wow i just read this post from the start for the first time and im glad to see a lot of avenues to making big power are making their way onto legend forums finally
well, before i comment let me say ive had plenty of experience with different types of race engines . both owning them and even been paid to build, set up and tune different types for people. i have plenty of experience with standalone engine management , building & racing stroker engines and some supercharger and currently a turbocharged race car. also i used to work at a machine shop and still go there to build all my own engines . racing is a main hobby of mine . anyway enough for credentials
dv8 from the info ive gathered from this post, what i would do if i were doing this project would be:
look into the possiblity of just swapping the longer stroke rl crankshaft into the legend block. just do an overbore on the legend block. if the cylinders are all in the same orientation like all this info seems to assume they do, just use the rl crank, use either rl or legend rods. call an aftermarket piston manufacturer like JE they will make pistons however you want em. nice forged lightweight ones. tell them the rods you have to choose from (length) and the deck height measurement of a legend block. and the stroke length of the crank. they will set the pistons pin height to achieve the proper geometry to make the piston work properly
if you feel froggy you can up the compression at this point or whatever.
if for some strange reason, the legend has longer rods you would be in real luck because a 3.5 with longer rods would be more rev happy a little less torquey than a stock rod 3.5 but it would match the legends cam profiles, intake setup to match, head flow unique to a higher rpm more agressive cam engine, etc.
of course get the reciprocating assembly rebalanced if your changing part of its physical weight.
but for a minute lets pretend you can put a 3.5 crankshaft into a 3.2 block. and youre using typeII cams intake, heads etc. even though your ecu will be a HELL of a lot closer to being tuned than if it were on a whole new camshaft profile as well. youre gonna need a damn good ecu setup. i dont forsee a super afc handling some of the duties that are gonna be needed. no matter how you slice it the engine is gonna breathe way different and tuning will be a big portion. no factory settings gonna work here especially shooting nos or youre gonna have more than a ring prob
surely the legend ecu wont accept the totally different crank angle sensor inputs as well as who knows what all sensor inputs that are of different values etc. the legend ecu will be 'looking' for values that maybe just cant be offered by a healthy 3.5 so it will throw up check engine codes right and left. the only real way i can see to pull it off is swap in the crankshaft and that way all sensors except maybe crank angle will be sure to work. most importantly ones like the knock sensor. if the legend is sequentially injected which i dont know, that will definitely make this whole thing a nightmare\
now if you choose to go standalone you will lessen the blow a whole lot. if you get the hang of tuning them it would be awesome. but i tell you even with all the standalone projects ive been a part of, nightmares can spring up trying to deal with things like variable assist steering, tcs, and computerized trannys that rely on lots of interaction with the ecu.
but on the bright side , being highly optimistic (and hoping you have VERY good fortune) the engine if it could be a reality would be awesome
i can see it now. the legends induction setup (cams intake head etc) legend block, lighter weight je pistons (forged by the way can handle lots of nitrous) potentially longer rods for better cylinder fill (nitrous would love that) , and since the piston weight would be less, when they balanced it would have to lighten the throws on the crank, making it lighter.
due to more stroke it will have more inherant torque, but the legend cams will kind of bleed off some actual low end (barely), making it easier to launch but the legend cams along with lighter weight (non stock 3.5 weight) parts , it will rev like a legend not an rl only with more torque and some hp to boot.
ill read over this again later ive had a very stressful day and im tired so im sure im leaving loads of info out.
ill help in any way i can to make this work out tho. if i dont chime in because of my busy lifestyle just pm me. going racing the 19th (1500hp single turbo small block chevy for those interested) so i cant respond that day..
