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Did your machine shop use a torque plate when machining your motor?

Old 01-14-2010, 11:04 AM
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Default Did your machine shop use a torque plate when machining your motor?

and if not... how's the motor doing?

There isn't a machine shop within 50 miles of me (or farther... I haven't checked) that's got torque plates for the LS motors. I talked to the guy locally who comes very highly recommended by, well, pretty much everybody, and he said that he's only got them for SBC, BBC and a couple fords. He also said that they're entirely unnecessary, and offered to bolt one to an SBC and show me the measurements with and without it. He reminded me that GM never used them when they did the initial bore & hone.

So, what it boils down to, is that if I want a torque plate bolted to my motor for the re-hone, I'm going to have to bring my motor to somebody way out of town instead of using a local guy who is highly recommended by everybody I know.

It's easy for everybody here to recommend that I find a shop that uses the plate, but what I want to know is who had machine work by a shop who DIDN'T have a torque plate, and how's your motor doing?
Old 01-14-2010, 11:12 AM
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I'm pretty sure you can use a SBF torque plate for an LSx.

I've built a few motors that didn't get honed with torque plates and they ran great, but there's definetly power in having the cylinder as round as possible during operation.
Old 01-14-2010, 11:17 AM
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If this local guy does this for a living and is good at it why wont you take his word?? I mean an engine is engine is an engine, generally speaking of course.
Old 01-14-2010, 11:24 AM
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Originally Posted by 01ssreda4
If this local guy does this for a living and is good at it why wont you take his word?? I mean an engine is engine is an engine, generally speaking of course.
I'm just doing my homework. Putting your trust into the wrong person can result in an awfully expensive mistake.
Old 01-14-2010, 12:31 PM
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Originally Posted by KCS
I'm pretty sure you can use a SBF torque plate for an LSx.
That's what most of the knowledgeable machine shops around here do.
Old 01-14-2010, 12:56 PM
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Originally Posted by Marc 85Z28
That's what most of the knowledgeable machine shops around here do.
Is that true? This guy is a ford guy mostly, so I'm guessing he'll have the ford torque plate.
Old 01-14-2010, 01:30 PM
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When I heard that I layed a ls1 head over an 5.0 block and sure enough the bolt holes are close to a perfect match. Looks like it is very plausible. Lets hear from a machinist that has done it!
Old 01-14-2010, 01:40 PM
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It works, we used a SBF torque plate on my 6.0 block.
Old 01-14-2010, 01:52 PM
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I just called back the machine shop. No SBF torque plates... SBC and BBC only.
Old 01-14-2010, 04:15 PM
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then find another machine shop. I can't believe a "well known" machine shop doesn't do sbf buildups.
Old 01-14-2010, 04:33 PM
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I just had mine done last week. He used a SBF torque plate. Said the holes lined up almost perfectly.

I would make sure they use the torque plate. The alum. blocks flex more than a steel block. This is why the head bolts go all the way down to the base of the sleeve. Helps spread the pressure evenly across the block.

If he doesn't use the torque plate, you run the risk of having an outta round cylinder and faster wear on the rings and crap.
Old 09-01-2017, 01:16 PM
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Does anyone have any new information on using SBF torque plate on an LS? I'm getting ready to have mine done and my builder has SBF plates but no LS.
Old 09-01-2017, 06:02 PM
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If it worked then, why would it not work now?
Old 09-01-2017, 07:22 PM
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Just looking for any feedback after seven years.
Old 09-01-2017, 08:01 PM
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Where are you in Ga? I use a shop local to me that does some work for Vengeance from time to time. You do not want that block final honed without torque plates...find one that has them.
Old 09-02-2017, 06:12 AM
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I was googling last night and found three shops, including Vengence, that specialize in LS builds that are two hours from me so I'll be giving them a call. I live in Byron.
Old 09-03-2017, 08:23 AM
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Originally Posted by Che70velle
Where are you in Ga? I use a shop local to me that does some work for Vengeance from time to time. You do not want that block final honed without torque plates...find one that has them.
Will you give the contact info for that shop? I dont have a problem driving up there to have it honed. Steve at RED said that it needs torque plates on both sides when doing the line hone.
Old 09-03-2017, 11:41 AM
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SBF torque plates still work till this day! It's like nothing changed.
Old 09-03-2017, 12:50 PM
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pm sent!


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