Billet Main Caps worth the $$$?
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From: Phoenix, AZ USA
Billet Main Caps worth the $$$? at what point are Billet Main Caps needed (HP level)?
for someone with a MAX 550rwhp and 6500RPM engine, would they do any good?
for someone with a MAX 550rwhp and 6500RPM engine, would they do any good?
Re: Billet Main Caps worth the $$$? Yep, theyd give you the extra insurance as well as braggin rights. Do you need them, absolutely not.
And btw have you considered doing an all out ARP Stud kit? You really dont need that either, bolts are just fine.
I see where you are going, maybe you should have posted all of this in one single post. Easier for you to look back on if nothing else.
And btw have you considered doing an all out ARP Stud kit? You really dont need that either, bolts are just fine.
I see where you are going, maybe you should have posted all of this in one single post. Easier for you to look back on if nothing else.
Re: Billet Main Caps worth the $$$? 
Until I break one of the stocker powdered metal ones, i won't be trying them again.
Although I was never able to confirm, I think the line hone was suspect when i had them installed. Considering I had Katech caps, installed by Katech themselves the line hone should be a no brainer for them. All the bearing bores were correctly sized, and clearances were where the should have been. Measured by yours truely with a micrometer and dial bore gauge, and sanity checked w/ plasti-gauge. The middle 3 mains spun within 1000 miles. After some conversations about the install procedure, the process used on the hone was flawed. Unequal metal removal between the aluminum block and the steel caps makes for loss of bearing crush. So that was quick work of $2000 in machining
I should have known that motor was cursed, considering the bore hone was wrong when i got it back. Was to be a .010 hone, and the bores came back .001 bigger than when i dropped it off. I had to take it back to them, and watch them measure it before they realized their bore gauge was off by .010
Anyway, i'm now sticking to stock caps with studs.
So far so good. When i do finally drive over the crank, i'll let you know
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Thread Starter
TECH Veteran
iTrader: (6)
Joined: Feb 2002
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From: Phoenix, AZ USA
Re: Billet Main Caps worth the $$$?
on a roll tonight arent you Chris
Ok...thats what I thought (waste of money)....
I'm going to install studs (don't like GM bolt) anyways so that should be more than enough for what I'm asking out of this engine....
(this is cool...I can shave an extra $400 off my exspected $7000 price tag for this project...if only I could shave an extra $2000....
) 
Re: Billet Main Caps worth the $$$? In a buildup of that nature, that's a no expense spared type project, so in comparison to what you are spending, that extra money is pocket change to the other stuff.
