510 cu inches or 526

I recently lost a motor and in the process of rebuilding and have a choice of combination. i had a tfx, 4.310 bore, 1.156 pins, 4.5 stroke for 526 cu inches.

my heads are the older AJ stake 2 fuel heads with 175 cc chambers so it take the larger dome pistons which are available in 4.310 or 4.375.

will going to a 1.094 pin help take some weight off piston without sacrificing to much strenght from the 1.156 pin i had?

I have a chance to pick up a new block and a 4 3/8 crank. should i use the 4.375 bore to get my 526 back, or use the 4.310 and drop my cu inch down to i guess a 510 or 511?

just wonder if this will help me. I have a 1471 hh retro littlefield around 30 to 40 psi depending on pully set up 29% to 38%. in theory will having a smaller cu inch be easier to fill with my blower to make more hp VS my 526 bigger chambers to fill?

just getting ideas to make the most outta this change to make more power on a budget. this is a #3000 automatic door car to.

thanks for any ideas howard

 

Well the 510 will cost just as much as the 526 to build so I would go with the 526 Howard. Additional cubic inches are free horsepower. You would be suprised how many outlaw guys are running 542ci now days.

 

I don't have a comment on the cubic inch question...but can offer my advise on your combo: Go with the most common, easy to find combination. Just consider spare parts that can be found at a good price....also the group of racers that you run with (spares/trades/Etc.)...I built a 526 using 4.500 stroke crank (3" Main) and 4.310 bore.....the crank is common T/F and the bore is common alcohol F/C. I know that 4.375 and 4.500 cranks are both common....ya just need to decide what you think you can come up with easily...off the shelf rods, pistons, rings, pins, etc. Hope this helps.....

 

I recommend the smaller motor, especially if you don't have a killer blower. The larger motor is harder for the blower to keep up to, we made the change from a 510 to a 526 a few years ago and weren't happy with the results.

 

Howard, i agree, build the common combo. Spares can be borrowed/bought way easier.

I also like smaller inch motors. Blowers work better when they aren't attempting to fill the Grand Canyon. I run a 372 chevy and get away with a 671.

Your old motor went out in style though. Can't save the block? Looks like it took alot with it when it popped.

 

Hey Ken, what do you mean you were not happy with the results of the larger motor. I am thinking droping the cubic inches/torgue might even help tame my converter car down a little on the launch, but then again at 3000# i may hurt myself with less cu inch.

just not sure what to do, i was really thinking of my blower filling the the smaller motor easier making more hp but............

Greg she went out in a blaze of glory!!!!! I salvaged the blower,intake, head castings and the valve cover nuts, all else went to the aluminum gods.

 

I would go with the bigger 526 for the same reason that Sitko would go with the smaller motor .That the blower can't keep up to. For the same O.D. the blower will move more air at lower boost and will use less power doing it. A side benefit of lower boost is cooler air. The valve springs are used more for closing the valve and less for closing the boost.

 

Howard, these guys that would run the smaller engine must not be familiar with the 526 Combination because thats what 99% of ALL legal promods run with the same blower that you have and they are going 5.80's at 240+. And the 526 combination would be the most common as well.

 

My opinion, you get more power from blower efficiency than 15 cubic inches - go with the 511.

 

With our blown hemi altered with lencodrive , we went from a 525ci to 450 ci and it went faster , leaves harder and still runs 4.10 1/8 mile , 6.10 1/4 mile....the trouble with the big motor and convertor was we had to take to much timing out at the hit (10 to 12 degrees)....ALSO ITS A FACT THAT A SMALLER CI MOTORS MAKE MORE HP PER CI THEN BIGGER ONES DO..ALSO THESE PRO MODS GOING 5.80 LIKE BLOWN AWAY STATED ARE MEGA $$$$$ AND MEGA CHASSIS , MY GUESS YOU COULD'NT BUY ONE NEW, TURN KEY, FOR MUCH LESS THEN $150,000 (A 5.80 PM CAR)...