Description:
Price Includes CNC-Machined, Assembly-Ready Block (cam bearings installed) and P1 1/2" Head Stud Kit
Dart Machinery is our preferred vendor for aluminum LS engine blocks used in boosted applications. Their splayed main cap design is unique among LS blocks and we that it believe provides superior strength. Our typical starting point is Dart PN 31947211 which is skirted and has a 9.240 deck and 4.125 inch bore.
As we climb the horsepower ladder, we will start upgrading aluminum blocks sooner than their iron counterparts because aluminum is a softer material. The first upgrade is head studs: More (6-bolt head), Bigger (1/2") and Better (upgraded alloy). The Dart block is a 6-bolt design and a higher grade S220 alloy is standard, so Bigger is the way to go. The included P1 Mfg. 1/2" S220 head stud kit provides 40% more clamping pressure to the heads than the S220 Dart 7/16" head studs. This is critical as lifting of the heads is a common cause of catastrophic failure for engines under boost. (Read blog on head studs)
Our shop is all-CNC using state-of-the-art Rottler machinery as you can see in the video below. This allows us to perform our machining operations with extreme precision and obtain measurably better outcomes (see video). A side benefit is that we can easily add 1/2" stud machining at a nominal cost to the standard 4-axis machining protocol as there is no additional set up required. Our standard block prep includes the following:
- Square deck to height on 4-Axis Rottler CNC
- Deburr entire block and main caps
- CNC diamond hone and plateau finish cylinders
- Alignhone mains, hone lifter bores
- CNC chamfer cylinder bores
- Final clean block and paint with primer
- Install Dart cam bearings and test fit cam
- Install oil galley and freeze plugs
Other common block upgrades we offer are:
- Piston oiler installation - great for road racing and other endurance applications
- Machine for Jesel belt drives
- Machine for larger lifter diameters
Beyond these upgrades, there are a wide range of LS Next aluminum block options from Dart such as raised cam, tall deck, and the LS Next2 versions with 0.5 inch main studs and either 2.560 or 2.750 inch Ford Cleveland style mains. We can supply blocks with any combination of these options, and either as-produced by Dart, or fully machined by us.
Let's talk now about the P1 studs. These S220 head studs are made from steel sourced only from US mills. Precision is paramount. All P1 fasteners are individually racked and heat treated in-house in vacuum furnaces under the supervision of their full-time metallurgist. Every stud is straightened and centerless ground for exceptional concentricity. Threads are rolled post-heat treatment providing optimal strength. 12-point nuts are cold forged in-house and vacuum heat treated. Washers are hardened and double-disc ground, further contributing to consistent results. Every critical fastener is made, start to finish, in our state-of-the-art facility in Rogersville, Missouri, USA.
If you’d like, we can take your project further. From short block to long block to fully dressed crate engine with whatever type of power adder you want - and whatever horsepower you want. We carry inventory of the high-end parts we need for these big-power builds and can supply them to you as parts, not just as completed engines or assemblies.
Give us a call at 815-725-2727 to discuss your needs from parts to complete crate engines and everything in between.
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