C4AE-A Block

[410bruce]

I have sonic mapped hundreds of fe blocks. I like the c4ae blocks. Most of the time c4ae block have thicker cylinder walls but always sonic map so you know. Buy the block if you need one

Good info., Chris. Thanks.
Unfortunately, I know of no one in my area who does sonic checking. Trying to locate a shop within a reasonable distance who does.

[thatdarncat]

I have sonic mapped hundreds of fe blocks. I like the c4ae blocks. Most of the time c4ae block have thicker cylinder walls but always sonic map so you know. Buy the block if you need one

Good info., Chris. Thanks.
Unfortunately, I know of no one in my area who does sonic checking. Trying to locate a shop within a reasonable distance who does.

You may want to consider buying your own sonic tester, especially if you think you will have reason to use it again, there are reasonably priced ones available.

Here is a link to a previous discussion on the forum about getting your own sonic tester:

http://fepower.net/simplemachinesforum/index.php?topic=5449.msg58366#msg58366

[410bruce]

I have sonic mapped hundreds of fe blocks. I like the c4ae blocks. Most of the time c4ae block have thicker cylinder walls but always sonic map so you know. Buy the block if you need one

Good info., Chris. Thanks.
Unfortunately, I know of no one in my area who does sonic checking. Trying to locate a shop within a reasonable distance who does.

You may want to consider buying your own sonic tester, especially if you think you will have reason to use it again, there are reasonably priced ones available.

Here is a link to a previous discussion on the forum about getting your own sonic tester:

http://fepower.net/simplemachinesforum/index.php?topic=5449.msg58366#msg58366

Heck, I didn't know they were that inexpensive. Thank you very much, Kevin!
Definitely going to purchase one. I will most certainly use it more than once. 

[410bruce]

Just bought the UM6500 off ebay. $109.00  Perfect!

Thanks again, Kevin!

[thatdarncat]

Just bought the UM6500 off ebay. $109.00  Perfect!

Thanks again, Kevin!

You’re welcome. I’m sure if you read through the post you saw you will have to shape the flat transducer into a slight curve, it’s not hard to do. The tester also has multiple material settings, the number 10 grey iron setting seems to be best for our FE’s. Most people check the accuracy against a measurable spot you can use a caliper or micrometer, like the China wall, or at the deck between two cylinders. The tester has a calibration test block spot too, one thing I’ve found is when you use that it automatically changes it’s material calibration to match the test block, be sure and change back to the #10 setting after for the grey cast iron or you will get bogus readings on the engine block, been there done that lol.

I told Jay Brown recently, I decided to spot check retest a FE block I had previously had professionally tested at a local shop before I had bought the UM6500 for myself - every spot I tested was within about .000 to .004 of the results the shop had. I was pretty pleased with that, seeing as I may not have been on the exact same spot they tested.

[67428GT500]

Also, keep in mind if the block has been sleeved, that cylinder will only measure the thickness of the sleeve, not the original bore it's pressed into. Something I found out after freaking out over a sleeve when the other cylinders were showing .140 -185 and the hole with the sleeve was .085 no matter where it was measured.

                                                                                             -Keith

[falcongeorge]

Just bought the UM6500 off ebay. $109.00  Perfect!

Thanks again, Kevin!

Wow! I just looked them up. At that price I am all over that. I kinda thought about it when they were around the $500 mark, at a shade over $100, its a no brainer! Thanks Guys!

[gdaddy01]

buy the block , sell the bar bell set . keep moving it out of the way, in shop , all the time .

[410bruce]

buy the block , sell the bar bell set . keep moving it out of the way, in shop , all the time .

Got a complete '62 352 I'm already doing that with. A bare block ain't nothin'. 

[Rory428]

Keep in mind that thinner cylinder walls will hold up better on a mildish street build than a performance application.Several years ago, I bought a .030'' over 428 ''A'' scratch block that a buddy had been using in a truck for several years with no problem. I only had the block honed, so didn`t really remove any material from the cylinders, and installed the Speed Pro pistons from a 428 that split the main webbing between the cam and crank bores. After a couple of races, running low 10s, it split a cylinder wall, had it sleeved, 2 races later, it split another cylinder. That same block may well have lasted for years on a mild build.  Problem with sonic checking these old blocks, is that you may see pretty good numbers at the top, bottom, and middle of the cylinders, but it only takes 1 deeper rust pit on the backside of the cylinder to cause a problem.

[67428GT500]

I agree with the rust through. Many pin hole and you wind up with a milkshake over time.

[410bruce]

Thanks for all the responses, guys--even the smart alecky ones.  It's all yugely appreciated.

Buncha' great people on here. 

[67428GT500]

Make sure you understand that the .100" is not a major thrust minimum, but a non thrust wall thickness.  Thrust sides should have a minimum of .125" after final honing for performance builds.   Yes, someone will always claim their killer engine has less and lives, but as a rule, it is living on borrowed time.   Joe-JDC

I didn't espouse my position but that of Barry Robotnic's.  I have seen a lot of 390 blocks at about 1.25 on the thrust side that are standard bore.
Would I build a 12:1 compression engine I was going to use as a race platform? No. 
I did notice there seems to be a consistency of which cylinders wind up thin from core shift. Many simply have a huge issue with jacket corrosion.