540 chevy
09-18-2002, 11:25 PM
#31
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Saber28, The engine I run in my personal boat uses a Merlin II block, Crower crank and rods, JE 9.4:1 pistons, mild Ultradyne hydraulic roller(232/238),Brodix BB2+ heads that are ported and Cutler(Holley now) MPI system. This engine made 608 HP at 5300 and 648 ft. Lbs @ 4200. It idles like a stocker and I have 150 hours on it with nothing but oil changes. Stay concervative and use good parts and you'll be very happy with your results. If you try to get much more HP than this from a 540, reliability will suffer.
NordicHeat is running an almost identical engine that we built and has similar hours with no failures.
NordicHeat is running an almost identical engine that we built and has similar hours with no failures.
09-19-2002, 10:18 AM
#32
JimV
I have heard good things about your work. My cigarette has
502 mags that have had new hydraulic valve train 650 lift
rect. port chevy heads and victor intake and 830 carb and Stellings headers. The heads have been pocket ported and angle valve job. How much horsepower could i expect to pick up if
i had you fully port some dart 310 and how much would heads
like that cost already have crane springs etc. thanks
Bad to the Bone
I would guess about 60 to 80hp @ 5700. A 950hp carb should make a little more hp. What rpm are you turning now?
I have heard good things about your work. My cigarette has
502 mags that have had new hydraulic valve train 650 lift
rect. port chevy heads and victor intake and 830 carb and Stellings headers. The heads have been pocket ported and angle valve job. How much horsepower could i expect to pick up if
i had you fully port some dart 310 and how much would heads
like that cost already have crane springs etc. thanks
Bad to the Bone
I would guess about 60 to 80hp @ 5700. A 950hp carb should make a little more hp. What rpm are you turning now?
Last edited by JimV; 09-19-2002 at 10:20 AM.
VIP Member
09-19-2002, 11:38 AM
#34
JimV, For an intercooled SC EFI application to get 1000HP and TQ, Would you build a 540 or 572? Would your 540 as described to support 1000hp or what would you change? Thanks.
Cobra Marty
Tough question. The changes would start with the GM tall deck splayed cap block . It's stronger but weighs a bit more. A smaller bore seems to minimumize side loading of the pistons so to keep scuffing to a minimum I'd stay with a 4.5 bore 4.5 stroke for 572ci. Plus this keeps the walls plenty thick to counter added cylinder pressure and helps thermal retention, ect.
I would spare no expense in the crank and rotating assembly fully counterweighted, internally balanced crankshaft. Also you may want to consider dry sump oil system. The rods may need extra side clearance to increase oil volume. Also by changing the heads to the Big Chief style will benifet. Making more power natural asperated means less boost. "O" ringing and using studs instead of bolts may be good insurance as well.
To answer your question, yes the 540 combination will make 1000hp but it really is not designed for that hp level.
Cobra Marty
Tough question. The changes would start with the GM tall deck splayed cap block . It's stronger but weighs a bit more. A smaller bore seems to minimumize side loading of the pistons so to keep scuffing to a minimum I'd stay with a 4.5 bore 4.5 stroke for 572ci. Plus this keeps the walls plenty thick to counter added cylinder pressure and helps thermal retention, ect.
I would spare no expense in the crank and rotating assembly fully counterweighted, internally balanced crankshaft. Also you may want to consider dry sump oil system. The rods may need extra side clearance to increase oil volume. Also by changing the heads to the Big Chief style will benifet. Making more power natural asperated means less boost. "O" ringing and using studs instead of bolts may be good insurance as well.
To answer your question, yes the 540 combination will make 1000hp but it really is not designed for that hp level.
09-20-2002, 09:12 AM
#38
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Location: st. clair shores mi ,us
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Saber28,
I agree with MR. Gadgets and JimV, stay away from the Eagle cranks. I used one when I built my 540 and had to have Moldex fix the poor machine work that Eagle does. I guess you get what you pay for. Next time I will use a Callies crank.
JimV,
I'm using a set of iron oval port Merlins that were supposedly ported by Sterling. I guess these came off of an old "B" class motor. I'm wondering how these would compare against your Pro1's. I'm making around 675hp with a solid roller but want to change to a hydralic set up but don't want to lose too much power. Any suggestions ? New heads are out of the question though.
I agree with MR. Gadgets and JimV, stay away from the Eagle cranks. I used one when I built my 540 and had to have Moldex fix the poor machine work that Eagle does. I guess you get what you pay for. Next time I will use a Callies crank.
JimV,
I'm using a set of iron oval port Merlins that were supposedly ported by Sterling. I guess these came off of an old "B" class motor. I'm wondering how these would compare against your Pro1's. I'm making around 675hp with a solid roller but want to change to a hydralic set up but don't want to lose too much power. Any suggestions ? New heads are out of the question though.
09-24-2002, 08:51 AM
#39
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It looks like no one gave you part numbers like you originally asked --- so here is what my parts consisted of when i built my 540CID motor -- just a little background 1st though -- i built 360 CID SBC alcohol motors with 14.5:1 compression for my sprintcars for years - i was taught to use nothing but the best bottom end parts and have never had a failure - this now includes my 3 year old 540 BBC with a small blower on it - which i run WFO for miles and miles at a time - i would recommend putting the money in the bottom end first - then put what you have left into the heads to make HP.
---------------------------
Bottom end
Block --- Merlin II #081111 Tall Deck - 4.490 bore as-purchased - bore to 4.500 in. - deck to 10.188 in. to put pistons in the hole .003 in. (you can deck to whatever you want, based on your piston, heads, and gasket cc's to get the compression you desire)
Crank --- Crower 4340 non-twist crank - 4.250 in. stroke - Main Journals were 2.7485", rods were 2.1980" - recommend sets of MS 829 H & HX main bearings to get 2.8 - 3.1 tenths clearance / 3.1 - 3.5 tenths on rear ---- and CB 743 H and H-1's to get 2.7 - 3.0 tenths on rods (Keith Eickert told me to not go more than 4.250" stroke to keep pistons from coming out of bottom of bores even with the Tall Deck block)
Rods ---- nothing but the best here - Carrillo H-Beam C427 #76535 6.535" ctr to ctr with 7/16" bolts -- piston pin bore is .9910 - big end is 2.3250 -- (next time i would go to an even longer rod and get the pistion pin higher - i talked to Kieth Eickert and he does this - he has special pistions to do this with)
Balancer - Fluidamper - #712100
Pistons - I used the Wiseco Custom built # 18878 --- 4.500 Dia. 1.525 compression height , (-)14.50 cc inverted dome, 1/16, 1/16, 3/16 rings -- my compression ratio was 8.98:1 (using a small blower)
Pins - Wiseco # S460 - buy honed to fit from the piston mfg.
Rings - Total Seal STANDARD Tension rings !!! Not low tension unless you use a vacuum pump or a 3 or 4 stage dry sump to control your oil - i had problem here until i changed to std tension rings - bore too big for low tension with no dry sump or vacuum -- Total Seal # 505 TS1 919025501R08 --- also, make sure you use non-synthetic oil to seat rings with first.
--------------
Top end
Heads -- use as big a set as you can afford - the 4.5" bore allows BIG chambers with BIG valves = big hp --- the bore is so big that you do not have to do any cylinder grinding to unshroud the valves if you use a standard set of Merlin 3003 or Chevy rectangular port heads that Dennis Moore talks alot about.
Valves -- must use inconel exhaust valves - can use SS intake -- make sure you have the machine shop grind a wide contact area to ensure adequate heat transfer from the exh valves -- this is why BIG heads with Big valves are nice, because you loose some flow efficiency by doing this necessary evil -- i warped my exh valves within minutes using a high performance valve job when i first went out -- compression test revealed that after first run -- Ferrera said .090 to .100 contact width. open up guides a little too - .0015 in, .0018-.0020 exh
Valve springs - ISKY has the best quality control - i have had good luck with them - never want one of these to fail.
Cam -- your choice here - but people tend to always go too big -- remember you are running around 5500 rpm -- the bottom end above willl allow 7000+ rpm but you don't want to go there for life at WFO throttle all day long.
hope this helps
---------------------------
Bottom end
Block --- Merlin II #081111 Tall Deck - 4.490 bore as-purchased - bore to 4.500 in. - deck to 10.188 in. to put pistons in the hole .003 in. (you can deck to whatever you want, based on your piston, heads, and gasket cc's to get the compression you desire)
Crank --- Crower 4340 non-twist crank - 4.250 in. stroke - Main Journals were 2.7485", rods were 2.1980" - recommend sets of MS 829 H & HX main bearings to get 2.8 - 3.1 tenths clearance / 3.1 - 3.5 tenths on rear ---- and CB 743 H and H-1's to get 2.7 - 3.0 tenths on rods (Keith Eickert told me to not go more than 4.250" stroke to keep pistons from coming out of bottom of bores even with the Tall Deck block)
Rods ---- nothing but the best here - Carrillo H-Beam C427 #76535 6.535" ctr to ctr with 7/16" bolts -- piston pin bore is .9910 - big end is 2.3250 -- (next time i would go to an even longer rod and get the pistion pin higher - i talked to Kieth Eickert and he does this - he has special pistions to do this with)
Balancer - Fluidamper - #712100
Pistons - I used the Wiseco Custom built # 18878 --- 4.500 Dia. 1.525 compression height , (-)14.50 cc inverted dome, 1/16, 1/16, 3/16 rings -- my compression ratio was 8.98:1 (using a small blower)
Pins - Wiseco # S460 - buy honed to fit from the piston mfg.
Rings - Total Seal STANDARD Tension rings !!! Not low tension unless you use a vacuum pump or a 3 or 4 stage dry sump to control your oil - i had problem here until i changed to std tension rings - bore too big for low tension with no dry sump or vacuum -- Total Seal # 505 TS1 919025501R08 --- also, make sure you use non-synthetic oil to seat rings with first.
--------------
Top end
Heads -- use as big a set as you can afford - the 4.5" bore allows BIG chambers with BIG valves = big hp --- the bore is so big that you do not have to do any cylinder grinding to unshroud the valves if you use a standard set of Merlin 3003 or Chevy rectangular port heads that Dennis Moore talks alot about.
Valves -- must use inconel exhaust valves - can use SS intake -- make sure you have the machine shop grind a wide contact area to ensure adequate heat transfer from the exh valves -- this is why BIG heads with Big valves are nice, because you loose some flow efficiency by doing this necessary evil -- i warped my exh valves within minutes using a high performance valve job when i first went out -- compression test revealed that after first run -- Ferrera said .090 to .100 contact width. open up guides a little too - .0015 in, .0018-.0020 exh
Valve springs - ISKY has the best quality control - i have had good luck with them - never want one of these to fail.
Cam -- your choice here - but people tend to always go too big -- remember you are running around 5500 rpm -- the bottom end above willl allow 7000+ rpm but you don't want to go there for life at WFO throttle all day long.
hope this helps
