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355 stroker build questions

brewerboy

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Hi all.

I own a 1999 VS Ser III Ute. 5.0 auto. Its running pacemakers, twin VS V8 cats and an open single 3" system. Its only got 92000 K's on the clock, mostly highway cruising, but i want to update the car.

Id like to give it the 355 treatment, but keep it mild for long term reliability. I was thinking around the 250kw and 530 Nm kind of mark. Im not after massive accelleration and will be keeping the 3.08 diff...... for now. The car is used only a few times a month (i have a company car)

I have a few questions about what else on the car needs to upgraded to handle the extra power, to keep it reliable. I dont want to do the motor and find im buying a new gearbox ever 12 months.

Questions:

do i need to upgrade the fuel pump?
Do i need to change the stall converter? (still not real sure how they work...lockups, no lockups?............. im an electrician :bang:) PS..... i have a trans cooler.
Do i need to do anything to the gearbox... will it handle the power?
Is it a good idea to remove the standard motors cooling fan and put in a thermo fan? That thing must be dragging power down!
Do i need Roller Rockers?

If there is anything else you kind folks think i should know, do or inquire about to make this build a reality, id be happy to hear your opinions.

Thanks

Tony
 

betts

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Gday mate, welcome to the forums. I am currently building a 355 stroker, so I should have answers to all your questions, but I don't haha. I'll tell you what I do know, and hopefully someone more knowlegdable can fill in the rest.

Depending on how mild or wild you want your stoker to be, and depending on the cam choice, you will most likely need to upgrade your stall convertor to be able to get the most out of your engine combo. Eg, if you build something like I am, with a 286 cam, the power doesnt really kick in until around 3000rpm. If you are running a stock stall convertor, it will be pretty sluggish until it hits the powerband, whereas if you run a 2700 stall convertor, when you nail it you will be instantly hitting your powerband. A trans cooler is a good idea, every auto should have one.

If you are talking 250kw at the flywheel, the as long as you haven't thrashed your gearbox, it should hold up to the power fine. However if you are looking at 250rwkw, then I would say a stock auto may not be up to it, especially if you like to drive with spirit. Gearbox rebuilds are relatively cheap these days, so if you are after 250rwkw head down to a few auto specialists and see what they can offer.

I would say yes to the cooling fan, v8's always need more cooling.

Unless you stick with a relatively stock cam, then yes you will need higher ratio roller rockers.

If anyone has more to add, or some corrections to what I have said then go for it.
 

TrikkBen

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Blowing my own horn here, but depending on whats on the engine already a high volume/high performance oilpan. We hear of so many cars whacking the engine due to overlooking this part. Plus the windage tray will unlock a few more KW's..

Ben
 

crewsy

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running thermo fans on these engines will flow more air, thus helping to keep it cool, but you wouldnt notice a power difference if you swapped from the clutch fan setup to electric because its just so minimal. You would need to run thermos if you are looking at adding a gilmer drive belt setup though.
 

brewerboy

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Betts........ thanks for your input to this.

Im not after a wild motor. Just something more like the stock 6.0 gen 4. My brother has just bought SS and i loved the torque response of the Gen 4.

His SS weighs almost 1900kg and my ute weight 1430kg....... so similar power should see some awsome results.

Will definatly look into the stall converter upgrade with the motor......... may upgrade the diff later on down the track if i feel the need.

The 286 is something i have heard good things about and probably will be aiming for. Its not a daily driver so i guess something like this should be fine.

Now.......... stall converters? I have read the stock unit has no lock up. from what you say im guessing the 2700 rpm unit will lock up and give me full power up to 2700rpm for max acceleration then do what ever it has to do to stop the gearbox going BANG!

Am i close?

Roller rockers........ still not sure of the sdvantages they give biut i guess if they are on most performance engines, they cant be a bad thing. I cant rule out a blower later on down the track (a few years down) so probably better off to put them in from the start of the build.

Fan........ bugger it, i like the idea of it so i will do it.

What sive davis craig is best in the front or a VS or can i fit VT thermos ? I have read of some folks doing this on here........ not even sure if VT's have thermos :whistling

Trikkben........... great point! I guess this is not an expensive addition....... a larget volume oil pan. Is it an advantade to hold larger volumes of oil or other reasons ? Id love to hear your advice on it.

As for the windage tray............ mate.......... excuse my ignorance but ive never heard of it? Im a lecco for gods sake! Some info would be great!

Crewsy........ not planning on a glimmer belt.......... a big roots blower out hte bonnet would fulfill my wildest dreams but with a home loan and 4 kids.............. its not going to happen.

Im guessing that from what you say.......... if i need money to either replace the stall converter or replace the fans........ im better off replacing the stall converter? Im getting that feeling.

I have read that VT thermos are used........ are they a simple bolt in option?

cheers

PS............. the ute has to live forever........ Peter brock sat in the passneger seat and signed the dash for me on request! Thats better than a blessing from the pope in my books. I have a pic of him sighning it. Will have to wash it and put a few pics of the old girl up in my sig!

Im lovin this site :yeah:
 

greenfoam

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You should be able to get around 240rwkw or so with fairly common parts (depending on who dynos it could be less or more), without needed roller rockers, around the 230 degrees duration (like the 286) is a good size cam to have for a mild 355, it's a fairly mild cam in a engine that size (bit grumpy in a 304 tho).

9.5 or 10:1 compression, little bit of head porting a good manifold (low rise TP dual plane, TP single plane, single plane harrop) any of those should make that power, all offer different power curves but will all get you there. And a suitable cam will get you there. You will need a better fuel pump and something like Bosch 706 cream top injectors. VT thermos wont fit (too wide) but AU Falcon fans will
 

brewerboy

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Hi greenfoam.

I was talking more about 250kw at the flywheel..... not after a 500hp monster.

More than this and it will be useless as far as i know. Whats the point in power if you cant get traction and i cant afford the gear to get this much power to grip in a light backed ute. It wheelspins enough now with the stock 5 liter.

Its been lowered a 3 inches in the back, 4 in the front. All pedders adjustable struts, springs, dirty great big sway bars, stopped the axil tramp off the lights but not the wheel spin.

Too much i read about utes with 800hp and still only doing mid 12 second 1/4 miles. Wheel spin is a bastard and i want to keep it all sensible........... to a point :yeah:

The 286 crane cam is sounding popular! Will be interested to see what the engine builders say when i speak to them. Cant wait to have a chat with them about the project.

cheers

cheers
 

brewerboy

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Something i was just thinking about............ I have the VT Roller cam motor in my ute..... its a 99 model.

Is there a limited range of cams available for this motor?

I know COME have done a lot of development on it and have cams to suit. It would have been done when i bought the ute and could afford it but noone had cams for the roller cam motor. I kept ringing COME and they told me...... were working on it. rang back and rang back with the same response.

Got married, bought house, had kids and then found they had a cam for the motor. But....... couldnt afford it any more.

Im now in a position where i can.

cheers
 

TrikkBen

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Brewerboy, Depending on what you wanna do with the car, what rev range it will see and your budget affects what kinda of sump you would need. If it is just going to be used as a street car won't see the strip and won't be circuit raced, i would recommend an entry level pan, this consists of a High Volume Ear (Oil Reservoir) and Multi Louvre windage tray. If you decide to go for an upper level race pan, internal componets are fitted ie. Control Baffles, Gate sets, Directional Baffles, Bolt-it Uni-Directional Mesh windage tray.

Of course ther are Level's between Entry and full on Race pans. If you want anymore info PM me, we have a website etc. but as im not allowed to advertise our product without authority, i can't say to much more :)

Cheers
Ben
 

brewerboy

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Brewerboy, Depending on what you wanna do with the car, what rev range it will see and your budget affects what kinda of sump you would need.
Cheers
Ben

Street use...... mainly weekend cruising. Ocasional gets loaded up for a trip to the tip which gets it dirty :cry: but its a holden ute...... it can take it.

Im not planning on a big reving motor and i dont flog/street race/do burnouts so do i really need it? If its going to make the engine more reliable im all for it but if its only needed for a motor thats going to be driven hard......maybe not.

I simply cant afford to drive it hard and break things.

Will send a PM
 
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