Last month we left off with a completely machined block, which we had serviced at Quarter Mile Performance Racing in Chatsworth, California, ready for our 383 stroker kit. The standard small-block, four-bolt main core block we received from Engine Quest received a complete overhaul. The block was align honed, decked, clearanced, bored 0.030-inch over, and finish bore honed in a five-step process, all done in preparation for fitting our new stroker assembly kit from Eagle Specialty Products.
Our Eagle competition kit (PN B12010) came with forged components, including an ESP armor finished crank and rods, Mahle -16cc inverted dome pistons, file-to-fit rings along with Clevite rod and main bearings. Our stroker kit featured a forged 4340 steel 3.750-inch crank and 6.00-inch standard H-beam rods with standard 2.100-inch rod journals. Eagle applied their ESP armor finish, specifically designed to allow oil to glide across its surface, much like a car tire hydroplaning through water. The process, a closely guarded secret, slices through oil, cuts down on friction loss and increases overall power.
With our bare block prepped, we laid in the crank, file fit our ring pack, and hung the rods onto each piston. Our short-block was ready to go with a Comp timing set and hydraulic roller camshaft, all before lunchtime. Follow along as we show you what is involved when piecing together an Eagle kit yourself.
Quick Notes
What We Did
Added a complete Eagle Specialty Products' crank and rod assembly with Mahle pistons to our freshly machined block
Bottom Line
We build a solid foundation using off-the-shelf components
Cost (Approx)
$1,800
The Rods
Eagle's competition series kit also features their ESP armor finished H-beam rods. Their two-piece, 4340 forged steel construction provides outstanding strength, while weighing much less than the factory rods. Each rod is multi-stage heat-treated, X-rayed, sonic-tested, magnafluxed, and shot-peened to stress-relieve the metal. The rods have precision cap alignment sleeves that positively locate each rod cap, silicon bronze bushings for floating pin models, and our model was made with additional cam-to-rod clearance for stroker engines.
| SPECS |
| Big End Bore Diameter |
2.225-inch |
Pin End Bore Diameter |
0.927-inch |
| Horsepower Rating |
700 hp |
RPM Rating |
7,500 rpm |
-
Since the Eagle kit came with Clevite rod and main bearings, we purchased a set of Clevite
-
Using a camshaft install tool, we located each bearing into its bore. When the block is up
-
Our 'stick of choice is a Comp Cams hydraulic roller (PN 12-467-8) with 0.576/0.570-inch i
-
Forging Ahead with Armor
The heart of our 383 is Eagle's standard forged 4340 chromoly st
-
To install the Clevite main bearings, we simply matched up each tang in the crank saddle a
-
Checking the thrust on the crank is critical when building an engine from the ground up. A
-
We made sure to apply a healthy amount of ARP Ultra-Torque assembly lube to each bolt prio
-
Eagle's competition kit comes with a complete set of rings and wristpin locks. Although th
-
Taking time to apply oil to each cylinder will remove contaminants, prevent ring galling,