Hughes main stud girdle - yes or no

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On the early Hemi (which is the same bottom end) we used to use a girdle that tied into the pan rail
also a Pita
still blew the cranks out on the strip
(a little is good , more is better Nitro tuner)
 
If I had to do it over again, I'd probably pass on the girdle (for my application).....the added expense and hassles for what you get in return is most likely not worth it.
 
A lot of money is waisted on unnecessary tricks and procedures. Like I stated before I am a budget builder and we beat the piss out of our engines at the track weekly. No girdles, no special ring packs, I can only remember line honing one big block because I put Billet caps on it. Never line honed a small block. probably giving up a hair here but never used torque plates for bore jobs, no belt drives and never used a vacuum pump. Let the insults fly but I never missed a year of Racing even after having a heart attach and going through a divorce. Budget is my middle name.
 
Hi chaps,
A quick update. I decided not to argue the point with my engine builder, so we’ve dispensed with the girdle and he’s just used the supplied studs machined down a bit.
I now have a useless slab of steel I can use as some kind of decorative garage furniture!
 
moper said:
Pro Gram as noted, and I don't use them unless it was honestly capable of 550hp and steady high rpms. It's one of those "to each there own" things. If you are planning to make 600hp you are not tossing together a cast crank with a set of RPMs. You're going to be using good or really good heads, good rockers, a solid roller cam, good crank and rods... A budget for an honest NA 600hp will be between $8-10K depending on the top end package. For me, a factory block for that will cost $2400 to get ready. That's magged, sonic tested, fitting billet caps on #1-4 mains, studs, align bore and hone, square deck, bore, plate hone, bush lifter bores, modify oiling system, and de-burr. The caps and studs will run another $6-700. By the time you're done, you;ve got a block that will take 600hp, but it's maxxed out. For another few hundred you could have one that can handle another 2-300hp and be rebuildable even at much larger displacements.
Click to expand...

And then spend that same money or more getting it ready and finished !!
 
Wreckless said:
Hi chaps,
A quick update. I decided not to argue the point with my engine builder, so we’ve dispensed with the girdle and he’s just used the supplied studs machined down a bit.
I now have a useless slab of steel I can use as some kind of decorative garage furniture!
Click to expand...

I have never built a small block mopar and know absolutely nothing about them.
I had aftermarket ''4 bolt" main caps , studs, all line bored and honed on a 406 sbc , around 600 h.p. , I saw signs of main cap walk even with all the extras done to it . Would a girdle have helped it / I don't know , but my 440/505 is putting out more power and I haven`t seen any signs of capwalk in it`s bearings .
I have just removed the stud girdle , tired of fighting oil leaks-------------
 
Use light rotating assembly with good balance job, and factory aftermarket caps with studs.
I ran an X block( admittedly better than stock block) but with as supplied 2 bolt caps, no fill.
700 real horsepower, 7500 every pass in the lights, zero issues for years.
That deal has run 140@ 3220. The math works.
4 inch crank, 13.5 compression
 
i had one installed 9n my 416 i have nitrous i have no problems insurance so far
 
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