Engine Girdles

When modifying your engine and adding a lot more horsepower, the block may need extra reinforcement. A main cap girdle is ideal for factory engine blocks that exceed 450 horsepower and aids in preventing main cap walk and engine block webbing flex, which could lead to engine damage. JEGS offers engine girdles from the best manufacturers including Moroso, PRW, Speedmaster, and others. Browse our full line of engine girdles to help support your main caps and reduce block flex today.

The Benefits of Buying Engine Girdles

When using a stock block with a lot of horsepower, installing an engine girdle can help in more than one way. By reducing flexing in the block, particularly the webbing, and keeping the main caps in line to prevent walking, an engine girdle can prevent damage to your bottom end. Having a girdle as an "insurance policy" also potentially saves you money by preventing a rebuild, or worse yet, having to build a completely new engine.

Eliminates Block Flex And Cap Walk

Extreme load stress is applied to the bottom of the block, including the crankshaft main bearing cap (s), in high performance engines. Main cap girdles can help to keep everything in place and reduce any cap walking or block flexing.

Saves You Money

Having a main cap girdle installed on your high performance engine block can save you money. Without it, your engine could be damaged or worse, experience a catastrophic failure from main cap walk and engine block flexing. If this happens, a new engine will need to be built, costing a large investment that could be potentially avoided by installing a main cap girdle.

When upgrading your engine to produce more power, one option to help prevent damage may be a main cap girdle. However, careful research needs to be done before a purchase is made to make sure you actually need one and to understand how an engine girdle works. To help you along the way, we have provided the answers to the most common questions about main girdles.

What Is An Engine Girdle?

The block girdle definition is "a strong plate, somewhat representing a "ladder" shape, that is bolted on top of the main bearing caps of an engine with a custom bolt kit". The engine girdle purpose is to hold the main caps in place in order to prevent them from "walking" and the block from flexing under extremely high loads, particularly in the webbing areas. Engine girdles are typically constructed from billet steel for strength.

Do You Need A Main Cap Girdle?

If you are using a stock engine block with over 450 horsepower, an engine girdle may help prevent damage caused by walking caps, or flexing block webbing. Main cap girdles are most commonly available for small block Ford (289, 302), Ford 351W, Ford 460, Chevy small block (350) and Chevy big block (454). They are also available for Oldsmobile (350-403 and 455) and big block Mopar (383/440), as well as other engines. This doesn't necessarily mean that the aforementioned engines are susceptible to issues and need engine girdles; rather that these engines are popular to upgrade with enough horsepower that would benefit from an engine girdle. Race engines with aftermarket blocks do not need a girdle plate as they are made with stronger materials that will not lead to cap walk or block webbing flex.

Strengthen Your Performance Engine With A Girdle From JEGS

If you have a factory engine block and have made modifications that push horsepower levels past the 450 mark, an engine girdle may be just what you need to help support the bearing caps and prevent them from walking as well as preventing the block webbing from flexing. View our wide selection of steel main cap girdles that will help support your street or race engine's bottom end.

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