Ordering MMR Shortblock, Have questions need answers!

[deftsound]

Well i'm going to be ordering my MMR900 short-block soon and want to ask a few questions about the options they give you for additional features.

They say the block is safe to 900rwhp but by the options they give you for the other features they make it sound like it would be a lot safer if you got them and was wondering if any of them are necessary? Can anyone give me some insight on these other features? Whats the advantage to coated pistons, side block bolts, and racing oil pump? What about the windage tray?

Basically, my question is, do i really need any of this additional stuff? My goal is to have an extremely safe motor capable of 5-700rwhp.

Coated Pistons (ceramic dome/teflon skirt) $399.99

Brand New Current production Aluminum Block + $300

Upgrade to MMR block side bolts (recommended for 500+ HP) +$44.99

ARP Mainstuds (recommended for 600+HP) +169.99

MMR Street/Racing Oil Pump (highly recommended) + $159.99

MMR/Felpro Extreme Duty Headgaskets + $169.99

ARP Headstuds +$269.99

MMR windage tray and hardware kit (+15HP) + 129.99

What about the 7qt oil pan? Is this a good thing to have or is the stock 5qt pan fine?

 

[trinity_gt]

Basically, my question is, do i really need any of this additional stuff? My goal is to have an extremely safe motor capable of 5-700rwhp.

Your upper value a lot of power: 700rwHP is about 825 at the crank. So...

Coated Pistons (ceramic dome/teflon skirt) $399.99

Ceramic on the crown is primarily intended to be a thermal barrier between the combustion chamber and the piston alloy. The teflon would be intended to reduce friction and parasitic losses.

In the absence of piston-cooling oil squirters a ceramic coating might be seen as an insurance policy. I would be more inclined to rely on a safe tune to keep piston temps in check (i.e. fat == cooler). However, if the car is to see track duty while making north of 600HP for long periods, a ceramic crown coating might be a good idea. OE pistons come with a skirt coating to reduce scuffing and friction so I'd say it's a good thing on these too.

Brand New Current production Aluminum Block + $300

There's something to be said for a "seasoned" iron block when making a ****load of power. But the weight savings of Al over Fe can't be ignored. In the end I think the engine will be just as reliable with either but will weigh less with the Al block. If that matters to you, go Al.

Upgrade to MMR block side bolts (recommended for 500+ HP) +$44.99

They don't specify details about these bolts (i.e. what makes them different than the OE parts.) Perhaps they're not torque-to-yield or something. These bolts don't see massive stresses during engine operation and OE parts would probably work fine.

ARP Mainstuds (recommended for 600+HP) +169.99

Yes.

MMR Street/Racing Oil Pump (highly recommended) + $159.99

If the engine has proper clearances on the bearing surfaces the OE pump would be fine in terms of volume and pressure. If the engine is "loose" or if you see a chance of extended high-RPM operation, you might consider upgrading to a Cobra pump with billet gears and a Cobra pickup. The MMR pump's description says that the gears are cryo-treated "racing gears"...check with them to see if that means billet or if they treat powdered-metal OE gears.

MMR/Felpro Extreme Duty Headgaskets + $169.99

For the sort of cylinder pressures you're going to need to make 800+ HP good headgaskets and attention to detail on the deck surface finish are something I would hope MMR would build-in. If they claim the engine is good to 900HP but "extreme duty" headgaskets are an option, I'd question that. Factory MLS gaskets are pretty good, reliable parts and when used with APR head studs I don't think you can go very wrong. Might be worthwhile asking MMR why their name is attached to the Felpro name for these...did MMR get Felpro to custom design a gasket for them or are these just Felpro modular gaskets?

ARP Headstuds +$269.99

Yes.

MMR windage tray and hardware kit (+15HP) + 129.99

Designed to keep oil spray off the crank to reduce losses. A luxury for street engines. If you plan to wind it out to 6000+ RPM you might see benefits. But on an engine making 800HP, would you really notice if it made 815 instead?

What about the 7qt oil pan? Is this a good thing to have or is the stock 5qt pan fine?

More oil is never a bad thing for extreme engines. Increased volume gives you more effective oil cooling by increasing average dwell time in the sump and something of an insurance policy for aggressive cornering and the like. Modulars have a habit of draining the pan by filling the cylinder head(s) at sustained high RPM operation. If the oil level is not kept up, this can lead to bearing damage. A couple of extra quarts in the pan can help alleviate that worry.

Oil drainback from the heads is just as important though to get that oil back into the pan again. Does MMR do anything to improve that (for instance increase the oil drainback hole size, for instance...)?

 

[deftsound]

Your upper value a lot of power: 700rwHP is about 825 at the crank. So...



Ceramic on the crown is primarily intended to be a thermal barrier between the combustion chamber and the piston alloy. The teflon would be intended to reduce friction and parasitic losses.

In the absence of piston-cooling oil squirters a ceramic coating might be seen as an insurance policy. I would be more inclined to rely on a safe tune to keep piston temps in check (i.e. fat == cooler). However, if the car is to see track duty while making north of 600HP for long periods, a ceramic crown coating might be a good idea. OE pistons come with a skirt coating to reduce scuffing and friction so I'd say it's a good thing on these too.



There's something to be said for a "seasoned" iron block when making a ****load of power. But the weight savings of Al over Fe can't be ignored. In the end I think the engine will be just as reliable with either but will weigh less with the Al block. If that matters to you, go Al.



They don't specify details about these bolts (i.e. what makes them different than the OE parts.) Perhaps they're not torque-to-yield or something. These bolts don't see massive stresses during engine operation and OE parts would probably work fine.



Yes.



If the engine has proper clearances on the bearing surfaces the OE pump would be fine in terms of volume and pressure. If the engine is "loose" or if you see a chance of extended high-RPM operation, you might consider upgrading to a Cobra pump with billet gears and a Cobra pickup. The MMR pump's description says that the gears are cryo-treated "racing gears"...check with them to see if that means billet or if they treat powdered-metal OE gears.



For the sort of cylinder pressures you're going to need to make 800+ HP good headgaskets and attention to detail on the deck surface finish are something I would hope MMR would build-in. If they claim the engine is good to 900HP but "extreme duty" headgaskets are an option, I'd question that. Factory MLS gaskets are pretty good, reliable parts and when used with APR head studs I don't think you can go very wrong. Might be worthwhile asking MMR why their name is attached to the Felpro name for these...did MMR get Felpro to custom design a gasket for them or are these just Felpro modular gaskets?



Yes.



Designed to keep oil spray off the crank to reduce losses. A luxury for street engines. If you plan to wind it out to 6000+ RPM you might see benefits. But on an engine making 800HP, would you really notice if it made 815 instead?



More oil is never a bad thing for extreme engines. Increased volume gives you more effective oil cooling by increasing average dwell time in the sump and something of an insurance policy for aggressive cornering and the like. Modulars have a habit of draining the pan by filling the cylinder head(s) at sustained high RPM operation. If the oil level is not kept up, this can lead to bearing damage. A couple of extra quarts in the pan can help alleviate that worry.

Oil drainback from the heads is just as important though to get that oil back into the pan again. Does MMR do anything to improve that (for instance increase the oil drainback hole size, for instance...)?

WOW! Awesome, Awesome write-up! I really really appreciate all the info! I guess im going to be going all out on this block. The way i see it, I mine as well do it right the first time around. I don't want to EVER have to worry about my motor and it sounds like most of these options are in my best interest.

Thanks again!

 

[BannonJr]

Mega thumbs up to that response!

Nothing but win IMO