girdles ??

[common 27]

 I was looking at ebay and saw a girdle for a big block that is made of 3/16 aluminum plate which bolts to the top of the main caps and the oil rails of the block and ties it all together. Does this help anything or just a way to take my money?

[nivvy]

i have one on my 499.....a chenowith racing one which I paid $450 for.. i think big blocks are good to appx 600HP max without a girdle on a 2 bolt main big block 

[cudabob496]

I recently saw those as well. I might have used it when I built my 496 5 years ago, but I didn't see them available then. Oh well, the engine hasn't grenaded yet. Its at least 600 hp and has about 10,000 miles on it.

[Moparal]

I know for a fact my 499 engine had cap walk @ 783 dynoed hp.   I freshened the engine up every season for 3 yrs. Then I bought a block off Indy . I was lucky that it never gave me a problem. It only made like 40 passes a yr tho.  The block is setting in an oiled bag now. If I decide to build it again with any hp , I will girdle it.

[Chryco Psycho]

the girdle will definatly help around 600HP +

[cudabob496]

I assume I can't pull the oil pan and slap one on there? By the way, how will I know if I have had a problem? What are the symptoms of a "cap walk"? Thanks

[nivvy]

The one I got from chenowith racing said you can install it in the car.... however mine was put on with the engine out cause we pulled the block and changed all the freeze plugs.... you can see the cap walk from looking at the bottom of the caps and see like bounce marks on them..... if that makes sense.... On our race 499 Mega Block had 2 bolts mains and it had cap walk issues... that motor was making appx. 900HP ........

[common 27]

 Thanks guys I think I'll just save my money,I'm not going to be making that kind of power. It just seemed that this girdle  was cheap less then $100 but is made of aluminum.I didn't know if it would help.

[Chryco Psycho]

Aum or steel it will help , the problem I have run into is the stud kit , it is easy to make or get the plate but cannot source the stud kit needed to install it

[cudabob496]

Well, if you're making around 600 hp or more, and don't have the girdle, at least it sounds like you are not going to have any kind of catastrophic engine failure?

[nivvy]

Im sure you could get engine failure if you let the cap walk get worse....especially for a street car ...we are putting in billet caps now before running the mega block again! Girdles seem to be the way to go these days for safety I guess..... I dont regret ever spending the money for the extra safety in my motor!

[cudabob496]

Im sure you could get engine failure if you let the cap walk get worse....especially for a street car ...we are putting in billet caps now before running the mega block again! Girdles seem to be the way to go these days for safety I guess..... I dont regret ever spending the money for the extra safety in my motor!

Good insurance to keep from "lunching" a $15,000 motor!

[go-fish]

I know for a fact that a small block with a girdle on it will start to eat itself at 650hp. Or maybe it was the 14 lbs of boost....
But I would think that a B/RB would go 600 safely without a girdle if you had studs instead of bolts. Much more with a girdle mI would think?

[nivvy]

I have "read" dyno test on big blocks with girdles Holding 970+ HP with no cap walk issues....

[cudabob496]

I know for a fact that a small block with a girdle on it will start to eat itself at 650hp. Or maybe it was the 14 lbs of boost....
But I would think that a B/RB would go 600 safely without a girdle if you had studs instead of bolts. Much more with a girdle mI would think?

Ya, on my 496 at least I have studs. I think a small block is only strong enough for about 550 hp. It would then self destruct for other reasons in addition to no girdle. (We need another word other than "girdle". Reminds me of fat old ladies! We need a macho name!)