6.2 aluminum block getting rebuilt, lots of different answers on bolts and studs….no boost or nitrous. Maybe 500hp at flywheel.

#1–Ive read main cap and rod bolts are TTA but then see TTY, you can re-use and some say dont. Arp just makes studs from what i see besides summit, BTR and chevy performance making stock replacement bolts

#2–Replacing with one of the three stock style bolt companies would those change the dimensions enough to have the mains align honed? Rods yes for sure i know that much

#3–IF it needs align honed might as well just get arp studs?? I know this is beatong a dead horse but, i just keep seeing conflicting theories.

What would be the valid thing to do?

 

I doubt you will need to have it align-bored, but stranger things have happened.

With your projected power levels, reusing the stock main bolts (TTA) will be just fine.

Get new rod bolts and resize the big ends.

 

I went with ARP main studs and head studs in my road race engine build. Probably somewhere between 450-500hp... I wanted the peace of mind that nothing was going to move around at sustained high RPM's. Its a few bucks in the grand scheme of a 10k dollar build.

 

Years ago, when Wheel to Wheel was around (world class builders), I had them assemble a 427 Darton sleeved LS1 block. They told me that when running the ARP main studs some blocks needed the mains align honed, and some didn't. Mine didn't. HOWEVER-Che70velle recently posted some pics on here that showed what the mains looked like after align honing. It showed some of the blocks main saddles didn't quite clean up completely. I'm sure the block he showed would've been OK. However, without the honing, maybe the crank would've been tight in areas when you'd spin it. But who knows if that would've been an issue 75,000 miles down the road. The only way to know for sure if you need align honing is to torque the caps and measure the I.D. with a dial bore gauge. Even then, this still won't tell you if all the mains are perfectly in line. After seeing his pics, I've decided that, for me personally, I'd have the mains align honed.

 

That pic is always worth showing again. This hone was a super quickly, just enough to get the journals back to round. Pay attention to the side of the journal, which is where material was actually removed, which proves that using ARP main studs takes the journal out of round…but any fastener that introduces more clamping force will do the same in any situation. This journal measured 2.7504, and all 5 were within .0002. We measure out to the .0001….

 

I read it all the time where people dont want to align hone the mains... I dont get it, but maybe there is some reason people are gun shy of doing it that I am not aware of...

If its a money thing its like a couple hundred bucks in the grand scheme of a multi-thousand dollar build... pocket change in the final bill IMO.

 

100% if you're going to replace the main fasteners to ARP studs then get it align honed. Same goes if your going to be replacing the rod bolts with ARP hardware. You might be able to get away with this on the rods but why take chances.

 

More money.....This was why I was surprised that W2W didn't want to align hone the mains. They could've charged me more to do it. So someone there must've been convinced it wasn't necessary. .0001"-.0002" out of round wont scrap a build, but just knowing it isnt right would bother me even if the crank wasn't bothered, lol! For me it ensures the mains are in line, something the bore gauge by itself can't do.

 

It all depends on how the block measures out after you install them and tighten the fasteners to spec.

I have an Iron Block that didn't need it. The machinist showed me the measurements. He even let me take it apart and re-torque it my way, like if I was going to check it. We then went over and I re-set up the calibration and measured everything again. Less than .0002 front to back and within the middle of the recomended service range of the block. I still Made him lightly drag a hone through it and get it towards the high side. Even contact all the way around and still .0002 front to back....

Is Every block like that? Absolutely not!!! Should a qualified person check it? Absolutely, and every time!!!

This is just a general statement and not directed at any one .

If someone is trying to save money on building an engine properly, Then maybe they should look around and see what they can do with out. Proper machine work and good parts cost good money. If your ok with with doing it twice, maybe you like spending 2x what it would have cost initially, or just maybe you like gambling in general... Then go ahead and skimp on parts and quality work.

Just make sure you come back here and tell us all about your adventure...