4.2L main girdle question

Condor232

Registered User
I have a main girdle from Delk on my 94 SC 4.3L stroker. Long and short of it is, the main studs hit the oil pan. Any disadvantage to ditching the Delk 4 main girdle and picking up an F150 3 main girdle? or Mustang 3 main girdle?

It seems that without the girdle on the front main, I wouldn't have clearance issues. What are the advantages/disadvantages of doing this?
 
can you grind down the studs or is there no room to do so? The standard ford isnt nearly as good

No, I have no room at all to grind down the studs. The nuts go right up to the tops. I need about 1/4". There are washers below the nuts that keep the bottoms of the nuts flush with the girdle so they don't go down into the countersink. Removing the washers would be the only thing I could do to gain some clearance. That or deepening the pan, but I am trying to find a good middle ground.
 
What does Delk suggest since they sold this product to you? You could always just cut out the oil pan where it makes contact and weld in a drop section.
 
Delk has said that no one has used this girdle with an SC block (a detail they didn't mention to me when ordering).

Is the washer needed between the nut and girdle? If not, I could discard it, grind the pan some, and maybe fill the remaining gap with RTV.
 
I would say you need the washers. You will need them so they apply the load correctly and so you get an accurate torque reading.

Im not sure how the block would make any difference unless the sc block has taller main caps? Are the oil pans different, maybe try using a mustang oil pan?
 
I would say you need the washers. You will need them so they apply the load correctly and so you get an accurate torque reading.

Im not sure how the block would make any difference unless the sc block has taller main caps? Are the oil pans different, maybe try using a mustang oil pan?

The SC mains are taller, and the Mustang pan/SC pan are the same in the area I need more depth. Tried a 4.2L pan, and even that didn't work. I need to find a welder that can help me I think.
 
Sounds like that's the route you may have to go. Although that will make the clearance between the k member even less, and its already pretty tight.

I guess you could also have the mains milled down .25?
 
Honestly, you're better off running 3/16" dowels on each side of every main cap than you are with the girdle.
 
Honestly, you're better off running 3/16" dowels on each side of every main cap than you are with the girdle.

I'm assuming you mean to say the girdle is useless? Or is there actually a dowel option, I am guessing you're being sarcastic?
 
Most don't realize, but will agree that a bolt does nothing but hold "something" down. It does not keep it in place, in respect to necessary tight tolerances. Having said that, if you do not use a solid dowel with some sort of interference fit, the mains will walk. A girdle will put a constraint on how much any of the mains walk, but they will all walk identially with respect to motion and time.

The cure of the problem is to install dowels, not a girdle. If you prevent a main from walking, you will nullify potential damages.
 
You "DO WORK SON!" and also call upon the "Mighty Micah" for his all knowing advice. Kind of like the wizard behind the curtain in Wizard of Oz.
 
Most don't realize, but will agree that a bolt does nothing but hold "something" down. It does not keep it in place, in respect to necessary tight tolerances. Having said that, if you do not use a solid dowel with some sort of interference fit, the mains will walk. A girdle will put a constraint on how much any of the mains walk, but they will all walk identially with respect to motion and time.

The cure of the problem is to install dowels, not a girdle. If you prevent a main from walking, you will nullify potential damages.

Casey,

Exactly where do you put the dowels on an SC motor ?

David
 
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