[Excaliber]

I wonder, is the extra strength of a Genesis block necessary over the strength of an original casting as it concerns a typical build?

Today, a typical build will likely be one with a hydraulic roller cam with an rpm limit in the 5,000 range. 6,000 if you go with the really good stuff. Is there a history of original side oiler blocks flexing or breaking or in some way being the direct cause of an engine failure in the 6,000 rpm range?

There have been reports of the center oiler block cracking in the main bearing saddle areas with rpm in the high 6,000 or more rpm range, not so with the side oiler.

So, the question remains: At what point is the extra strength warranted in a modern block?

Now there may be a host of other reasons to go with a modern block, cost effective for one, the assumption that the block is "ready to go" with no issues other than the standard machining process'. I'm not sure, but I think you can get a bigger bore with a modern block than an original side oiler, due to the siamese cylinder walls. So if your looking for really big cubic inches (bore plus stroke), that alone could justify a modern block.

But for a typical build at reasonable rpm levels, is it necessary?