well, after 3 weeks of driving my new val, the dreaded waterey oil has come back worse than ever (im sure its the block this time)

since im a little short of the folding stuff at the moment ill bang a Hemi in it, and save up some cash to do a proper rebuild this time.

i have 4 225 slants available to me for nothing and was wondering which might be the best to use?

1. 5 welchplug, 2806830 - 3
2. 3 welchplug, 2463430 - 13
3. 5 welchplug, 2806830 - 1
4. 3 welchplug, 2463430 - 12

i read up about them in that article on this site, so the 5 plug ones better should be better, but they have low numbers after the dash, i heard that the higher the better??

or i could rebuild and sleeve the current one

5. 3 welchplug, 2463430 - 19!

i think i saw a "BH" on one of them, would this be the one to use overall the others, even if it does have the lowest dash number??

thanx, its not like it'll be a fulltime racer, just a cruise/tow/quick streetcar

Mr_Mopar_Man@hotmail.com

opps, sorry didnt finish.. it wont be a fulltime racer like i said, but who knows what the future may bring!

Mr_Mopar_Man@hotmail.com

The dash numbers are a "link" to the casting pattern equipment used to produce the block... that's all.
As you are seeing, there were a bunch of casting patterns used but no-one (including myself) can pin-point a single "dash #" as the "best". There are just too many patterns & variables, seeing that each sand mold is basically "hand-made" off the pattern equipment, then each "pour" is out of a "melt" of cast iron made-up that day. (or shift) If you think all these sand molds & "batches" of cast iron come-out the same, melt to melt, think again! (you would be amazed on how the foundry makes the metal, basically they just "dump" train-car loads of scrap into the furnace(s), melt it down, check the chemistry ("taste the soup") and then "adjust" as needed. (throw-in some other "known" stuff, kinda like adding a pinch of salt to the soup) Needless to say, the dash numbers are just a referance point, it is up to you to do some carefull inspection and testing to find that "best" block.

I try to share all the info. I collect, I have inspected 20-30 of these SL6 blocks over the years so that's a start. (I have about 11,999,970 more to look at, based on the 12 million produced!) I do feel the "5-plug" ones are stronger so start with those. Also that the "BH" blocks with the additional "pencil ribs" would add a bit more stiffness *if* everything else was equal.

I have seen these added ribs in different thicknesses and other little "interesting" casting fetures so do what the article says, clean-up and inspect a few "5 plug" blocks, your "best" one will present it's self as you look them over "side by side". (I find that the selection is based on "wow, I don't like that flaw" and you set-aside that block, then it becomes a hard choice between the "good ones" remaining.(and most of them are "good")

Here is a look at the "BH" with added ribs I just built-up for the dragcar. - DD



Sl6 Block Article