Re: H-I-J '76 Nova re-fit.
 

Those are the standard "grey iron" cap.

Re: H-I-J '76 Nova re-fit.
 

Todd check yet PM Dick

Re: H-I-J '76 Nova re-fit.
 

I saw that about the desiccant plugs? My PMs are wacky sometimes and I cannot respond but I did see this Thanks.

Re: H-I-J '76 Nova re-fit.
 

Dropped the block off today, it'll most likely be a week before I get it back to start machine work.

Re: H-I-J '76 Nova re-fit.
 

Seems to me that aftermarket steel main caps are available someplace for 4 bolt main 350's,must be better than the originals.Just trying to remember where I saw them.

Re: H-I-J '76 Nova re-fit.
 

They're everywhere, lots of aftermarket ones for sale.

Re: H-I-J '76 Nova re-fit.
 

Why put money into a questionable foundation.Cleaning block, Filling block, installing main caps etc.

Re: H-I-J '76 Nova re-fit.
 

30 years ago we sonic tested and Brinell hardness tested all small blocks.

The range from soft to hard was pretty significant.....and a hard block would easily make more power.

Ideal was hard and decently thick cylinder walls.....

.060 over was a lot.....

Cylinder walls were just about always not consistant

Core shift could be ridiculous

You can usually see the cam being off center by the flat machined surface at the face of the cam hole...not concentric

I had one engine I built at home that was so far off center it was silly

The crank and cam centerline were way off center.

So bad I had to get different rods. It was a 383 and I could not get clearance on one side for the rods to block even after grinding and the other side went right by with plenty of clearance.....

Aftermarket and even Bowtie blocks are far better....

Just sayin!!!

Re: H-I-J '76 Nova re-fit.
 

Put the money you will spend on main caps and the labor to fit them towards a Bow-Tie or Dart block.

Re: H-I-J '76 Nova re-fit.
 

I honestly don't see this as being questionable. How is a 400hp stock block an issue?