I am new here but 2 months ago I bought a 91 nothcback. It has vortech s-trim trick flow heads and intake and all the other good stuff, dynoed at 497hp and 489trq. And a few days ago I took it out for a cruise and it started smoking and I lost all oil pressure. So I pulled it out and found that the block had split from the lifter valley down to the main caps. The cam bearings all pulled out when I removed the cam, and the dude I bought it from said it had a stud girdle, (he was lying), but if I get a new block and put a stud girdle on it does anyone think I will run into this problem again.

 

get a better block

 

It shouldn't happen again if you get a good quality block. Something from the DSS, CHP, Keith Craft line would be good. I would try to find a R302 if it was me.

 

The 302 block is good for about 500hp, then you run into the problem you are having. I have seen a lifter brace before, its a new item and I cannot remember what company sells it but they claim 650hp is no problem with thier lifter brace. IMO a stud girdle won't do anything as the block cracks up top in the lifter valley and goes down not from bottom to top. You can invest money in a block prepped by DSS or someone like that but in all honesty its still a factory block with all the factory weaknesses, your just paying for some extra blueprinting. I can tell you this though, if it was me and I was cracking blocks, first I would be pissed that it broke. Then I would be happy that I am making enough power to break stuff, and then I would get a 351 and call it a day lol.

 

yeah, I called D.S.S. earlier today and the dude said that a pro-bullet would be what I would probably need. He said there are lots of guys running in the 9's with that shortblock, so as long as I had the tuning and everything right I would not have any problems, but I did not not ask him if a factory block would hold up or anything like that, I think I would rather spend the extra money and not have to worrie about it. Anyway buy the time I bought a new block and had all my stuff checked out and rebuilt it would cost almost the same and I would probably have the same thing happen again.

 

buy an R302 block.

 

a sportsman block is good enough.....a girdle isnt dong **** but hold your motor together after it spilts....or you can always jsut get a 351 instead

 

A dart or world 302 will hold all the power you want....

 

yeah but your talking 3k for a block.....you have reach the limits of the stock block....

 

As two have already said.
Go with the FMS R302 block.
You just can't break this thing
A little costly tho, around 1600-1800ish(bare)