TD, The 500 calculated and 303 dyno run #'s are impressive at the least, but Ians run didn't last miles and miles, neither did Bills. What I'm getting at (hopefully with no disrespect) is that they didn't need to run girdles or splayed for such a short period of time. But for Joe the Plumber (couldn't help it) who pulls a heavy load, like a skid steer for example, day in and day out, wouldn't the added insurance be worth the extra time and expense?
Side note, is Bill gonna run his truck on a dyno?
If you talk to them they do have high CR , & higher than stock HP engines with miles on em towing and non towing.
Many of their Joe Plumber customers arrive 1st time with 200K+ engines, shucks I got a lot of high Hp miles on my "Watch out, you have a
squirter block" can't survive at that Hp towing up to 18K that inside is wholly stock, is it worth it, there is some merit, as I did it to mine based on what guys on Page said had to be done.
I'm rethinking it now that I probably could have done a straight up rebuild, I doubt anyone has done an imperical study of early fails, how many died because of overheat, oil coolers, low boost, unmonitored EGT, stopped up soot traps, choked exhausts etc, or just plain running overloaded without preparing engines for heavier work than GM intended. A lot of Dmax and other lessons lerned from the 6.2/6.5, I'll surmise a stock build fed and cared for properly will serve 99% of us out here, push the envelope to 300 Hp, or tow big 18K type loads then you'll have to do more.
Splays-girdles-lower CR are good but maybe overkill, we know that works, multiple trucks have done it with success, and you are right Ian's and Bill's trucks don't have much road/towing time at these levels yet, but look at this anybody tried to run a splayed one at 150+ mph either, Heath boys do have many 200+rwhp miles in high CR form trucks out there, mine being one of them knock on wood it dead yet.
I did splays and scat crank as I was thinking of 20+ boost so you need some extra squish room, need to lower CR and build strength for higher psi forces in the cylinder working the bottom end, A team turbo does at 15 psi what 20+ boost does with no backpressure,.
I'm thinking based on what I know now, a stock rebuild, HP-4 tune, FTB, exhaust, ho inj, FSD relocate, oil cooler lines that won't pop off, clean rad & ho waterpump, & A team turbo is all one ever needs to have strong & durable truck.
). This is mostly to have fun and to see what these old dinosaurs can do.