Ordering Avant engine. Last minute suggestions?

[Steve O.]

First, thanks a million to everyone that responded to the thread about my engine grenading. Turns out the flywheel let loose. The crank is apparently toast, as well as the torque converter.

Any last minute suggestions before I have them build me a long block? Ceramic coated pistins vs. not, for instance?

Also, if I have them do the high flow water pump and dual thermostat setup, what else do I need to get and also tell my mechanic he needs to do to make that setup work?

Again,

Thanks

[BuffaloGuy]

Originally posted by Steve O.:
First, thanks a million to everyone that responded to the thread about my engine grenading. Turns out the flywheel let loose. The crank is apparently toast, as well as the torque converter.

Any last minute suggestions before I have them build me a long block? Ceramic coated pistins vs. not, for instance?

Also, if I have them do the high flow water pump and dual thermostat setup, what else do I need to get and also tell my mechanic he needs to do to make that setup work?

Again,

Thanks Hello Steve O.,
I've got an Avant and I really like it. I got it balanced with the flywheel I was planning on using. It is smooth as glass. That should help keep it together and help with lots of other things getting rattled too.

I did the cooling upgrade and the only thing extra my mechanic had to do was redo the throttle cable bracket a little. But mine is a mechanical IP and yours is a electronic IP so he may not need to do this for you.

I'd also suggest the timing gears vs. the chain. I really like them and expect them to help the truck go more miles, better before it craters the next time. I plan on running this one another 200,00 miles.

A new harmonic balancer up front. This will save your new crank as these guys go out and ruin cranks just like the flywheels in the back do.

Jamie will sleeve the cooling ports on his own so no need to worry about that.

The other thing I did was make sure mine was built from a 6.2 block. They then bore this out to a 6.5 and the resulting tolerances are the same as factory. If they bore out a 6.5 then the castings are thinner and hot spots could be an issue. Heat is THE enemy of these motors!

Hope it helps.
Ken

[willibig]

Hello

I don't know if Avant uses splayed main caps but this is money well spent, i have taken three of my own engines apart and all had cracks in the bottom end.

Good luck.

[mhagie]

As for questions concerning coated pistons,I believe that Jamie can answer that question as he has built a ton of these engines.
I had him coat mine cause it sure as heck can't hurt anything,mine is also the 6.2 block honed to 6.5 specs so as to retain cylinder wall thickness.
I know Jamie is making every effort to obtain the new casting blocks, which will definately take the worry out of buying a reman.
He dosen't use the splayed caps but does include a main girdle on performance remans. :D

[ucdavis]

18:1 compression would be nice.
Balance definitely, HO cooling definitely.

[GARY PAGE]

They got me a good deal on a new injection pump and I went with the stud girdle, phasor gears and marine injectors. I also had cermic coating applied to the ex manafold it looks great, don't forget a new block heater. It's a real good running engine and I get excellent MPG best recorded was 23 and I average 20. I just installed instruments and EGT is an average 400 Deg at 2300 RPM no load and just under 600 at full pedal. I am a racer so I went with the full compression pistons that may not have been right in some folks book; but in my world compression means power and orginal engine had 212K miles so thats speaks for itself. Engine is very responsive and you don't get that with lower compression ratio without some other mods like boost upgrades. With the 18:1 do you need to turn up the boost? I am sure this will stir some conversation!

[Steve O.]

Great stuff so far guys. Thanks.

Seems like a new harmonic balancer is in order to avoid crank problems down the road. Do they usually just re-use an old one?

Any thoughts on the ceramic coated pistons?

Calling them first thing tomorrow so it's crunch time!

Thanks again.

Steve