"Stroker Kit Schooling" Addendum
As promised in "Stroker Kit Schooling," here are Jeff Kauffman's comments regarding stroker engine combos. "Long-stroke rotating assembly kits are popular with our customers. It's an easy way of increasing horsepower and hobbyists seem to like the 'bigger is better' theory. They can start with an ordinary 350 or 400ci block and end up with an engine with much larger displacement. Our basic kit starts at $1,695, which includes a cast Eagle crank, forged Eagle rods, SRP pistons, and various other high-quality components. It's also fully balanced. A forged-steel crankshaft from Ohio Crankshaft, and a few forged-steel and aluminum rods are among the available options."
When asked what negative aspects are associated with long-stroke rotating assembly kits, Kauffman says what he sees in street applications is fuel economy. "A larger engine will obviously have a greater appetite for fuel when compared to a smaller engine. When dealing with high output or race-type engines, however, we find that the added displacement from a stroker kit usually requires additional cylinder head airflow to make higher horsepower numbers, and that can sometimes require cylinder head port work or different castings all together." Rocky Rotella
 Released in September 2006,...  Released in September 2006, the ductile-iron cylinder-liner-equipped MR-1A retains all the features of the MR-1 but is cast in lighter aluminum. The iron block weighs 238 pounds with a 4.350-inch bore with the main caps installed, and the aluminum block checks in at just 125 pounds. |  This Ohio Crankshaft (a prototype...  This Ohio Crankshaft (a prototype at the time) was forged from 4340 steel and features 3.00-inch mains, a 4.25-inch stroke, 2.200-inch Chevy rod journals and chamfered oil holes. With the main bearings and the rear main seal in place, the main caps are being torqued down to 105 lb-ft (125 for the rear cap) in two increments. Crank endplay was then checked and fell into spec at 0.007 inch. |  The GRP 5100 series aluminum...  The GRP 5100 series aluminum rod is 6.800 inches long. With the Ross forged 4.350-inch piston, featuring a 1.315-inch compression height, compression ratio checks in at 15.14:1 when used with the small 56cc chamber.. |
 A trick that doesn't always...  A trick that doesn't always get caught in the photos was how Mark Kauffman only installed the number one piston and rod assembly before degreeing the cam. It's a shortcut that makes rotating the crank easier. Here, a standard journal size Comp Cams custom solid lifter roller stick is nestled inside Durabond cam bearings. |  The new Tin Indian Performance...  The new Tin Indian Performance CNC laser-cut cam retainer will have its bolts torqued to 35-40 lb-ft. |  Two dial indicators are used...  Two dial indicators are used to monitor any motion from the lifter and piston when seeking Top Dead Center (TDC) for degreeing the cam. Mark and Jeff like to use the biggest degree wheel available-in this case, a Moroso unit. The bigger diameter means less chance of losing a half or whole degree in the process. |
 The Rollmaster double-roller...  The Rollmaster double-roller timing chain reliably keeps the cam in sync with the crank. |  With the cam degreed, the...  With the cam degreed, the remainder of the pistons and rods were installed. The flat-top Ross pistons feature valve reliefs and use Total Seal file-to-fit rings with an 0.018-inch ring gap. Piston-to-wall clearance is 0.006 inch. |  After the rod caps were torqued...  After the rod caps were torqued to 75 lb-ft in two increments, rod side clearance checked in at 0.018. |
 Moving to the oiling system,...  Moving to the oiling system, the big blur at the left is a hammer head pounding down the bolt that was inserted into the dipstick tube to keep it from crushing during its press-fit installation. |  Here is the nearly completed...  Here is the nearly completed bottom end with the scraper (clearance to the reciprocating assembly will be set at 0.035), Melling M54DS oil pump and Milodon pickup in place. |  With all the bottom-end internals...  With all the bottom-end internals done, and proper pickup-to-pan clearance verified, the Milodon oil pan is installed using a TIP 0.090-inch thick gasket. Yes, this pan has been used before. |
 KRE High-Port Heads were first...  KRE High-Port Heads were first tested as-cast with 330-cfm intake flow, then ported to 380-cfm and retested. The intake flange enables the use of a Victor intake without having to fabricate any intake spacers and the stock pushrod locations remain. photo by rocky rotella |  Note how the TIP scraper is...  Note how the TIP scraper is oversized so you can get a true custom fit for your engine. |  The heads were installed with...  The heads were installed with Cometic 0.040 gaskets and a KRE High-Port stud kit. Mark Kauffman says the studs deliver a better-distributed load on the heads and keep the torque accurate longer. He prefers to use oil instead of thread-lockers or sealers to keep his torque readings true-three passes to arrive at 100 lb-ft. Scorpion 1.6:1 roller rockers transfer cam lift to the valves, and a KRE stud girdle ensures that the geometry stays correct, despite the forces put upon the valvetrain. |