Ritter small block question

[Oldmanmopar]

What are the issues with the Ritter blocks that anyone has heard? Had a customer call and it is breaking roller tie bars.

 

[usp4u]

The issues with v1.0 were porosity. The re-vision has corrected those issues.
I know Brett has used a couple dozen of them at this point and last I heard, they were having great luck with them.

I have never heard of them breaking lifter tie bars. That is.......odd.

 

[Oldmanmopar]

This is a small block mopar

 

[usp4u]

I dont understand your post.....Clearly "Ritter Block" means SBM.

Ive been to Ritter's place and discussed the block and the previous issues. I also talk to Brett a couple times per year and have been to Harshman's place were there are about 10 Ritter blocks at any given time.

I have never heard of breaking tie bars.

 

[Professor Fate]

Although I have never seen this happen, and my experience with Ritter blocks is "0", is there a chance the lifter tie bars are contacting the top of the taller lifter bores in the Ritter block? A little clearancing or different brand of lifter may be needed...

 

[GTX JOHN]

We have run a Ritter block with no issues
whatsoever.

 

[Oldmanmopar]

The block is not here yet we got a call on it from another machine shop. I was just wondering about any issues before we take the job to check the block. We have no idea what caused the lifter tie bars to break. I have just looked on the web at pictures and the head bolt boss looks like it may interfere without being clearanced. We have no clue on what was done to it when built. I'll get some pictures when it arrives

 

[JDMopar]

The only issue I have heard is unrelated to the tie bar deal. A local machine shop that is typically Chevy built a SBM street motor for a guy using a Ritter block. They put a standard 340 rear main seal in it and it leaked like a sieve! Ritter blocks take a different rear main seal. I don't know the part number, but it is an off the shelf seal. The Chevy shop threw up their hands and quit. The owner of the engine brought it to my machinist who figured out the problem in a few minutes. He called Ritter and they told him the part number of the seal to buy at any parts store.

 

[Oldmanmopar]

Just did a quick search and I typed in "ritter block issues" and many came up,Here are just two.
I have no clue what happened to the engine i am referring to. I just thought I would see what the latest info was from this forum to get an idea what to look for when it arrives.

Now I see problems with cam tunnel as per one thread I found. Also lifter bore issues. Just needed a heads up from anyone using this block. Never saw one and never had any experience with any myself.

https://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/2526817/1.html

Ritter disaster

 

[usp4u]

The issues that Shiloh had (your first link) and the core shift (your 2nd link) were the first version of the block. As I mentioned before, the v2.0 is vastly improved. Those issues where, after all, about 8 years ago.

Do you know the approx. age of the block you are going to be working on?

You may be well served to call Randy Harshman at Harshman Automotive. They have machined a bunch of them.