I did quite a few searches for "overbore" and about the various rods, but was left more confused than confident

CLIFF NOTES:

* Send the engine to SGP, to Forged's builder or keep it local?
* What pistons / rods for 450-500 tops but reliable / overbuilt?


OK, I know this extra complication is my own fault, but I originally planned to send my block to SGP for the build. I got worried by how long it took to hear back from them via email (only to read on here, it might have been because of Mark having injured his back?) and so I called Sharif @ Forged. He was MOST knowledgeable, but to be frank I am not comfortable with his suggestion of the Arias Extreme, as I don't want the alleged clatter / noise / warm-up ritual. Also, I wasn't terribly comfortable with his suggestion of the GTM rods, mainly as I have no experience with the brand and couldn't even find anything on Google when searching for the manufacturer.

So I found a local builder, Carl McQuillen Racing Engines. They seem to have quite a high-end facility... and Carl (owner / namesake) seemed quite excited and interested in the project, unlike many of the local domestic-oriented shops.

The issue I am having is that from what I have read on here, you are best off not sticking with stock-bore pistons? Carl wanted to disassemble the shortblock and spend some time measuring the bores before making a decision - should I tell him simply to go to .02 overbore?

Also - I haven't been able to make up my mind on hardware (pistons/rods). My goal is a SOLID reliable 400-450hp with MAYBE a 500-550 high-boost occasional tune, but as I've said many times, I value streetable progressive linear power over overall top-end. I'd rather over-build and have some headroom, not so much for "turning up the power" but for longevity / reliability.

So what do you guys recommend? Should I reconsider and take my chance time-wise with SGP? Their quote was also WAAAY higher than everyone else's, I'm sure their VQ experience warrants a bit of a premium, but still...

Should I send it to the builder Sharif recommended? I'm not all that psyched about the regular Arias pistons though... his prices were decent but my confidence was not.

Should I stick with the local builder - and if so, what should I order? We looked at everything from JE to Mahle and so on, he seems to favor the CP and that agrees with SGP and with my own research, but I guess there's a 6-9 week backorder on CP as they aren't yet "shelf" parts, and I don't fee like paying hundreds in an expedite fee to shave off a few weeks. Also, rod wise, Pauters seem hard to come by right now, Carillo Super-A's are probably not strong enough, and Eagle seems a bit of a compromise, or at least that's how I read it.

Well, I've rambled enough - your feedback?

 

to put it simple, everything you listed will work. even for your desired hp levels. sgp has experience with the vq35, but a motor is a motor. the main thing is finding a machinist that wants the motor to work as well as you want it to, and not there trying to grab a buck for the hell of it. the vq35 is still a basic motor that needs the same requirements as any other motor. if you find someone you trust and can comunicate with, then go for it.
parts wise, there is getting to be alot of things out there to choose from. some longevity is to be had from parts that will not flex under pressure though. sharif's recommendation on the arias extreme is a good one, and i am having really good luck on the first series arias that came out with.
for your power requirements, most any good aftermarket part will work. the thing to concentrate on is a good machine shop to make sure tolerances are met during assembly. and make sure they give a decent price.

 

Carl's a fun and funny guy - he's definitely not out to make a quick buck - i got a GREAT impression from him when we talked on the phone hence taking the shortblock there today.

I guess I'll try and find a good price/value point and availability for the parts. I'm not exactly under a time CRUNCH as I have almost 3 weeks until the APS kit arrives, so hopefully Sharif can come through with some parts - last we talked there was a bit if a backlog from Arias, and I just can't sit and wait for parts to show up - I'm missing so much of spring as it is

Thanks for the boost of confidence

 

DMoffit:
Yes Sharif is "A Number one"
It sounds as if you have done your homework...
Have your engine builder call Sharif - and together they can sort out the
Parts - Sharif has a program to rent an engine boring plate, that can help
Carl a lot. Carl can probably DUP the Boring Plate for future jobs..

When Sharif lived in So Cal - We used to give him a Ration of **** but he
turned out to be the guy we would call if we had an EMS problem.. Sharif has bailed us out countless times... You are in good hands...

Cheers Amy -

 

Thanks Amy - that's a good idea. I didn't want to give any vendors the impression that they were bidding against each other, or that they were expected to help out "competitors" - but I doubt Carl will mind the help sourcing parts, and I don't even mind him marking things up 5-10% if asked, for him to be able to make money and Sharif not to have to discount to a "jobber" / "reseller" price to also make margin on the parts. I see it as a win-win-win where I get a really well built engine, and they both get to make money and ensure additional future business from my success story

 

I am actually running GT Motorsports rods now and have had no issues to date which includes a serious beating (high revs all day long) at a HPDE event.

Anyway, good luck with your build.

 

how large can you bore before you hit the waterjacket?

 

Thanks for the USELESS threadjack. Why don't you start your own thread with this inquiry.

Just curious, JDX911 - did you get them from Sharif, and / or have the block work done in Cali? All I could find on google was http://www.gtmotorsports.com/ - Knowing GTM = GT Motorsports helped a little, perhaps.

 

i wasn't threadjacking, i was asking a question based on your .02 bore, i don't know how much meat you would have before the walls are too thin or you get into heating trouble. if you can only go .025 i wouldn't do it.

 

There are numerous people(me included that run .020 overbore). Educate yourself and you wil find out that most of the aftermarket pistons use this size to clean up the bore.

 

If it is a good shop it should not be an issue. I would look into renting a Torque Plate for the boring and honing. Since the VQ35 is an open deck it makes for a much truer bore when using a Torque Plate.

Yeah I would honestly do the .020 over and clean up the bores.

Well I actually keep CP Pistons in stock as well as the Pauter Rods, Eagle rods, and Wiseco pistons. So I could help you get whatever you decided on. I also have a long block that is coming back this week that is not spoken for yet if you wanted to get one built fairly quick. You can check out my engine build pricing here:

http://www.importpartspro.com/niin1.html

Shoot me an Email or IM if you would like to discuss your options further.

 

Hi D!

The Arias Extreme Duty pistons are no louder than their standard duty piston. Shoot a PM to 350ZDKALB. When I flew to NM to tune his car, I was pleasantly surprised that the engine sounded just about stock. Every engine is going to sound a little different, but the noise was very comparable to the other forged motors I have listened to. When you put the Arias Extreme Duty piston side-by-side against any other piston, the strength improvement will be obvious.

That said, for 450-500whp tops, you can easily use the standard duty piston. I ran the standard duty design on my personal engine to 622whp without any problems (although I dont recommend this).

GT Motorsports (GTM) has been in business for 12 years, and they are one of the only shops in the country, with a true Winston Cup quality machine shop on site. They use a state-of-the art Rottler CNC machine to do their engine block prep, and all of the work is done in house, for exceptionally fast turnaround times. With our engine packages, we can use Eagle, or Pauter rods as well. We'll build the engine with the parts you are most comfortable with, that make sense for your intended goals.

I am sure you'll be happy with whatever route you choose...let me know if you have anymore questions.

As a teaser, here is a picture of GTM's CNC machine cutting down a block for sleeve installation.

 

Thanks! (Damnit don't make me contemplate Darton MIDs)

 

I got them at GT Motorsports but that was because my car build-up and tune was done at their shop.

 

So they are one and the same (shop in CA / mfgr of the rods?)

 

Yes, they are one and the same.

 

Damn it sharif...you always get my screen name wrong!!!

 

How is the ZRAYGO project going..?

Haven't followed your progress on the "Pumpkin Car"..

Cheers Amy -

 

haven't posted any progress to follow

it has been painted, needs to be color sanded and buffed, 2 new volks will be in this next week, the frame is 100% straight, the suspension parts are all fixed...
soon to be ready for sale!!!

TODD

 

At least I was only off by one letter, Todd.