How strong is the 3400 bottom end?

[badbluballinGTX]

Okay so I know everyone has big plans of this and that but I am serious about building up my 3400. It only has about 1K miles on it in a 94 z26. I plan to do the milzy stage 2 top end (heads, cam, intakes), an LSD in either a 5 speed swap or race rebuilt 4t60-e, and a small turbo with around 5 psi and the OBD II with programmer swap. Can the bottom end handle it or should it be balanced with different rods and pistons, etc? If anyone knows about what it can handle please let me know. I don't plan it it being a daily driver but I want reliable street legal performance and I know I will need some meats for the track but I will probably run 18x8 on the street as I have 17x7 (225/45) now and its barely holding. Thanks in advance for any advice I receive.

[z284pwr]

To tell you the truth, I don't think anyone really knows....

The guys over at 60* V6 forums have pushed these engines to lots more than most guys on here have...

From what I remember, I don't think they have ever really seen a rod actually fail from too much power....

The crank, well, Curtis Walker has a 430+WHP capable engine using a basically stock LG5 crank *Turbo Grand Prix spec crank*

Pistons, well, that is probably going to be the weakest link in the bottom end.

So you are dealing with newer rods, pistons, and crank.
If you are tearing the engine all the way apart, just do some polishing and what not to the rods, determine if you are willing to pay for new pistons or go with the stock ones.  If its not a daily driver, just push it until it goes boom, then take it out, rebuild another engine the right way to handle the power

[spacecadetz26]

i would say 12psi is the limit on the stock bottom end. You be tuned though. Headgaskets are the first weak link.

[RebelGT]

I'd get heads from the 60degree store before I'd get them from Milzy.

[mcgavinz26]

(badbluballinGTX @ Mar. 29 2006,09:06)Q
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EOkay so I know everyone has big plans of this and that but I am serious about building up my 3400. It only has about 1K miles on it in a 94 z26. I plan to do the milzy stage 2 top end, an LSD in either a 5 speed swap or race rebuilt 4t60-e, and a small turbo with around 5 psi and the OBD II with programmer swap. Can the bottom end handle it or should it be balanced with different rods and pistons, etc? If anyone knows about what it can handle please let me know. I don't plan it it being a daily driver but I want reliable street legal performance and I know I will need some meats for the track but I will probably run 18x8 on the street as I have 17x7 (225/45) now and its barely holding. Thanks in advance for any advice I receive.
Its only as reliable as the quality of the workmanship put into it.  Just don't cut corners.  

I cut corners and treat my 3400 like ****.  It seems to take 7psi without any problems and not intercooled or tuned.  I'm convinced that with better mechanics and tuning that 10psi would be just fine.  That should be enough to get you to low 13's / 12's with the right suspension and transmission setup backing it without too much trouble.

[IsaacHayes]

Without proper tuning and supporting mods, adding more boost will end up popping pistons. For cost and overall reliability, I'd go 5spd with a good clutch. Forget zee auto. You also shave off weight going to manual.

I'd leave the bottom stock and just use a little psi. Unless you are going for BIG numbers. If you really want an all out turbo car, then get lower comp pistions, (8.5 or 8.0), port and polish everything you can, get an intercooler, best exhaust possible, stand-alone computer engine managment that is compatible with a 2bar MAP, larger fuel pump, larger injectors, and TUNE TUNE TUNE TUNE. Then tune some more. Tuning can make or break a car, weither it's built up or not. Goal is 0 KR. (stand alone computer may not even do knock retard, but you need to scan for knock and eliminate it or lower your boost).

So how serious are you?    

[rweatherford]

You can get about as much power with stock compression, just run less boost, which isn't as impressive when bench racing....    

Just as impressive when you punch it though.  Fuel and ignition just have to be correct.

[badbluballinGTX]

(IsaacHayes @ Mar. 30 2006,15:31)Q
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ESo how serious are you?  ÂÂÂ
I am very serious as long as I am satisfied with a ton of research first. I will be out of the country for pretty much the next year just adding to my bank account so the money will be no problem and it is this or buy a new car and I dont want the payment and I would rather have a semi-sleeper that I built and is original not just a another mass produced sports car that any knuckle head can go to a car lot and pick up. I just have not messed with a turbo before but I feel confident as long as I understand how the electronics part works. Like I said, I only want about 5 psi and a decent motor build up but nothing radical. about the heads, does 60degreev6 have the complete top end? I would rather get it all together. and are there hi-po head gaskets available?

[wicked-irocz]

for 5 psi dont worry about building the motor, look at scott's 3400.  Its still going and hes running 7 psi through a stock engine.

[badbluballinGTX]

I think the milzy stage 2 price is not bad considering it comes with absolutely everything for the top end except the TB. By the time you add up all the stuff from 60degreev6, it is more anyway and they dont have the cam or gaskets, etc.

[TurboGTU]

Hmm..when it comes to thise 3*00 motors..you really have to start from the exhaust then work the intake. So you decided turbo eh. Well a good T3 to a T04 can get you there. Natrally aspired...some DOHC or 3.4 camaro pistons can sky rocket your compression ratio to something fun. On the bottom end..stay away from tri-metal bearings..they suck for high loads.

As far as the trans..rebuild with a DOHC spec or L67 spec programming. You might have to use"devices" to fool the PCM to raise line pressure on the trans. 5spd are good if rebuilt. Be fun and costom fab a mopar trans to work with the v6 bell housing (pipe dream).

[RebelGT]

(badbluballinGTX @ Mar. 30 2006,23:46)Q
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EI think the milzy stage 2 price is not bad considering it comes with absolutely everything for the top end except the TB. By the time you add up all the stuff from 60degreev6, it is more anyway and they dont have the cam or gaskets, etc.
theres more research, time and development put into the 60degree heads, they like to build specifically for a client instead of having a "boxed up" generic solution.

[IsaacHayes]

Check out my "project pace car motor" thread. You might get some ideas from that.

[rweatherford]

No offense, but if you are going to turbo it you can get more that enough air into that engine to blow it to pieces, WITHOUT expensive head and intake manifold modifications.  I'd save the money.

[IsaacHayes]

Rex, true, but by opening up the head, intakes, and exhaust some, you can reduce boost stacking and therefore knock. Plus since it flows more you make more power without cranking the boost as much and then can run lower octane fuel or just be safer from knock.

You need to find a happy medium. Boost gives you power, so you can maker her flow a little better and the gains will be multiplied. Don't have to go balls out on the head/intake work, but some will give you benefit.

Perhaps you should just focus on getting boost running and tuned without knock and fuel issues, then if you want more power, don't crank the boost, just do your head/intake porting and then see the increase. You're boost might drop then you can turn it back up to where it was before.

Who knows with a stock 3400 (maybe a 3500 plenum on top) and 5psi you may be plenty fast and happy for a formidable reliable street car. If you push it more then your tranny might start to plague you...  and traction too...