Glen-L Hot Rod

1. To check the main bearing oil clearance, we cut a plastigauge strip and placed it on the crankshaft journal.

2. The main bearing cap was lightly oiled (to prevent the plastigauge strip from sticking to it)...

3. ... and torqued to 65 ft/lbs...

4. ... The cap was removed...

5. Clearance is determined by matching up the compressed plastigauge strip with the plastigauge kit's ruler. Crankshaft main bearing clearance: 001" -.003".

6. Hydraulic roller retrofit The early style non-roller block was upgraded to a hydraulic roller setup by using a Comp Cams hydraulic roller retrofit kit (Comp # 12-417-8, Grind Number XM 270HR). Cam specs are as follows: Gross valve lift:.495 /.503 Duration @.006 tappet lift (Intake/Exhaust): 270° / 276° Duration @.050" lift (Intake/Exhaust): 218° / 224° Lobe separation: 112° Intake Centerline: 110°

7. Image courtesy of Comp Cams. Click image to see Cam Spec Card.

8. For this buildup, we chose to install a set of Air Flow Research 180cc SBC Eliminator Street Cylinder Heads (AFR Part # 0919).

9. The aluminum performance cylinder heads feature 180cc intake ports, a 75cc combustion chamber with a 64cc exhaust port and a 3/4" thick head deck.

11. The engine is rated at 430 HP @ 5500 RPM. Peak torque is 470 ft/lbs @ 4500 RPM. Dyno results for a similar engine can be seen on AFR's Cylinder head dyno results page.

12. Valves are lightweight 8mm 2.020 intake and 1.600 exhaust with AFR’s hardened ductile iron interlocking valve seats.

2. Pistons are TRW.030" over flat top forged units.

3. Checking camshaft end play with a dial gauge.

4. We had to fabricate an.048" shim to slip under the cam drive water pump drive plate in order to get the required.005" -.010" camshaft end play clearance.

A Comp Cams degree wheel kit was used to ensure that the camshaft was installed according to specifications.

We fabricated a Top Dead Center pointer from a piece of 1/4" threaded rod, an aluminum block and a steel welding rod.

A solid lifter was inserted into the lifter bore to determine maximum valve lift and cam timing.

It's been a long time since our last update. We've clocked 12 hours on the engine since our launch last October. It has performed flawlessly but we expect that the hydraulic camshaft won't stand up to sustained high RPM usage. Last month, we pulled the Hot Rod's 355 Chevy engine and will be upgrading it for severe duty service. This includes installation of a main bearing stud kit, Air Flow Research aluminum cylinder heads, hydraulic roller camshaft, aluminum roller rocker arms and an Edelbrock RPM Air Gap intake manifold.

Click here to see more engine assembly photos.

Click the 'Play' button (>) to see the video. Glen-L Hot Rod - 355 Marine Engine Startup

Glen-L Boat Builder Gathering - September 25-26 2010, Lake Nickajack, Tennessee The Gathering is a get together of boat builders, family and friends organized by Glen-L builders. The Hot Rod made the trip again this year. After scouring the want ads for several months, we found a used Palomino pop-up truck camper for a reasonable price. The passenger-side box wing was replaced with a new fiberglass-laminated plywood panel and the driver-side box wing was reinforced with fiberglass cloth and aluminum plates to support the camper tie-down straps. The original two-way refrigerator was upgraded to a new three-way unit (propane, 12 volt DC and 120 volt AC). The camper and tow vehicle's wiring were also redone. Photo coutesy of John Brantuk, Glen-L Marine Designs We didn't have enough time to get the boat ready before we left for Tennessee, so we finished up the wiring, fuel lines and exhaust hoses before launching the boat on the Thursday afternoon. The boat ran great and the new propeller is a big improvement over the prop we ran last year ! Photo coutesy of Gayle Brantuk, Glen-L Marine Designs Click here to browse our Trip Report, photos and videos of the event.

It's over for another season... We've logged 18 hours on the clock since we got back from G4. Actually using the boat has to be the best part about boatbuilding ! We shot some footage on our second last run and thought we'd share it with you. So hang onto your tuque (temp was 36° F!), we're going for a ride... Click the 'Play' button (>) to see the video. Glen-L Hot Rod Boat Cruise - Ottawa River 2010 (HD)

1. The stock head bolts were upgraded with an ARP head stud kit.

4. Comp Cams Magnum aluminum roller rockers, roller lifters and pushrods complete the valvetrain.

6. If you click the image to enlarge it, you'll see the drive cog for the cam drive water pump. The plate is bolted to the end of the camshaft. The timing chain cover is another Glenwood item.

7. A Holley 600 CFM Marine performance calibrated four barrel carburetor is mounted to an Edelbrock RPM Air-Gap intake manifold.

8. The Hardin Marine flame arrestor uses a K&N air filter capable of flowing 30% more air than a stock flame arrestor.

9, 11. We've moved the engine from the assembly stand to the break-in stand. The new Edelbrock RPM Air Gap intake manifold adds several inches to the induction system's overall height. (Click the image for a higher resolution photo).

10. Ignition is controlled by an MSD billet aluminum marine distributor and digital ignition box.