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DIY 5 stud main girdle and measurements with pics...

here was some of the info i got from ARP.
I'm moving on.... just using the outer studs only to save about 100 bucks, and a DIY angle iron setup. I may post pics , you know ... eventually.
right now I'm welding up the 'extra' EGR ports/holes in the exhaust ports of the heads. plus a little medium port job on the exhaust side heads


AU4.315-1B is 1.75 & 1.25 pitch 12mm the 1.75 has 1.000 inches of thread and the 1.25 has 1.000 inches of thread

AU4.900-1LB is 1.75 & 1.25 pitch 12mm the 1.75 has 1.000 inches of thread and the 1.25 has 1.000 inches of thread

AU4.600-1LB is 1.75 & 1.25 pitch 12mm the 1.75 has 1.000 inches of thread and the 1.25 has 1.000 inches of thread

AU3.965-1LB is 1.75 & 1.25 pitch 12mm the 1.75 has 1.200 inches of thread and the 1.25 has 1.125 inches of thread
AU4.175-1LB is 1.75 &1.25 pitch 12mm the 1.75 has 1.200 inches of thread and the 1.25 has 1.125 inches of thread

__________________________________
these are the shortest , for anyone using a 3/8" DIY method.
this is all you need besides the angle iron:
(10)AU4.315-1B
(1)200-8537
(1)300-8337
 
actually this one is the shortest, and will still work with the 3/8" girdle on outside bolts
ARP-AU3965-1LB

it just has slightly longer threads, but is 2$ cheaper per bolt, so $20 saved.
 
so my grand total with these ARP bolts:

outers :
(OEM=3.2" + 3/8" DIY stud girdle= 3.6" min stud length)

(10) ARP-AU3965-1LB
(1) 200-8537
(1) 300-8337

head stud kit:
(1) 130-4062



ARP-130-4062 HEAD STUD KIT $182.57 1 $182.57
ARP-200-8537 2MMID 7/80D 10 PACK $8.32 1 $8.32
ARP-300-8337 12PT PACKAGE OF NUTS $37.66 1 $37.66
ARP-AU3965-1LB MAIN CAP STUD $8.99 10 $89.90

Part Total $318.45
 
Nice job on the girdle.

Speaking with experience building one offs by hand, the labor would be quite high. Unless Jim and Jeff work for peanuts the girdle would be pricey. Unless they geared up with some cnc and milling machines.
 
futant said:
Say what procedure do i use to verify such a thing ?
do you set it all up then try banging the mains front / rear ? like with a dial caliper?
Click to expand...

We are continually verifying flatness with a straight-edge while making it. Then first, check all the caps are the same height when torqued down. We then place the girdle over the outer studs, check that it does not rock (the bottom front radius of each foot needs to be relieved) by wiggling it around. Put your washers and nuts on, and snug them up hand tight....less than 10ft/lbs. Now check under each foot (between foot and cap) with a feeler gauge .002". The feeler gauge should not slide between the two. If it does, you have something wrong.

There is no heat/cold treating of the girdles, as we were not looking to have them stronger than the block, only to compliment the strength of the block. We have found a shop close by now (for connecting rods) that does both, and charges by the batch, so who knows what we may try hardening in the future.
 
ak diesel driver said:
looks good what are you guys using for preheat since you don't use block heaters?
Click to expand...

We have two block heaters in our 3500 right now. Are discussing a combination inline coolant heater, and an oil pan heater. This combined with extra long glow cycles should get us by. If not, we will adapt maybe coil heaters into the intake. Where there is a will, there is a way....
 
It might work, we were thinking that it might over-heat the element and burn-out, much like an element can do in a hot water tank when the water is too low and the element is in the air. Possibly the block filler would dissipate the heat fast enough, not sure. We discussed a lot the height of the fill we would use, and finally decided to go to just below the water pump fill holes. This give approximately 3" of fill, and leaves just over 2" of water jacket below deck surface. We are using our "best block to date", a 660 from 1986 3500 drw. We have many special modifications for this one. It will be our first attempt to get 300rwhp.
 
I took some measurements tonight of my mains and here's the numbers I came up with

Main cap thickness:23.75mm for all but the center main cap.
Center main cap thickness:25.9mm

Distance between main caps from front to rear.
1st to 2nd: 108.58mm
2nd to 3rd/middle: 93.15mm
3rd/middle to 4th: 93.47mm
4th to 5th/last: 123.25mm

Stud length for the outside holes with the 3/8" angle iron needs to be at least 104mm. The AU4.315-1B is too long to be used on the outer main holes with the 3/8" angle iron, threads do not go far enough along the stud for the nut to seat properly. The are, however, ideal for the center main holes.

I used 1.5"x1.5"x3/8", 21 1/4" length angle iron for these measurements.
 
here is one in the outer holes where the girdle where go. there is just a hair over 3/8" distance between the base of where the washer would be and the main cap mating surface.
P3220094.jpg




Picture of the inner location, great fit
P3220095.jpg
 
discovered something today when I was installing the inner studs, the threads go much further into the block than what the stock bolts threaded into, about 1cm. the AU315-1B is the same length as the stock inner bolts, leaving this same gap open, and thereby not seating fully into the block.

I'm not a specialist by any means, but wouldn't leaving that large of a gap lead to extra strain on the main webs and make it easier to crack?
 
Here at the race shop I had a guy that comes around a lot that works in a metallurgy place of some kind. One day he told me..." I can show you an easy way to cold treat your parts. I can make stock rod tougher that the aftermarket ones" Being a tight wadd I listened! This could be used to treat your girdle when your finished. Me and a couple others have been using it for a few years now. IT WORKS!

Find a cooler big enough to put your piece in. If its bigger than any cooler(this isn't but you may want to harden axles! Done it!) Make one from thick wood and line it with plastic(like a trash bag or more depending on the shape).

Purchase Dry Ice. Have enough crushed up to pack under, around and over your item.

PAck the part in the cooler with the iced packed hard around it.

Get a few gallons of cool water.

Here's the part where you must be careful. Gloves and more here.;

Quickly pour the water over the dry ice packed in the cooler! Again be careful!

The water will lower the temp of the ice and parts at an alarming rate!

Next leave it out in front of the shop(where it should be done anyway).

Go do something else! A few hours later after all the ice had melted....retrieve your part.

I will be hardened and by letting it slowly get back to room temp keeps it from being brittle.
 
Considering a girdle for my optimizer, I know the 3 center cap units available from Kennedy Diesel (not sure if anyone else sells them) but am also wondering if these were/are for sale.

Also, for future info- the 99 savanna van oil pan is same exact as Hummer/ Hmmwv pan. I believe but can’t promise all 6.5 van oil pans are the same.
 
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