Thread: should i go 355 and where to get cheaper kits

PHO35080202H (to suit holden journal crank and holden rods)

Put that part number into precision's website search. If zero decking the block and taking a shaving the heads to suit you'd be able to get 10-10.5:1 without too much drama.

You can play with rod lengths with the chev stuff to change dwell time at tdc, piston acceleration etc. Most people will just stick with what's readily available and a known reliable combo though. As you know, 5.7" and 6" are the common ones though. Many people favour one or the other. Theres info on this site if you do a search - pretty sure I've seen TK talking about it all before.

Originally Posted by cbw_09

PHO35080202H (to suit holden journal crank and holden rods)

Put that part number into precision's website search. If zero decking the block and taking a shaving the heads to suit you'd be able to get 10-10.5:1 without too much drama.

You can play with rod lengths with the chev stuff to change dwell time at tdc, piston acceleration etc. Most people will just stick with what's readily available and a known reliable combo though. As you know, 5.7" and 6" are the common ones though. Many people favour one or the other. Theres info on this site if you do a search - pretty sure I've seen TK talking about it all before.

You could just get whatever has the easiest parts availability... If the 3.48" crank with a 5.7" chev rod has a piston off the shelf thats what I would do..

Originally Posted by cbw_09

PHO35080202H (to suit holden journal crank and holden rods)

Put that part number into precision's website search. If zero decking the block and taking a shaving the heads to suit you'd be able to get 10-10.5:1 without too much drama.

You can play with rod lengths with the chev stuff to change dwell time at tdc, piston acceleration etc. Most people will just stick with what's readily available and a known reliable combo though. As you know, 5.7" and 6" are the common ones though. Many people favour one or the other. Theres info on this site if you do a search - pretty sure I've seen TK talking about it all before.

Out of the last two 355’s I built I used the following, SCAT crank (Holden journal) , 5.7” SCAT I beam rods and got a set of SRP Professional series pistons from Competition Engines in Vic. They have these pistons made to suit the Holden V8 and have a -10cc dish top. This combo balanced up with NO Mallory metal needed. If you use a Chev journal crank they generally need a slug of Mallory to balance up with a 5.7” rod & piston combo.

The other bottom end had a SCAT crank (Chev journal), 6” SCAT I beam rods and I used SRP 268830 Chev pistons (1.125 pin height) they have a -5cc valve relief. This combo was based on TK’s recommendations (he used a Mahle flat top in his thread, I’ll try attach a link etc to it). This rotating assembly balanced up perfectly with NO Mallory metal needed and as I stuffed it all in a VR Series 2 efi block (factory stroker relieved) needed very little work to clearance it.

Link to TK’s 355 bottom end suggestion:
https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?sha...8&share_type=t

I’m building another 355 this year and I’m going the SCAT Chev journal crank, SCAT 6” I beam rod and short light weight SRP 1.125 pistons. $2500 would cover these parts and should have enough left over for crank & rod bearings.

Each to their own, just my opinion.

HI
check the specs
SO Holden deck height 8.875
stroke 3.00
factory piston Comp height ??
factory rod length 5.625

355
3.48 stroke
rod length 5.7
Comp height 1.420
Tot 8.860

355
stroke 3.48
rod length 6.0
piston comp height 1.125
8.865

Holden combustion cc`s Red 58 average
Holden combustion cc`s Vn 61 average

Piston squish best around 40thou similar to chev ??? Talk about different thickness head gaskets later..

Originally Posted by swampy

HI
check the specs
SO Holden deck height 8.875
stroke 3.00
factory piston Comp height ??
factory rod length 5.625

355
3.48 stroke
rod length 5.7
Comp height 1.420
Tot 8.860

355
stroke 3.48
rod length 6.0
piston comp height 1.125
8.865

Holden combustion cc`s Red 58 average
Holden combustion cc`s Vn 61 average

Piston squish best around 40thou similar to chev ??? Talk about different thickness head gaskets later..

That’s close enough for planning purposes.
OP just needs to use a compression calculator (heaps around) plug in the numbers and go from there.

Heads gaskets, plenty of them available in a variety of types & thicknesses to ‘adjust comp’ if the heads are done and you didn’t want to touch them.

HI
Scat 9000 crank 3.48 stroke
Scat pro I beams bushed /floater 5.7
speed pro 1.425 comp height 12cc dish floater suppose to give 10:1 compression

Anybody aware of suitable gasket sets?? mono torque etc
Head gaskets whats available paper and MLS and thicknesses etc ???

Whats a common quench found if deck has not been machined b4 ??. Aiming for 40-50thou ?? Gasket or deck machining .

Once I found a selection of gaskets this will make selection easier .
I use Wallace racing comp calculator . Did with the chev I am doing as well .

The Holden V8 is alive and well.
Nice work boys ☺

Swampy engine master has shitload of head gaskets to pick from, different size bores and thicknesses

HI
Looking around for a variety of thicknesses for paper gaskets . Do they exist . Felpro , Monotorque.
Any other brands ???

Originally Posted by swampy

HI
Looking around for a variety of thicknesses for paper gaskets . Do they exist . Felpro , Monotorque.
Any other brands ???

I’ve used Durapro before on a 355 with just over 10:1 comp and my pers preference is the Felpro 1076. I used this on a 355 with 10.8:1 comp. These two gaskets compress when installed to 40-41 thou.

Some people love Cometics as they come in a variety of thicknesses (.027”, .040 or .041” and even .050” from memory) and are tuff as nails but your machines surfaces need to be good to get them to seal correctly.

Precision have Endurotec and Durapro and possibly others:

https://www.precisionintl.com/Engine...rand=Endurotec

HI
Head gasket selection for paper type seems tobe .040 only. Have to ring Precision on Monday about the Endurotec and Durapro
quench best at .040 plus ????

Originally Posted by 46Crab

Some people love Cometics as they come in a variety of thicknesses (.027”, .040 or .041” and even .050” from memory) and are tuff as nails but your machines surfaces need to be good to get them to seal correctly.

Yeap, I bought a low km 355" from a VK. So when putting efi heads on used .027 cometic's to get the comp up a bit (63cc heads instead of b-cast 56cc or whatever they were)

Originally Posted by swampy

HI
Head gasket selection for paper type seems tobe .040 only. Have to ring Precision on Monday about the Endurotec and Durapro
quench best at .040 plus ????

In my opinion yes, 0 deck and a flat top using the .040" H/G for quench.

Durapro graphlex (graphite) are good value for money and are .040 too afaik. I’ve used them quite a bit without issue.

I believe endurotec is the budget option. Only used those head gaskets once and encountered problems (maybe not the gaskets fault) but happy to pay a little extra for the durapro anyway