[tom s]

I agree!

[steve25]

Unless I could find a $50 complete set of caps off a junk 3” main motor this endeavor is just not worth it.

[Formulas]

Someday somebody will have the last available OE Pontiac block, ... They should probably throw it out as well...

Money wise NOTHING we do makes sence its all because we want to

[tooski]

Originally Posted by steve25

Unless I could find a $50 complete set of caps off a junk 3” main motor this endeavor is just not worth it.

The 1 & 5 were good, so I ended up buying two sets of the middle 3 at $50 each. One set got me close. I stopped there before the rabbit hole got too deep.

[Dragncar]

There is more money in existence than OEM Pontiac 400 blocks. I just spent 200$ on a oil filter.
We light money on fire all the time. Part of the hobby I guess, some can just light more on fire than others.
It cost more to build a engine than its worth, but we do it.

['ol Pinion head]

Never hurts to box up & save 3" & 3.25" main caps off freeze cracked or otherwise non repairable blocks. Every open to the weather 326 block & most early Pontiac 350's that have come through here in parts cars were stripped for everything but the bare block. Glad I could help Scott with a rear cap for his 428.

[John Milner]

Thanks again, Roger. The cap came in very handy and saved my block.

[hurryinhoosier62]

Originally Posted by steve25

Unless I could find a $50 complete set of caps off a junk 3” main motor this endeavor is just not worth it.

Steve, that isn’t even a guarantee. I kept a MINIMUM of fifty sets of main caps for the most common blocks we machined ( 6.9/7.3 IDI, 7.3 PowerStroke, 3208 CAT, DT466, BBC, 6.2/6.5 GMC, 4B/6B Cummins, ALL Detroits from 3-53 to 12V-149, ALL Perkins series, etc). Out of those fifty sets you might get lucky and find ONE set that would fit a block close enough ( no more than .003 big) to align hone it ( a rarity). Most blocks required fitting multiple sets of caps to come up with a set of caps that were close enough in fitment to align bore without having to grind .015 off of the caps or weld the caps.

[hurryinhoosier62]

Originally Posted by 'ol Pinion head

Never hurts to box up & save 3" & 3.25" main caps off freeze cracked or otherwise non repairable blocks. Every open to the weather 326 block & most early Pontiac 350's that have come through here in parts cars were stripped for everything but the bare block. Glad I could help Scott with a rear cap for his 428.

Absolutely!

[hurryinhoosier62]

Originally Posted by Formulas

Someday somebody will have the last available OE Pontiac block, ... They should probably throw it out as well...

Money wise NOTHING we do makes sence its all because we want to

WHY would you want to spend over $1,000 just to fit a set of aftermarket billet or cast steel caps on a run of the mill block? Had a customer one time brought us a Detroit 8V-71 block that needed to be scrapped; all five main saddles were spun, all five main caps were spun and loose, four out of five cam bores were spun on one bank, three on the opposite bank, thrust surface was spun and both heads were cracked as well as warped. We offered this customer a serviceable block for $1,800 as well as serviceable heads for another $1,500. He rejected our offer, telling my shop foreman that the engine was running when he pulled it out( HOW I have no idea!). We went ahead and repaired this POS. The bill for just what machine operations I performed ( replace ALL main caps, repair the thrust surface, install and machine all five main saddle repairs, raise the crank gear height by .010 due to the spun main saddles, install and machine eight cam bore repairs along with final align bore and final align hone both main saddles and cam bores) came to $2,700 in 2002. We also refused to warranty the block. This did not cover his charges to pin and repair the cracks in the heads, mill the head decks, install and cut new exhaust valve seats, grind and install new exhaust valves, replace all valve springs and reassemble the heads. WHY did any of this make sense on easily replaceable heads and an easily replaceable block( we had four ready in our warehouse)?

[Dragncar]

The run of the mill blocks are some of the best for billet caps. Since it takes a plain Jane non drilled for 4 bolt 2 bolt main cap block to run splayed billet caps.
You need a 400 block out of grandmas grocery getter to use splayed caps, that is what I did.

[Gach]

That grandma only drove to the piggy wiggly Store. 50 miles one way car only had 75,000 miles on it, only got 2 speeding tickets. replaced The radiator twice from over heating. Over heated so bad it blow freeze plugs out. I’m going to take that block and make 700 hp. Couldn’t have been speeding to bad only had a two barrel crab on it. Just kidding trying to inject some humor…hey we got laugh.

[Stan Weiss]

Originally Posted by Gach

That grandma only drove to the piggy wiggly Store. 50 miles one way car only had 75,000 miles on it, only got 2 speeding tickets. replaced The radiator twice from over heating. Over heated so bad it blow freeze plugs out. I’m going to take that block and make 700 hp. Couldn’t have been speeding to bad only had a two barrel crab on it. Just kidding trying to inject some humor…hey we got laugh.

Grandma may not have gotten up there as quick as others still should have been able to cruise at 120 MPH.

Stan

[Gach]

And she got 21 mpg. LOL

[jwcfbd]

I just dropped my stripped down 400 block off at the shop to get inspected. They were relived when I got the box out of the truck with the main caps in it. Now I know why. :O

[hurryinhoosier62]

Originally Posted by jwcfbd

I just dropped my stripped down 400 block off at the shop to get inspected. They were relived when I got the box out of the truck with the main caps in it. Now I know why. :O

Yep. Fitting main caps onto a block without main caps is a royal PITA!!

[hurryinhoosier62]

Originally Posted by Dragncar

The run of the mill blocks are some of the best for billet caps. Since it takes a plain Jane non drilled for 4 bolt 2 bolt main cap block to run splayed billet caps.
You need a 400 block out of grandmas grocery getter to use splayed caps, that is what I did.

If it is a ‘67 two bolt main 400 or a ‘59/‘60 two bolt main 389 I agree; however, there are a butt load of 400s out there that IGNORANT people removed the main caps from to sell them separately. As to why I have no idea. Guess they know nothing about how difficult it is to mate up a different set of main caps.

[PAUL K]

Originally Posted by hurryinhoosier62

If it is a ‘67 two bolt main 400 or a ‘59/‘60 two bolt main 389 I agree; however, there are a butt load of 400s out there that IGNORANT people removed the main caps from to sell them separately. As to why I have no idea. Guess they know nothing about how difficult it is to mate up a different set of main caps.

I'm not sure why the main caps get lost. I've leaned towards them being put in a separate box and then misplaced. I remember giving a buddy a bunch of crap because he bought a project car and the 327 was missing the caps. I implied it was an ignorant Chevy thing because I had never seen it with a Pontiac. That opened the flood gates and I've seen about half a dozen since.

You'll appreciate this, I've found caps from a different block that were within .0015 out of round on the block needing them. It helps having a lot of caps to choose from.

[hurryinhoosier62]

Originally Posted by PAUL K

I'm not sure why the main caps get lost. I've leaned towards them being put in a separate box and then misplaced. I remember giving a buddy a bunch of crap because he bought a project car and the 327 was missing the caps. I implied it was an ignorant Chevy thing because I had never seen it with a Pontiac. That opened the flood gates and I've seen about half a dozen since.

You'll appreciate this, I've found caps from a different block that were within .0015 out of round on the block needing them. It helps having a lot of caps to choose from.

Paul, that is extremely close to a miracle! The closest I ever found was one set there averaged .002 tight across all five caps. O/R was only .0015.

[Dragncar]

Originally Posted by hurryinhoosier62

If it is a ‘67 two bolt main 400 or a ‘59/‘60 two bolt main 389 I agree; however, there are a butt load of 400s out there that IGNORANT people removed the main caps from to sell them separately. As to why I have no idea. Guess they know nothing about how difficult it is to mate up a different set of main caps.

I get it. But they are not making anymore PMD blocks and if someone wants to go through the trouble and expense to save a Pontiac block or build one to run hard more power to them. Its a free country and if they can afford it why not ?
The one I had splayed caps (and the front cap) installed on is a 73 400 block Whittmore had under his bench. Std bore so I went for it. It was so long ago it was early in the IA1 era from Indian Adventures.
Thing is, its not very cost effective. If a 2 bolt block is good to 600-650 HP that pretty good. Go through he expense of filling it and billet caps you might get 100HP safely out of it. Although I understand some have made over 750 HP NA and they lived fine.
I bet one could billet cap/fill a block and single turbo it at 5-10lbs and make 700 and it will live a long life if the owner is careful. sft cam it and have fun. Know someone who is planning on just that.
I have a 67 2 bolt block but its .060 over. They are known for being thick and I am still messing around with a inexpensive sonic tester so I might put some Milodon caps on her if enough meat. I have a old FE Ford block I am going to slice a piece of a bore out and see if i can get some accurate thickness readings.
Or bite the bullet and get a good one. I have other uses for a quality sonic checker.