Weakest component on a 3400 block?

[91BerettaGT]

I'm contemplating some ideas to my 3400 since it's not my daily driver and i'm in no rush to finish anything but of course like everybody here They want NOTHING but the best.

Anway, I've been talking to milzy about his cam and heads package. and they're fully useable at speeds of 7500 and still making power.

So if i wanted to safeguard my 3400 to revv as high as that, what would need be done? First i'd start off by having the crank balanced, should i have it balanced in the block or remove it and send it out?

What is the weakest component of a stock 3400 block? Rods? crank? wrist pins? pistons?

What would someone recommend to revv my 3400 that high?

[Doubt_Incarnate]

not sure about the rods holding up past 7000. i belive the 2.8/3.1 rods are supposed to go to 7000rpm. i don't know how much different/better the 3xoo rods are.

[MidnightriderZ24]

take the shortblock in and have it balanced. the engine will rev really high with the cam but is it useable power?

[91BerettaGT]

take the shortblock in and have it balanced. the engine will rev really high with the cam but is it useable power?

The way mike of milzy stated it gives me the idea that it is still MAKING power at that band...

However I did just send him an email specifically asking if it's usable power.

Such as 7500 was their rpm threshold that they wouldn't revv higher then because of the internals of the block.

[Guest]

You should buy my 3400 heads taht have been ported to the max. thread in the mall. sorry to hijack but I am not allowed to PM.

to keep on topic I would say the rods arent' reliable much past 7k on a daily basis and prob the weakest link.

[Nightingale]

I believe they are a little more reliable if you have them shot peened since they are already forged from the factory.

[v6h.o.]

Re: Weakest component on a 3400 block?

I'm contemplating some ideas to my 3400 since it's not my daily driver and i'm in no rush to finish anything but of course like everybody here They want NOTHING but the best.

Anway, I've been talking to milzy about his cam and heads package. and they're fully useable at speeds of 7500 and still making power.

So if i wanted to safeguard my 3400 to revv as high as that, what would need be done? First i'd start off by having the crank balanced, should i have it balanced in the block or remove it and send it out?

What is the weakest component of a stock 3400 block? Rods? crank? wrist pins? pistons?

What would someone recommend to revv my 3400 that high?

The crank has to be out of the block to be balanced. You need to have the pistons weight matched, rods weight matched, give them the pistons/rods/pistons wrist pins/pistonrings/bearings/crank/balancer/flywheel and they will weight match everything along with spin the crank and balance it.

It cost me 250$ CDN to have a Ecotec 4cylinder weight matched and balanced here in Wpg.

Just having a rocipricating assembly balanced does not mean the engine can rev to "X" amount of revs. A crank balanced at 100 rpm is still balanced at 10000 rpm, its the valvetrain that will be your limiting factor in terms of revs.

I would ditch the Hydrualic rollers and go Crane Solid roller lifters, to rev it that high. Get a solid roller Camshaft profile cut.
Crane Gold roller rockers
Comp Conical beehive springs and Titanium retainers.
Aftermarket valves. (the lighter here the better)
Stronger pushrods. (again the lighter the better)

Let me port your heads I'll get them to flow the CFM they need to.

The rods/pistons are the weak link.

[91BerettaGT]

Re: Weakest component on a 3400 block?

I'm contemplating some ideas to my 3400 since it's not my daily driver and i'm in no rush to finish anything but of course like everybody here They want NOTHING but the best.

Anway, I've been talking to milzy about his cam and heads package. and they're fully useable at speeds of 7500 and still making power.

So if i wanted to safeguard my 3400 to revv as high as that, what would need be done? First i'd start off by having the crank balanced, should i have it balanced in the block or remove it and send it out?

What is the weakest component of a stock 3400 block? Rods? crank? wrist pins? pistons?

What would someone recommend to revv my 3400 that high?

The crank has to be out of the block to be balanced. You need to have the pistons weight matched, rods weight matched, give them the pistons/rods/pistons wrist pins/pistonrings/bearings/crank/balancer/flywheel and they will weight match everything along with spin the crank and balance it.

It cost me 250$ CDN to have a Ecotec 4cylinder weight matched and balanced here in Wpg.

Just having a rocipricating assembly balanced does not mean the engine can rev to "X" amount of revs. A crank balanced at 100 rpm is still balanced at 10000 rpm, its the valvetrain that will be your limiting factor in terms of revs.

I would ditch the Hydrualic rollers and go Crane Solid roller lifters, to rev it that high. Get a solid roller Camshaft profile cut.
Crane Gold roller rockers
Comp Conical beehive springs and Titanium retainers.
Aftermarket valves. (the lighter here the better)
Stronger pushrods. (again the lighter the better)

Let me port your heads I'll get them to flow the CFM they need to.

The rods/pistons are the weak link.

I'm not worried about CFM, i'm more worried about spring pressures.

The lift is a .556 int and .559 exhaust, I want springs that won't bottom out. I'd love to buy a set of heads from you but i am trying to save up money and be able to go by payment plans that milzy is offering me and only me right now (1 person at a time, first to fuck it up fucks it up for all)

Pushrods aren't a problem as i can find chrome molley ones for $150

Valves would be included in the head job by milzy.

What do you suggest i do for the rods/pistons? Do you think i should even worry about it? the guy with the grand am only revved to 6500 and pulled a 14.1 with a 2.2 60 footer and that was in like 80 degree weather. (stage 2 cam/heads/ported intake manifolds TB and headers.) His motor in my car would give colin a run for his money

[bszopi]

RE: Re: Weakest component on a 3400 block?

Hey Colin, Milzy said your head porting was far from adequate for his stage 2 cam. How does that make you feel?

[91BerettaGT]

Re: RE: Re: Weakest component on a 3400 block?

Hey Colin, Milzy said your head porting was far from adequate for his stage 2 cam. How does that make you feel?

I'm going to guess at this from how i know colin by online means. But i'm guessing he's the laid back "i don't give a fuck what his opinion is" type guy.

I'm also guessing he won't take this personal.

I've also been talking to 1QUICKHATCH. Whom i'd rather buy from but I want at the same time nothing but the best for my car, so if he can get me what milzy is offering, cheaper, or same price, I would get it from him.

I know scott's a good guy by online means, i don't talk to colin as much (he ignores my pm's LOL j/k he should just turn on the settings to notify him) -- referring to v6z24.com's pm's. I talk to scott on MSN whenever he's on, he's a good guy to deal with, (once you realize you're dealing with the same guy LOL..

It all boils down to whats flexible, Right now Milzy is accepting payment plans and a time frame to allow me to send cores in (which i know are good) I'm sure scott wouldn't take a payment plan, however at the same time he probably would accept payments when they are available, until paid off, because he's a propietor and not a retail business.

The other thing is shipping. I am pretty sure milzy is in US. where as 1 scott and colin are in canada (no offense, shipping prices of course as well as taxes/duties)

[bszopi]

RE: Re: RE: Re: Weakest component on a 3400 block?

I know all this... I just like to try to get Colin spun up.

[RacerX11]

Re: Weakest component on a 3400 block?

I'm not worried about CFM, i'm more worried about spring pressures.

You better start worrying about CFM. It takes more than a cam and valvesprings to run that high. You need the entire system (heads, cam, intake, TB, etc.) to support airflow up that high. Not that your transmisison will be happy once you get the engine to make power to 7500.

Marty

[TurboZ24]

RE: Re: Weakest component on a 3400 block?

The 5-speed will not shift at high rpm. The auto's are rated at a max input shaft speed of 6200 rpm.

[v6h.o.]

Re: RE: Re: Weakest component on a 3400 block?

Hey Colin, Milzy said your head porting was far from adequate for his stage 2 cam. How does that make you feel?

Where did he get a head from that I ported?

[TurboGTU]

RE: Re: RE: Re: Weakest component on a 3400 block?

I would say the rods and pistons are the weakest link to it all falling apart.

I'd try to find a light set of foged rods (machened for 60*v6) and pistons and ARP hardweare everywhere you can. If your going that high of an rpm..I'd say you better start looking at longer rods and costom offset pistons for durability and insurance sake.

YOu prob have to run a extreamly high spring rate with a solid roller lifter if you want to keep making power past 7K rpm. I'm sure who ever your getting your cam from will sell you the springs with the correct pressures.

(IMO-the 3400 would stop making power after 6.5Krpm anyway...if it would be a 2800 hybrid..then I say go for it).

BTW..whats the claimed HP at those rpm??? If its under 270..I'd crap the idea of going that high. 100VE at 7500rpm would be around 300-335hp.
Start hunting down a Getrag 284 or adapting a NSX tranny for thise rpms.*