James Montigny

iTrader: (13)

Did you build your stroker on a showstring budget? (or buy one that way?)
Has it lasted over 2 years? (did it not?) Tell us all about it.
Would you do it again? Anything you'd do different?

With the recent craze of people wanting stroker builds, I'd like to hear about
some of the more frugal builds and how they've worked out.

Note that this is not a thread to discuss builds in progress
or builds that have yet to be dynoed,raced or otherwise used

EDIT: To clarify, by "budget" build, I mean a stroker done for under $3000 (parts and labor)
I'm talking cast cranks, reuse of stock hub/balancer, unported heads, that kind of thing.
That does not include the sale of stock (or previous setup) components.
These are generally labeled "Economy" or "Budget" if purchased complete from a shop.

tylert14

iTrader: (11)

I had a eagle cast 3.75" crank, eagle forged I beams, and KB .030 over flat top hypereutectic pistons. I put a few thousand miles on it, LOTs of beating it on the street for a whole summer and no problems. Stock heads, no porting, stock valves, a 292xfi cam chromoly pushrods, 918 beehives, and 1.6 steel roller rockers. Supporting bolt ons and a tune through an M6 I ran 12.6@113 the only time I went to the track and it was with a 2.3 60 foot and the car was running rich. I didn't have much at all in the setup and it was a pretty fast street car that turned 6800 rpm.

I sold the rotating assembly this winter and the new owner broke the crank but he initially ran the car with a unbalanced flexplate that shook bad which is what I think caused it.

EDIT: Also wanted to mention, stock caps, stock bolts. I did use ARP head bolts. I was on a real small budget and didn't even check my align hone but it is definitely recommended to at least have it checked. If it's fine it's fine, if not you need to have it align honed.

fergymoto

iTrader: (129)

I built one this past July/August.

4 bolt main block w/ ARP main studs
-decked
-line honed
-clearanced
.4.030 bore

Eagle rotating assembly
-3.750 internal balance cast crank
-forged 5.7 I beam rods
-Keith Black hypereutectic pistons
-Balanced

Other misc
-Durabond teflon coated cam bearings
-Clevite H main bearns
-Clevite H rod bearings
-Hastings plasma moly rings
-Impala head gaskets
-Melling M select oil pump
-Moroso pan
-ARP head bolts

Top end
-LPE cnc heads (fresh with Ferrea valves, new style 918 springs, Comp guide plates, ARP 7/16 rocker studs)
-custom cam
-LS7 lifters
-Trick Flow 1.6 RR
-Trick Flow chromoly pushrods


Here it is before install




And here it is roughly 700 miles later







I guess it is a rare occurence for that to happen, but needless to say I probably won't build another motor with an aftermarket cast crank.

fergymoto

iTrader: (129)

Or maybe it was the detonation from when you burnt two pistons and cracked your block. I had MAYBE a total of 10-15 minutes runtime mostly idling and driving 1/4 mile down the road before getting it up to ~3,000 RPMs and realizing the vibration

tylert14

iTrader: (11)

Lasted 4000+ miles and shifting at 6800 after that but anything is possible.

fergymoto

iTrader: (129)

You never put traction to it either though.

James Montigny

iTrader: (13)

Guys, let's keep the thread informative, I'd really prefer not to have it locked.
Take your discussion to PMs or generate another thread.

kinglt-1

iTrader: (26)

Mine is a golen 383 shortblock, w/ stock ported heads and intake. I let you decide if it classifies as budget, here it is:
-Eagle nodular iron crank.
-Eagle forged i-beam rods.
-Srp forged pistons 9.6 to 1 comp.
-4-bolt main
-Arp rod bolts
-clevite bearings
-Comp custom billet cam, 230/236, 545-555, 114lsa
-paid 3200.00, sold my stock shortblock for 1000.00
so I had total 2200.00 in my 383 short block.
-Stock ported heads milled 4cc, 10.1 compression, manley 2.0 1.6 valves, port matched intake 900.00 total.
-Comp promag rockers nsa 1.6's, comp lifters, comp springs, comp push rods, manley guide plates. around 900.00 total.(not 100% on this figure)
-44lb injectors 380.00
-52mm tb 300.00
So thats about 4680.00 total. It has around 7k on it, no problems so far(knock on wood). Oil pressure is 50-65psi hot/cold, 19in of vacuum at idle. You may wonder why the low comression, well it was originally built for boost. I sold the blower due to issues and i needed the cash. As far as power, Im not sure. I do know it runs with a f1 procharged ls1 m6 gto, on 6-7psi. IT Made 490whp on a mustang dyno. Also I beat a cam, stalled, lt headers, ls1 a4 gto, by a good clip. Ran pretty even with a 01' m6 ta, lpe gt3 cam(over 600 lift), lt headers w/ ory, 4.10 gear. he put down 380whp on a mustang dyno. So If I had to guess my power, I would say its 400-410whp(dyno jet) maybe.

James Montigny

iTrader: (13)

I wouldn't call that "budget" per se, that's actually a very nice build.
Good info though, thanks

Need to get a blower on that thing

kinglt-1

iTrader: (26)

No prob. Yea I agree on the blower, soon too come hopefully!

the_merv

iTrader: (88)

I have about $4900 in just my Stroker Engine..I know it's not LTX, but it's still a Budget Build.

Eagle Forged 4.000" Crank: $750
Eagle Forged H-Beam Rods: $375
Mahle Forged Pistons & Rings: $550
L92 Heads, Rockers & Pedistals: $600
Comp Cam and Valvetrain: $900 (TSP Hardened Pushrods, LS7 Lifters, PRC .660 Springs)
Intake and Throttle Body: $600
LQ4 Iron Block, Cover Plates, and Oil Pan: $650
Gaskets, Bearings and machine work: $450

This is everything to make the Long Block. The rest of the money went to Acessories, Brackets, PCM & Harness, and stuff on the Car.

bombebomb

I don't think anything with forged parts is considerd "low budget".

fergymoto

iTrader: (129)

^I'm with him. Forged pistons maybe but nothing beyond that.


For what it's worth, the one time I got to go to the track with mine the best pass looked like this
60': 1.61
330': 4.84
1/8: 7.59
1/8 MPH: 88.81
1000': 9.92
1/4: 12.032
1/4 MPH: 110.37


I now have a stock bottom end with the same heads and a smaller AI cam and it is faster than the stroker was.

the_merv

iTrader: (88)

I got alot of good deals on what I have, compared to what it should have costed..it may not be as low budget as the op was referring to, but it was something that was built with limited funds.

EDIT: This Engine that I built, if bought as a package completely assembled, you are looking to spend atleast double what I have in it easily, I wouldn't be suprised if it was $10k.

kinglt-1

iTrader: (26)

^x2 agreed, that was exactly my thinking too!

James Montigny

iTrader: (13)

Sounds like people are making very wise choices in their builds; that's awesome.
(or the ones who aren't are too embarrassed to talk about it)

the_merv

iTrader: (88)

Those are the ones that realized that they probably got screwed on something..

The Batman

iTrader: (4)

doing a budget build this winter...probably end up keeping my stock crank and rods from my 93 but upgradeing the bolts. But i will get some forged pistons and probably an LE2 package with LE3 cam. most likely will end up with a 150 shot on it for those "just in case" moments hopeing to crack into the high 11's with Drag Radials

kinglt-1

iTrader: (26)

This is not a stroker build tho!

The Batman

iTrader: (4)

ahh...very true. didnt see thats what he was after :blush: