Ritter disaster

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Don’t sugar coat it!!

I think instead of saying “as much as”....... it should be “at least” 5K.
Ehhhh, as I said, it’s not the block price but work after purchase lulled with someone who knows WTF there doing. The cost above the purchase price is a minor concern because I want I read about them. The issues seem to be wide and varied as well as extensive in some cases.

Since machining prices vary widely by region and shop, have an idea from a known reputable shop could help somewhat.

That is not so much a question on block cost because of the reasoning above but closer to a possible heads up that could be used in conversation with a local machinist.

The biggest item is the “Work needed” on the block (as I said, reported as wide and varied) and ask my local machinist his costs.

Again, purchase price is one thing, readiness is another, cost? I wouldn’t want to spend another 2500 or 5K in work just to make the block usable score entertaining any thoughts on the rotating assembly & heads.
 
I'll look at my receipt from the shop out here that did mine, I think I have including block about 5500, but will get a more finite answer. I'll take a picture of it when I find it.
 
Ehhhh, as I said, it’s not the block price but work after purchase lulled with someone who knows WTF there doing. The cost above the purchase price is a minor concern because I want I read about them. The issues seem to be wide and varied as well as extensive in some cases.

Since machining prices vary widely by region and shop, have an idea from a known reputable shop could help somewhat.

That is not so much a question on block cost because of the reasoning above but closer to a possible heads up that could be used in conversation with a local machinist.

The biggest item is the “Work needed” on the block (as I said, reported as wide and varied) and ask my local machinist his costs.

Again, purchase price is one thing, readiness is another, cost? I wouldn’t want to spend another 2500 or 5K in work just to make the block usable score entertaining any thoughts on the rotating assembly & heads.


Who spent 2500 fixing a block? A Ritter block? Again I have never, ever taken a block out of the crate and ran it. Never. Dart. World. Indy. X block. R block. None of them. Bow Tie crap.

They ALL need machine work. Every one of them. Every one needed the mains cleaned up, the decks cut, the bores finished. Some needed lifter bores corrected. Some were sent back. I had two BT blocks for the same customer that I sent back. Scroggins-Dickey was sending him junk. Finally he found one somewhere else.

So the lie that the GM and Ford guys buy blocks and just drop them in is just that, a lie.
 
Who spent 2500 fixing a block? A Ritter block?
IDK, you tell me.

Again I have never, ever taken a block out of the crate and ran it. Never. Dart. World. Indy. X block. R block. None of them. Bow Tie crap.
(Again?)
That is not a surprise.
They ALL need machine work. Every one of them. Every one needed the mains cleaned up, the decks cut, the bores finished. Some needed lifter bores corrected. Some were sent back. I had two BT blocks for the same customer that I sent back. Scroggins-Dickey was sending him junk. Finally he found one somewhere else.
Not surprised

So the lie that the GM and Ford guys buy blocks and just drop them in is just that, a lie.
No one said that here.
 
To me, it sure sounds like the OP had actual “issues” to contend with....... more than what would be considered normal prep and finish machining IMO.

Line hone, deck, bore & hone, hone lifter bores...... I’m okay with that.

Cam tunnel issues and head bolt holes in the wrong place....... no excuse for that with a $3000 aftermarket block, machined at what’s supposedly a high end cnc machining facility.
 
To me, it sure sounds like the OP had actual “issues” to contend with....... more than what would be considered normal prep and finish machining IMO.

Line hone, deck, bore & hone, hone lifter bores...... I’m okay with that.

Cam tunnel issues and head bolt holes in the wrong place....... no excuse for that with a $3000 aftermarket block, machined at what’s supposedly a high end cnc machining facility.


One of the BT blocks mentioned above had a cam tunnel that was out. We could have fixed it, but the owner didn't want to run roller bearings or a bigger bearing. Plus, it was brand new.

Did the OP actually call Kent and find out of he could get a replacement? Who knows. But the Chrysler guys ***** more than even the Pontiac guys.
 
many times it's not just hone the lifter bores but bush
YR said and it's true "But the Chrysler guys ***** more than even the Pontiac guys."The guys that leave the hidden oil plug out of their builds and want me to fix it for free
Leave out a plug in a LA you just bypass the filter- In a Pontiac you have no oil pressure
 
Thanks, it’s not the stomach that has the issue.

No kiddin. That's just ridiculous, I don't give a fig what you're doing. Look at a compatible Chevy block price. Yeah. Tempting ain't it?
 
No kiddin. That's just ridiculous, I don't give a fig what you're doing. Look at a compatible Chevy block price. Yeah. Tempting ain't it?
I’ll run a Chevy again, IDGAF.
I have my chops busted a good bit for running an “Expensive MoPar” & it’s OK. I tell them I run it because I want to run it. Nothing more, nothing less.
Same with the 6 pack. You always hear, “YA Know.... you can make more power with a single 4 RIGHT!”

I say, “Hey buddy, DILLIGAF? You run what you want to run because that’s what you wanna run and of story.”
 
Don’t sugar coat it!!

I think instead of saying “as much as”....... it should be “at least” 5K.
Ha ha, well I like sugar in my coooooool aid! 5900.00 is what we get for a Ritter block that has been on a CNC and had everything checked and corrected, including: lifter bore bushings, roller cam bearings, line hone with thrust issue fixed, decked, bored and honed with TQ plate (4 bolt or 6 bolt), rear main cap corrected, drain backs added, Front of block drilled for std. timing cover, and they take a special square rear main seal....so it's not for the faint of heart. I personally am building a Gen 3 hemi for my duster right now just because it's an easy 700+HP with no real tricks...and I can move up on power if I want to (NOS would be easiest/cheapest) without changing anything (once I get my Protrans 904). Most good small blocks will take 650HP without too much trouble.
Russ at Indy told me the reason they have aluminum AMC blocks is that a bunch of wealthy AMC racers paid for the tooling so they could have that block. Maybe we could get a bunch of SB Mopar guys interested enough to do the same thing...they must outnumber the AMC guys 1000 to 1! Just a thought...would be cool to have an aluminum block option, 4.125-4.200 bore and 340 or 360 mains, and 59 or 48° options. So for 7K you'd have a better block than the Ritter, and at least 125lbs. lighter! That's only 1100.00 more than the Ritter...and if it's done right, should hold around 1500HP or more.
It's a pipe dream for sure...what can I say, I just got back from vacation at the Beach!!
 
I've worked on the Aluminum AMC block but not the Indy well the Al AMC block was for Indy but not from Indy AFIK
Nice piece and you can bolt a TF to it
better motor than a SBM IHMO
 
Ha ha, well I like sugar in my coooooool aid! 5900.00 is what we get for a Ritter block that has been on a CNC and had everything checked and corrected, including: lifter bore bushings, roller cam bearings, line hone with thrust issue fixed, decked, bored and honed with TQ plate (4 bolt or 6 bolt), rear main cap corrected, drain backs added, Front of block drilled for std. timing cover, and they take a special square rear main seal....so it's not for the faint of heart. I personally am building a Gen 3 hemi for my duster right now just because it's an easy 700+HP with no real tricks...and I can move up on power if I want to (NOS would be easiest/cheapest) without changing anything (once I get my Protrans 904). Most good small blocks will take 650HP without too much trouble.
Russ at Indy told me the reason they have aluminum AMC blocks is that a bunch of wealthy AMC racers paid for the tooling so they could have that block. Maybe we could get a bunch of SB Mopar guys interested enough to do the same thing...they must outnumber the AMC guys 1000 to 1! Just a thought...would be cool to have an aluminum block option, 4.125-4.200 bore and 340 or 360 mains, and 59 or 48° options. So for 7K you'd have a better block than the Ritter, and at least 125lbs. lighter! That's only 1100.00 more than the Ritter...and if it's done right, should hold around 1500HP or more.
It's a pipe dream for sure...what can I say, I just got back from vacation at the Beach!!


And how much to do those same corrections on a GM block? Machine time is machine time.
 
The GM small blocks don't start out at 3200+....


Right. But the machine time is the same. If the Chrysler guys would actually BUY the stuff, production would go up, and costs would come down. It will never be GM money but it would be much cheaper.

I don't blame the aftermarket. I blame the Chrysler g guys. If it won't take 100 % stock parts they won't do it. The greater percentage won't anyway.

I have never, ever once had a Chevy guy ***** about upgrading to shaft rockers. Not once. But get a Chrysler guy and tell him he needs to run offset rockers and the cost is the same or close to GM pricing, he will claim his daughter needs a boob job and his wife needs her teeth fixed (I shot you not, had a Chrysler guy tell me that...was buying his 17 YO daughter new boobs and was fixing his wife's teeth). I said skip the boob job and buy the rockers. He said he think about it. I thought about it, put all his **** by the door and had the office call him and tell him to come pick up his stuff.

I should write a book.
 
Thanks Matt

Okay I went cast iron block so the block shipped to me was $2700, here is the work done for $3100, so the same as others, I drilled the cooling passages in the deck and the drain back holes in the cam tunnel. Dont mined the lifter size we ended up going back to a stock .904 lifter, but 59 degree, 340 mains, 9.6 deck, roller cam bearings, line honed, decked. The shop is QMP racing out in Cali. awesome shoe and Mike is fantastic to deal with, takes great care of you.

Resized_20190706_191026_8648.jpeg
 
I am a retired Mechanical
Engineer / Six Sigma Black Belt that made a career out of casting and machining blocks and heads.
It is AJN’s in today’s world of casting and machining that semi machined blocks or heads would be supplied without prior dimensional
knowledge of:#1 the part as it is delivered
#2 exactly what the part needs to make it fully functional, with information on: remaining finish stock, datums, key dimensional positions.
But then again, I am a Slant Six guy and being able to buy any Slant Six performance block or head parts is a pipe dream, so the group that I run with knows how to roll their own.
 
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Okay I went cast iron block so the block shipped to me was $2700, here is the work done for $3100, so the same as others, I drilled the cooling passages in the deck and the drain back holes in the cam tunnel. Dont mined the lifter size we ended up going back to a stock .904 lifter, but 59 degree, 340 mains, 9.6 deck, roller cam bearings, line honed, decked. The shop is QMP racing out in Cali. awesome shoe and Mike is fantastic to deal with, takes great care of you.

View attachment 1715360004


Other than cutting the rear cap for the seal and the 3/8 bolts up front that's all pretty normal stuff.

Why are they cutting the cap for a seal? Are you saying Ritter sends it out with the seal cut? That's a stumper unless I'm not getting what they are doing.
 
No I had to resend it in. Here's what happened, on Hughes website it said all block are machined for a 360 pan, which I bought and modified for my application already, but since I ordered 340 mains the old shop cut the cap for a 340 oil pan, so when I send it back for 360 oil pan the inner lip which did not affect the seal what so ever was opened to match, nothing major, just a minor thing.
 
Asking for a replacement was an option i was quoted 3 weeks delivery on the first block after 6 months i thought i had done my money .
Even if i was supplied with a replacement i still had shipping import tax clearance & machining to add which would have been
$3000 plus another 6 month wait.
The original was solid just poorly finished yes i expected some extra machining on what i was told just not quite as much .
i thought it better to continue with what i had rather than start with a fresh block.
The bottom end is 340 came machined for a 1 piece Signal SM14255 seal Kent also supplies an Arrow timing cover for the block
for a around $190.
Although it was not much to drill & tap for a LA cover
The core plug holes also tap out nicely to 1" BSP for threaded plugs after discovering 1 plug hole suffered from bad tool chatter & would not seal.
Kent said he had done a run of 340 blocks but although they could be recovered he would not send & would due a fresh batch i think i may of ended up with 1 of the first batch.
On the other hand a new R3 340 mains tall deck wet sump 48 degree cost me $3500 USD including all taxes & shipping
Top deck already machined.
By the way great stuff you A body guys are doing
 
No I had to resend it in. Here's what happened, on Hughes website it said all block are machined for a 360 pan, which I bought and modified for my application already, but since I ordered 340 mains the old shop cut the cap for a 340 oil pan, so when I send it back for 360 oil pan the inner lip which did not affect the seal what so ever was opened to match, nothing major, just a minor thing.


Ok, that makes sense.
 
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