Welcome to the final installment of Circle Track's experimental odyssey looking into what can be done with a cast-off crate engine. If you don't remember, we purchased a Chevrolet 604 crate engine that had been left to rot in a corner after a blown head gasket. Because the racer ran in a sealed crate class, it was cheaper and easier to get a new engine rather than send the existing piece off to be rebuilt.
Our idea was to take the old crate, keep what was usable and create a built racing engine out of it. From the original engine, the block, crank, oil pan, and pump still remain, and to that we've added select components designed to make the new engine capable of winning races in upper-level Street Stock classes.
In the last installment we finished installing the valvetrain. This time around the goal is to finish buttoning up the engine and get it on the dyno. From there we'll have to finish getting a car built so that we can actually get it on a racetrack.
What We Spent Item Manufacturer Part Number Cost Block, Crank, & Oil Pan Blown Chevrolet Crate 1000 Intake Manifold Edelbrock 5,001.00 133.00 Cylinder Heads RHS 12,402.00 560.00 Valve Springs Comp Cams 26926-16 270.00 Intake Valves Manley 11566-8 120.00 Exhaust Valves Manley 11565-8 120.00 Camshaft Comp Cams W 6618-11 232.00 Spring Retainers Comp Cams 1777-16 150.00 Intake Rocker Arms (1.7:1) Comp Cams 1620-8 167.00 Exhaust Rocker Arms (1.52:1) Comp Cams 1608-8 167.00 Valve Locks Comp Cams 648-16 23.00 3/8 Pushrod Guide Plates Comp Cams 4810-8 18.00 Timing Set Comp Cams 7,100.00 99.00 3/8 Pushrods Comp Cams 7980-16 155.00 Carburetor Holley 0-4777C 363.00 One Inch Spacer Holley 17-27 45.00 Damper Fluidampr 62260D 349.00 Pistons JE 300,252.00 890.00 Connecting Rods Carrillo C351A65700H0 303.00 Top End Gasket Kit Cometic PRO1003T 241.00 Bottom End Gasket Kit Cometic PRO1004B 88.00 Valve Covers RHS VC-12000 166.00 Rocker Studs ARP 134-7103 45.00 Head Bolts ARP 134-3701 81.00 Front Drive Kit Jones Racing Products 1004-AL-75 849.00 Break-In Oil (8 Quarts) Amsoil BRKQT 57.00 Stud Girdle Comp Cams 4,009.00 205.00 Timing Cover All-Star Performance ALL90010 24.00 Distributor Davis Unified Ignition S127212 369.00 Plug Wires Davis Unified Ignition C9051 99 Headers Kooks Custom Headers 1505S 446 Rod Bearings King Engine Bearings CR807XPN 67 Main Bearings King Engine Bearings MB557XP 61 Cam Bearings King Engine Bearings CS507HP 22 Machine Work Bore and Torque Plate Hone Cylinders KT Engine Development 275 Align Hone KT Engine Development 275 Deck Block KT Engine Development 150 Deck Heads KT Engine Development 100 CC Verify Heads KT Engine Development 125 Internal Balance Crankshaft KT Engine Development 250 Final Wash KT Engine Development 65 Total 9,224
On the Dyno Torque HP 4,300 450.4 369 4,400 446.6 374.1 4,500 449.5 385.1 4,600 446.4 391 4,700 448.3 401.2 4,800 447.1 408.6 4,900 446.2 416.2 5,000 442.4 421.1 5,100 440.3 427.5 5,200 437.9 433.6 5,300 433.5 437.4 5,400 429.3 441.4 5,500 424.1 444.1 5,600 418.1 445.8 5,700 414.5 449.8 5,800 409.8 452.6 5,900 402.5 452.1 6,000 393.6 449.6 6,100 385.1 447.3 6,200 378 446.2 6,300 371 445 6,400 367 447.2 6,500 359.7 445.2
