Speedmaster block Quality in 2023

[Paul Kane]

I had a customer call just last week who uses their small block Ford blocks, both iron and aluminum. Twin turbo builds. In the big picture of things (price, availability, overall quality, etc) he prefers today's Speedmaster blocks over than the stateside offerings. Incidentally, if a custom build is going to get its major components fully scrutinized and performance-prepped then it ought not matter which brand name is on the side so much as whether that part is up to the job or not.

We use a fair amount of their products in certain builds where they are deemed worthy. Mostly, we use their billet steel 4-bolt conversion main caps. The billet steel caps are far, far stronger than the cast iron block to which they get fitted, so why spend $400-$500 on other big name aftermarket main caps? Not to mention that all these caps regardless of brand still need the final machining. Incidentally we send our blocks out for align-bore & align-hone, and the facility that does the work says the Speedmaster caps align-bore just fine.

To each his own, but I can't think of a performance engine parts manufacturer--stateside or elsewhere--that doesn't have both good and mediocre products in their line-up.

[289nate]

Did they ever end up using dowels with the steel main cap to the aluminum block in the small block ford offering? Not too long ago they didn’t. That would be a dealbreaker in my opinion, Lifter Valley was pretty thin as well.

[COMP461]

I believe that just fixing the valve job blending behind seats and fixing the ridge in chamber outside of valve seat will pick it up a bunch.

[stealth]

GM has has some pretty questionable machine work over the years too ... Like to hear more about the alu SBC blocks etc.

[ProPower engines]

I recently picked up their double adjustable pushrod length checker. It looked like a nice piece with a super wide adjustment range. Turns out it was .040 off.

I set the length to match a pushrod with a 12” caliper. So checker and pushrod both measure the same oal. Actual pushrod had .040 more preload. Only thing I can figure is the ball end radius has to be different where it actually sits in cup.

Pushrod makers us the full radius of the ball in there measurements.
Smith bros is the only ones that use the over the oil hole measurement. I got a set od Isky adjustable push rod length checkers and they came with the full round radius.
I put them in the valve machine and tipped about .012" from each end and cured the issue.
I got the same difference between .040 and .050 depending on the rocker brand being used but if you look in the comp catalog they include the ball radius as well in their measurements. making them .050 too long again depending on the rocker