Competition Filled Block?

[ThrottleJockey]

Hey guys, just outta curiosity, what is a filled block? What's it filled with?



Just being nosy, thanks.



Brian

 

[Forrest Nearing]

a filled block has the water jackets filled with a concrete type substance commonly refered to as "Hardblok" (the most common brand name)



it is designed to expand and contract at the same rate as cast iron. it prevents cylinder distortion and block destruction



Forrest

 

[ThrottleJockey]

Whoooaaa! Really? So the industrial blocks and 14mm studs and girdle kits STILL need to be stiffened

Dang, learn something new every day.



Thanks Forrest.



Brian

 

[HoleshotHolset]

Who's running filler in a 6BT?



Matt

 

[Forrest Nearing]

I've never heard it being done, but I wouldn't be surprised if some dedicated pullers were...



but man, these are some strong blocks!!!



Forrest

 

[F8LDOSE]

perhaps someone who has a . 080 overbore and runs 6000rpm... ... think, sleeves..... no need for antifreeze when you have oil heaters and run 300ft at a time.

 

[Jff24Gordn]

The answers are out there if you look hard enough. More than likely buried in speculation and videos on this website.

 

[supersonic]

Filled blocks really only work for alcohol fired engines. Diesels at this level are too cold natured to start at all with out a heater if its below 60 deg. And with the mentally high cylinder pressure and temps that thick of a block couldn't asorb the heat fast enough to keep the pistons from running into the oil pan.

 

[Forrest Nearing]

don't tell any of my gas buddies with filled blocks that it'll only work on alky burners, they might start to worry!







Forrest

 

[HoleshotHolset]

Care to speculate, Wayne?



We have it made compared to most of the gassers that use filler... we already have a very stout block and bottom end...



I won't be using block filler anytime soon - but it would be cool to learn about it...



Matt

 

[JDailey]

Alky's only,huh??

 

[Forrest Nearing]

obviously a tall fill on the street wouldn't work very well w/ a gasser, but alky doesn't work so great on the street either! ($$$$!!!)



but a short fill w/ a good cooling system works fine on the street w/ a gasser... I've got lots of buddies doing it.



I wouldn't fill a Cummins... there are so many pieces that I can see letting go long before the block would sqirm enough cause a problem. and I'm pretty dang sure I'll NEVER reach that point! ($$$$$$$$!!!! LOL!)



Forrest

 

[HoleshotHolset]

The block must squirm a little - otherwise people wouldn't be bolting in girdles...



Matt

 

[Forrest Nearing]

I have no experience w/ these engines, but from my experience w/ gassers, a girdle doesn't realy do anything but keep both halves of a block connected when you split it down the middle...



they obviously don't hurt anything, but I'm still not convinced they really DO as much as people think... I've seen too many scattered girdled short blocks to jump on that train.



Forrest

 

[TractorNut]

There are other products out there that work too. . Epoxies. . that do a better job of sealing than the block hard. . and you don't have to fill the entire block... (depending on what you are tring to acheive with the filler. ) On some of the old (antique ) pulling tractors the blocks are sleeves so big that the sleeve cann't go all the way to the top of the block because of the location of the head bolts... sometimes they can be oringed. . but its easier to turn the block over and fill the top around the top of the sleeves to keep the coolant out of the cylinders...

Bryan

 

[JDailey]

Forrest-You have no idea what a girdle is really for, do you??

 

[Forrest Nearing]

yeah, it's to keep the caps and main webs tied together and keep the caps from walking... the little 302 blocks are notorious for splitting down the valley... I've seen lots of girdled 302's cracked down the middle... the girdle holds the two halves together...



yes, I know what a girdle is for... like I said, I don't have any experience w/ these engines, but I think people put more faith in girdles than they deserve.



just MY opinion based on MY experience... if I had bottomless money, I'd run a girdle too. like I said, it ain't gonna hurt, it can only help, but I contend that it doesn't help as much as some think.



Forrest

 

[Jff24Gordn]

Originally posted by HoleshotHolset

Care to speculate, Wayne?



We have it made compared to most of the gassers that use filler... we already have a very stout block and bottom end...



I won't be using block filler anytime soon - but it would be cool to learn about it...



Matt

There is a piece of video on this site that says it al. Your mission should you choose to accept it, is Who's truck, when, and whats it doing. And there was a bunch of TDR people watching in the crouds.

 

[HoleshotHolset]

There is one truck that I can think of that blows all sorts of steam out the bottom... just like the smoker tractors and even the multiple big block powered unlimited tractors.



Matt