A LITTLE TOO TIGHT, LESS THAN TWO THOUSANDTHS, WE'D ACTUALLY TAKE THE CRANK SHAFT TO THE MACHINE SHOP AND HAVE THEM POLISH THE JOURNALS FOR A LITTLE BIT. NOW IF IT'S A LITTLE TOO LOOSE, YOU CAN ACTUALLY GET A SPECIAL SET OF OVERSIZED BEARINGS TO HELP YOU BRING IT RIGHT IN SPEC. ROD BEARING CLEARANCES ARE CHECKED THE EXACT SAME WAY. SINCE OUR BEARINGS ARE WHERE WE WANT THEM, WE CAN TAKE THEM ALL BACK OUT AND NUMBER THEM WITH A SHARPIE MARKER. THIS WILL INSURE THAT THEY GO BACK WHERE THEY WERE CHECKED AT. ALSO LIKE TO GET RID OF THE GAUGE MARKS BY WIPING THEM LIGHTLY WITH NEW GRAY SCOTCH BRITE. WHILE I'M HERE, I ALSO LIKE TO HAND WASH THE NEW PISTONS AND RODS IN CLEAN SOLVENT JUST TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE SMOOTH AND CLEAN.

NOW IF YOU DON'T HAVE A PARTS WASHER, YOU CAN ALWAYS

USE YOUR KITCHEN SINK AND SOME SOAPY WATER, JUST DON'T LET YOUR WIFE CATCH YOU. AFTER THEY'RE ALL CLEAN AND DRY, WE'RE READY TO HANG

THEM ON THE RODS, WHICH HAVE A BUSHING FOR FULL FLOATING PINS. FIRST INSTALL A LOCK ON ONE SIDE THE PISTON. AND WITH LUBE IN THE PISTON AND ON THE PIN, INSTALL THE ROD TO THE PISTON. SET THEM IN PLACE WITH THE LOCKS ON THE OTHER SIDE. NOW THE PRINCIPLE ADVANTAGE OF A FULL FLOATING PIN IS

THAT IF ONE WEAR SURFACE WAS THE GAUL OR SEIZE, WELL THERE WOULD STILL BE AN OPERATING PIVOT POINT FOR THE PISTON OR THE ROD TO MOVE ON. NOW I LIKE TO INSTALL THE CAM SHAFT NEXT. YOU'VE GOT A LOT MORE ROOM TO HELP GUIDE IT IN, AND IT'LL KEEP YOU FROM BEATING UP ALL YOUR BEARINGS. WE'RE USING A COMP CAMS HYDRAULIC STREET ROLLER WITH AN OPERATING RANGE OF 2,500 TO 6,000 RPMS. IT'S GOT A 550 THOUSANDTHS INCH LIFT WITH 230 DEGREES OF DURATION AT 50 THOUSANDTHS ON A 110 LOBE SEPARATION ANGLE. NOW THIS IS KNOWN AS WHAT'S CALLED A SINGLE PATTERN CAM SHAFT.

(JOE)>> YOU ALL KNOW AN ENGINE IS BASICALLY A BIG AIR PUMP. MORE LIFT LETS IN MORE AIR AND FUEL BY OPENING THE VALVE FURTHER OFF ITS SEAT. ADDING DURATION HOLDS THE VALVE OPEN LONGER TO CREATE A DENSER AIR AND FUEL CHARGE, SO MORE POWER.

(JOHN)>> NEXT WE'RE GONNA CHECK OUR CRANK SHAFT END PLAY BY FIRST LUBING UP THE BEARINGS. THEN DROPPING IN OUR CRANK SHAFT, THE MAIN CAPS, TORQUING THEM DOWN TO SPECS.

NEXT PUT THE DIAL INDICATOR UP FRONT. THEN USING A CLEAN SCREW DRIVER ROCK THE CRANK BACKWARDS AND FORTH AND TAKE THE INITIAL READING, WHICH IS RIGHT AT THREE THOUSANDTHS. BUT WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IS BETWEEN SIX AND EIGHT THOUSANDTHS CLEARANCE. NOW WITH THE ADDED PRESSURE OF A CLUTCH FROM A MANUAL

TRANSMISSION, IT'S NOT A BAD IDEA TO GO AHEAD AND ADD A COUPLE THOUSANDTHS CLEARANCE TO THAT. NOW IT'S NOT UNCOMMON AT ALL WITH A NEW CRANK SHAFT TO BE A LITTLE ON THE TIGHT SIDE LIKE WE ARE. NOW DON'T FREAK OUT, ALL YOU'VE GOT TO DO IS TOUCH UP YOUR THRUST BEARING. NOW TO DO THIS ALL WE'RE GONNA NEED IS A CHEAP PIECE OF GLASS FOR A PERFECTLY FLAT SURFACE TO WORK WITH, SOME 1,000 GRIT WET OR DRY SAND PAPER, AND SOME GOOD OLE WD 40. SLOWLY WORK THE TWO BEARING HALVES IN A FIGURE EIGHT MOTION TO TAKE JUST A LITTLE MATERIAL OFF

THE BEARING SURFACE. THEN WE CAN FLIP THE BEARING OVER AND WORK THE OTHER SIDE AS WELL.

BUT REMEMBER, YOU'RE NOT TRYING TO REMOVE MUCH METAL. JUST DRESSING IT UP A LITTLE FOR MORE CLEARANCE. IF YOU GO TOO FAR YOU'LL HAVE TO GET ANOTHER SET OF BEARINGS. THE THRUST BEARING IS NOW READY TO PERMANENTLY GO BACK INTO THE BLOCK. NOW BE SURE TO USE PLENTY OF ASSEMBLY LUBE BEFORE INSTALLING YOUR CRANK FOR GOOD. NOW ONCE YOU HAVE ALL YOUR MAIN CAPS TORQUED, GO AHEAD AND LOOSEN THE NUMBER FIVE MAIN CAP. THEN TAKE A SMALL, CLEAN SCREW DRIVER AND WORK THE CRANK FRONT TO BACK WITH LIGHT PRESSURE.

AFTER JUST A COUPLE OF STROKES, PUT PRESSURE ON

THE CRANK TOWARDS THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE. THIS WILL ALIGN THE THRUST BEARING HALVES WHILE YOU TORQUE THE REAR MAIN CAP BACK DOWN. THEN YOU CAN RECHECK YOUR END PLAY. NOW WE'RE AT RIGHT AT SIX THOUSANDTHS, TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION ABOUT TWO TO THREE THOUSANDTHS FOR THAT THICK ASSEMBLY LUBE. WE'RE GONNA BE UPGRADING FROM THIS FACTORY TYPE SINGLE ROW NONROLLER SETUP TO A NICE BILLET DOUBLE ROW TRUE ROLLER TYPE SETUP. NOW THE BENEFITS OF THIS ARE GONNA BE MINIMAL CHAIN STRETCH AS WELL AS MORE ACCURATE CAM TIMING. NOW REMEMBER THIS GEAR'S A PRESS FIT, NOT A HAMMER FIT.

YOU CAN DESTROY YOUR BEARING CLEARANCES YOU JUST SET UP ON THAT THRUST. THAT'S WHY WE USED THE GEAR INSTALLER INSTEAD. NOW WITH THE CAM GEAR AND THE CHAIN IN PLACE ONLY RUN

THE BOLTS IN HAND TIGHT FOR NOW. WE'VE STILL GOT TO DEGREE THAT CAM SHAFT, AND THAT IS COMING UP NEXT.

(JOHN)>> DEGREEING YOUR CAM SHAFT IS THE ONLY WAY TO DETERMINE IF THE RISE AND FALL OF YOUR PISTONS IS

MATCHING THE OPENING AND CLOSING OF YOUR VALVES.

SO FIRST HERE'S A LITTLE BLUE PRINTING TIP. PUT A PIECE OF TAPE AROUND THE RING LANDS OF THE NUMBER ONE PISTON WITHOUT THE RINGS IN. THIS WILL PROTECT THE RING LANDS AS WELL AS TAKE UP ANY SLACK FROM THE PISTONS FOR MORE ACCURATE MEASUREMENTS. VERIFYING TOP DEAD CENTER IS THE MOST CRITICAL PART OF DEGREEING A CAM SHAFT BECAUSE EVERYTHING ELSE INDEXES OFF OF THAT. FIRST WE MOUNT THE CRANK NUT AND ATTACH OUR DEGREE WHEEL TO IT. NOW WE CAN POSITION THE CORNER SO IT'S CLOSE TO THE WHEEL, BUT DON'T WORRY ABOUT WHAT NUMBER IT LINES UP ON JUST YET. NOW ROTATE THE CRANK SO THAT THE PISTON IS CLOSED AT TOP DEAD CENTER AND INSTALL THE PISTON STOP. THEN ROTATE THE ENGINE CLOCKWISE UNTIL THE PISTON CONTACTS THE STOP. NOW WE CAN ZERO THE DEGREE WHEEL AND WRITE

THAT NUMBER DOWN. NEXT ROTATE THE ENGINE THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION UNTIL IT HITS THE PISTON STOP AGAIN AND RECORD THAT NUMBER.

NOW ADD BOTH NUMBERS TOGETHER AND DIVIDE THEM BY TWO. NOW WE CAN LOOSEN THE NUT AND ADJUST THE DEGREE WHEEL TO THAT NUMBER YOU CAME UP WITH. RETIGHTEN THE NUT AND ROTATE THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION UNTIL THE PISTON HITS THE STOP ONE MORE TIME. THAT NUMBER WILL BE THE SAME, WHICH VERIFIES WE JUST FOUND TOP DEAD CENTER ON THE DEGREE WHEEL.

NOW WE'RE FINALLY READY TO START DEGREEING OUR CAM SHAFT, AND OUR GOAL IS TO BE WITHIN TWO DEGREES OF THE RECOMMENDED INSTALLED INTAKE CENTER LINE. NOW THERE'S A COUPLE OF VARIABLES THAT CAN THROW OFF THAT READING, SUCH AS THE DOWEL PIN LOCATION IN THE CAM SHAFT, THE CRANK SHAFT KEY WAY LOCATION, AS WELL AS THE TIMING CHAIN ITSELF. NOW BY GOING THROUGH AND DEGREE AND PROCESS WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ACCURATE TO WHAT THE CAM CARD SAYS. INSERT A CAM CHECKER IN THE NUMBER ONE INTAKE LIFTER BORE. THEN ROTATE THE ENGINE CLOCKWISE UNTIL MAX LIFT. NOW ZERO THE GAUGE. NORMALLY YOU WOULD ROTATE THE ENGINE COUNTER CLOCKWISE TO 50 THOUSANDTHS BEFORE MAX LIFT. SO WE'RE GONNA ROTATE IT TO 70 THOUSANDTHS AND COME BACK TO 50. NOW WHAT THIS DOES IS KEEPS THE CHAIN TIGHT BY ELIMINATING ANY SLOP TO INSURE WE GET A

MORE ACCURATE READING.

NOW WRITE DOWN THAT NUMBER OFF THE DEGREE WHEEL. NEXT TURN IT CLOCKWISE UNTIL YOU REACH MAX LIFT AGAIN. NOW CAREFULLY GO JUST 50 THOUSANDTHS PAST MAX LIFT AND RECORD THAT NUMBER OFF THE WHEEL. THE FINAL STEP IS TO ADD BOTH NUMBERS, DIVIDE THEM BY

TWO, AND THIS IS YOUR INSTALLED INTAKE CENTER LINE. IN OUR CASE 104 COMPARED TO OUR CAM CARD'S 106. IF IT WAS OFF MORE THAN TWO DEGREES WE WOULD PULL THE

CRANK SPROCKET AND USE THE MARKINGS ON THE GEAR FOR THE CORRECT LOCATION. NOW I KNOW DEGREEING A CAM SEEMS A LITTLE BIT INTIMIDATING AND A LITTLE COMPLEX, BUT WITH JUST A FEW DOLLARS IN TOOLS AND A LITTLE BIT OF PRACTICE, I

PROMISE YOU CAN GET IT.

(MIKE)>> WE JUST DEGREED THE CAM IN OUR 383 STROKER.

NOW WE'LL CHECK THE CAM'S END PLAY. AND AT FOUR THOUSANDTHS, WE'RE GOOD TO GO. AFTER SOME RED LOCTITE WE TORQUED THE CAM BOLTS

TO 15 FOOT POUNDS, INSTALLED THE TIMING COVER, AND THE BALANCER. NOW IT'S TIME TO FILE FIT OUR RINGS. NOW THE RING GAP DEPENDS ON THE TYPE OF THE PISTON AS WELL AS WHAT THE ENGINE IS GONNA BE USED FOR. NOW OUR PISTONS ARE FORGED AND THE ENGINE IS GOING TO BE A NATURALLY ASPIRATED HIGH PERFORMANCE STREET PIECE. THE TOP RINGS SHOULD HAVE AT LEAST FIVE THOUSANDTHS GAP PER INCH OF BORE, MAKING OUR TOP RING RIGHT AT 20 THOUSANDTHS GAP. NOW THE SECOND RING WILL BE SLIGHTLY SMALLER WITH ABOUT 18. FIRST PLACE THE RING IN THE BORE AND SQUARE IT UP. NOW CHECK THE GAP WITH THE FEELER GAUGE. THEN USING A RING FILER SLOWLY GRIND MATERIAL AWAY EVENLY FROM BOTH SIDES. NOW MAKE SURE YOU DON'T LEAVE TOO MUCH. HEAT WILL EXPAND THE PISTON, AND IF THE GAP IS TOO TIGHT YOU'LL DAMAGE IT. THE STAINLESS STEEL OIL RINGS ARE LESS CRITICAL. JUST MAKE SURE HAVE AT LEAST 15 THOUSANDTHS OF END GAP. WITH THE OIL EXPANDER AND SCRAPERS IN PLACE WE CAN PUT ON THE SECOND RING AND FINISH OFF WITH THE TOP RING. LIGHTLY OIL THE PISTONS, RINGS, AND THE SKIRTS, AND STAGGER ALL THE RING GAPS SO THEY ARE NOT ALIGNED. THEN USE A RING COMPRESSOR AND GUIDE THEM HOME. WITH PLENTY OF LUBE ON THE BEARINGS, MATE THE CAPS AND TORQUE THE ARP BOLTS TO 40 FOOT POUNDS.

(JOHN)>> THE FINAL STEPS TO BUTTONING UP OUR SHORT BLOCK IS GONNA BE TO GET STARTED WITH THAT REAR MAIN SEAL. NOW REMEMBER OURS IS A ONE PIECE AS OPPOSED TO ONE OF THOSE OLD TWO PIECES THAT GENERALLY LEAKS. WITH THE SEAL LUBED WE CAN INSTALL THE ASSEMBLY AND BOLT IT TO THE BLOCK.

(JOE)>> WELL NEXT WE'RE GONNA CHECK OUR OIL PAN TO PICK UP CLEARANCE. IT STARTS WITH THE GASKET. THEN WE DROP IN OUR HIGH FLOW OIL PUMP AND PICK UP, SECURE IT FINGER TIGHT. THE TARGET IS BETWEEN A QUARTER INCH AND THREEEIGHTHS, AND WE FIRST MEASURE FROM THE PAN RAIL TO THE PICK UP FACE.

(JOHN)>> SEVEN INCHES, SEVENEIGHTHS.

(JOE)>> THEN FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE PAN TO THE PAN RAIL. NEXT WE MEASURE THE THICKNESS OF OUR PAN GASKET. THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE FIRST AND THIRD MARKS

IS OUR CLEARANCE, WHICH IS A PERFECT THREEEIGHTHS OF AN INCH. WE ALWAYS TACK WELD THE PICK UP TO THE PUMP TO KEEP THEM FROM SEPARATING. THE FINAL COMPONENT TO GO ON OUR SHORT BLOCK TODAY IS THIS PERFORMANCE OIL PAN. IT'S GOT A BLADE TO SCRAPE OIL OFF THE CRANK SHAFT TO REDUCE PARASITIC DRAG, A WINDAGE TRAY TO KEEP OIL SETTLED AND AWAY FROM THE COUNTER WEIGHTS, AND A TRAP DOOR TO CONTAIN OIL IN THE SUMP DURING HARD LAUNCHES AND QUICK STOPS. THAT BUTTONS UP THE BLUE PRINTING AND BUILD UP OF OUR 383 SHORT BLOCK. NEXT TIME WE'LL SHOW YOU HOW TO BLUE PRINT AND BUILD THE

TOP END BEFORE DYNO'ING OUR 383 STREET STROKER.