I believe the engine buildup I'm doing needs to include steel strapping the aluminum main caps. I'm seeking comments regarding the specific material and the thickness of the steel I should use. Thanks in advance.
KS

n/m

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Size given but no reference to material specs and, of course, it's not a Ford FE. But, methinks you're looking to replicate the old school method of reinforcing 2-bolt mains by adding strapping. I do remember seeing this on old 392 Hemi's but think the material was generally mild steel (easy to machine, cheap). Today one could make them out of much better material.

an AJ 27 four litre Jag V8. It's going in my daily driver/ECTA Maxton racer. I have somewhat over 120K miles on my '02 Lincoln LS, so it's time for a new powerplant. The engine in the LS is the same family as the Jag.

The engine is all aluminium and is being built very strong as to internal parts and quite mild as to specs, to take proper advantage of the twin turbos and NX (my sponsor) N2O/methanol spray.

The main caps are part of a girdle structure. It's aluminium with cast-in steel inserts for the actual caps. I want to use steel straps as large as I can fit into the available space. The sump is another aluminium casting with a bolt-on windage tray. I don't want to have to cut the windage tray. (The only other alternative is to sink the straps into the girdle. I prefer not to do that either.

I look on the straps as sort of a band-aid, but I'm just a little uneasy about the aluminium caps, even with the steel inserts.

I think I'm going to 'clay' the space between the windage tray and the girdle, and make the straps to just fill that space.

Thanks for the input guys!!!
KS