Thread: Ideas for some engine mods

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I have the same answer for you as I did a few days ago to another poster.

You're starting at the wrong end of the truck. The first thing you need to do is to work on the diff and rear suspension. Install a shorter gear with limited slip and some decent tires along with some good shocks. Then go a little looser on the converter, then headers and a good dual exhaust system with a crossover pipe. The old girl will think you've swapped in a big block and you haven't even cracked a bolt on the motor yet.

Which is probably why a lot of these alleged 800 horse street cars get whooped by 400 horse street cars that are built as a PACKAGE and not just for some big hp number to brag about...

Very good point, Richard. It was well worth bringing up again, and please keep reminding all of us that hp doesn't mean much, but APPLIED horsepower wins races!!!!

Say a 632 BBC
Sure it can be made to run on pump gas.
The biggest problem with the engine would be valve springs.
800 HP would require a mech. roller cam in other words stiff valve springs.
If you had to change the valve springs every month or so to move the .700+ lift cam I think it would take some fun out of it.
You could always have a second set of heads done and just change the heads out instead.
Then when you run your second set of heads you could do your valve job on the other set of heads.
I would rather cut the cam back to a hyd. roller and make an easy 650 hp.

I don't want monstrous power. I recenty purchased a trio of '66 Mustang part bodies, for $600, which are all in storage until a later time.

I just want like 350 horses, nothing too radical but not something that won't even bark a little bit.

Because it runs as is, I'm gonna focus more on the look and driveability of the truck. New paint, new interior, new bumpers, mirrors, maybe a mild lowering job, suspension. The one thing I wanna change is the steering box. Can anyone help me out on that. I doubt its as easy as yanking my old steering setup out of my '88 and putting it in this one.

[QUOTE=TT572ZZILLA]#1
[B][B][U][SIZE="2"][:
#2
DAVE!
WHY IS 800 OR EVEN A 1000HP NOT PRACTICAL? DONT YOU REMEMBER WHEN 500HP WAS NOT PRACTICAL IN A DAILEY DRIVER? NOW LOOK AT THE THE VETTS,THE VIPERS, THE BLOWN COBRAS,



1 Engines engineering and modifications, to make this kind of power mechanically means a BIG cam that in turn means big valve springs.

2 High compressions that would not deam practical for the cheaper fuel you can get at the local gas station.

3 High maintenance on your engine, blowers, turbos, gearboxes, clutches and diffs.

4 You would probably have to run special blend racing fuel, it is expensive, so for a street car you would have quite a weekly fuel bill.

5 To make 800 HP the engine as mentioned before would be tuned to turn high revs, so to make this HP it is an increased consumption of air fuel mix, so I would probably figure your weekly fuel bill if driven every day as a daily driver would be in the $1000.00's that's right $1000.00's


The man wants a practical daily driver, 350 with good heads and cam,,,FINE !!! If he wants to later and I hope he takes advice off all of us, maybe just maybe he will go for a SBC cheaper stroker set up, to keep his revs down and his driveabillity up and his fuel consumption reasonable.

Originally Posted by Ayers27

I don't want monstrous power. I recenty purchased a trio of '66 Mustang part bodies, for $600, which are all in storage until a later time.

I just want like 350 horses, nothing too radical but not something that won't even bark a little bit.

Because it runs as is, I'm gonna focus more on the look and driveability of the truck. New paint, new interior, new bumpers, mirrors, maybe a mild lowering job, suspension. The one thing I wanna change is the steering box. Can anyone help me out on that. I doubt its as easy as yanking my old steering setup out of my '88 and putting it in this one.

Not real familiar with GM pickup steering systems, I guess I would have no idea if they are interchangeable. Hopefully someone else on here has allready fought this battle and can help out with some information. What is the problem with the steering now? Like I said, never been around them much.......

#1[DAVE]
OK SO HE{A-27] DOES WANT SOMTHING MILD, AND I HOPE HE DOES LISTEN TO YOU GUYS! I WISH I WOULD HAVE HAD THIS KIND OF PHENOMINALY VAST AND HELPFUL WISDOM AS I HAVE SEEN IN THIS FORUM,WHEN I WAS GETTING STARTED. MY PROJECT WAS OF A MORE STREET PREDATORIAL NATURE, RACING AND CRUSING IS OFF THE HOOK SO. CA. AND I CANT STAND THESE WEAK SUCK CARS OUT HERE THEY TRY TO PUSH ON US![AND INCADENTALY DAVE I NEVER INSINUATED NOT HAVING A [COMPLETE PACKAGE]WITH AN 800+HP MILL.[SORRY YOU THINK IM TRYING TO HAVE A BIG HP NUMBER TO BRAG ABOUT] FRANKLY I WANT US ALL TO HAVE BIG HP#s AND GET IT TO THE GROUND. AND IT SEEMS NOT EVERYONE FEELS AS I DO.
#2[SOUTHENER[1,2,3]
HOW IS IT THEN THESE COBRAS,VIPERS &VETTES [Z-06] ALL W/500+HP
GET 15-20MPG W/O BIG CAMS,SPRINGS,COMPRESSION ETC...W/OUT HI MAINTENENCE. IT USED TO BE UNHEARD OF, NOW ITS ACADEMIC. YES HI-HP DOES HAPPEN AT MID TO UPPER RPMS BUT THEY ARE STILL DRIVABLE YOU JUST HAVE IT ON TAP WHEN YOU FEEL THE NEED.
[4]
WE HAVE A FAIRLEY GOOD GRADE OF GAS HERE IVE HEARD ITS DIFFERENT IN NEW ZEALAND,WITH TURBOS,BLOWERS,NITROUS ITS NOT UNHEARD OF IN THE USA&SO.CA.! W/ALL THE EPA LAWS HERE IN S.CA TECHNOLOGY IS ALLWAYS ON THE R&D FOR HP. THERE CHANGING FUEL OUT HERE TO RUN A HIGHER MIX OF ETHANOL IN THE GAS, WHICH ALSO MEANS A HIGHER STATIC C/R SO IN THE FUTURE WHEN FUELS ARE UPGRADED HIGHER HP WILL NOT BE POSSIBLE. TODAY IT IS POSSIBLE TO HAVE 800-1000 ON TAP ON THE STREET W/PUMP GAS [EXPENSIVE YES BUT NOT AS BAD AS YOU MAKE IT OUT TO BE]

HOW IS IT THEN THESE COBRAS,VIPERS &VETTES [Z-06] ALL W/500+HP GET 15-20MPG W/O BIG CAMS,SPRINGS,COMPRESSION ETC

They don't . . . if you put your foot in it.

Originally Posted by TT572ZZILLA

HOW IS IT THEN THESE COBRAS,VIPERS &VETTES [Z-06] ALL W/500+HP
GET 15-20MPG W/O BIG CAMS,SPRINGS,COMPRESSION ETC...W/OUT HI MAINTENENCE. IT USED TO BE UNHEARD OF, NOW ITS ACADEMIC. YES HI-HP DOES HAPPEN AT MID TO UPPER RPMS BUT THEY ARE STILL DRIVABLE YOU JUST HAVE IT ON TAP WHEN YOU FEEL THE NEED.]

i believe that would be credited a lot to variable valve timing and changes in fuel trim.... one of which you cant use on an old school motor, also overhead cams are a benefit as well... i think millions of dollars of engineering also helps quite a bit..... oh and btw, if you use that 500hp you get closer to about 8mpg and if you use it often enough... they are very high maintenance cars....i get them in the shop alllll the time.....vipers were prone to snapping cams in half, had to fix quite a few of those..... corvettes, well they're just a nitemare.... and cobras, well they're ussually all beat to hell

The problem with the steerig is, from my own pesonal experience and from what people have told me. Its really loose feeling. My dad said its because like a power steering setup, it only applies the extra force when going into turns. So driving in a straight line and you kinda weave and wander.

Without actually looking at your steering setup, I'll try a long distance solution. If you have a steering box - try tightening up the adjustment nut on top of the steering box, only a half turn or so, if it is loose.

If the nut is tight start looking for any hairline cracks in the chassis and/or loose or broken bolts. There better not be any !!!

Your power steering pump may of been replaced at some time and it could have the wrong pressure relief spring in it, this will cause the line pressure to be to high and your steering will be 'light". If you can easily spin the steering wheel from lock to lock with only 2 fingers while stationary with the engine running then it is a high chence this is what the problem is. To change springs just pull the pressure line fitting from the back of the pump, undo the nut and the spring should jump out at you. >>>> NB this operation is done easier with the pump on the workshop bench than in the car.

Try this lot out and get back to us with what you find.

My first guess was the pressure relief valve, too. Let us know how much effort is required to turn when the truck is at rest.....

also could be someone put power steering on it before you owned it, and it was a manual steering gearbox

Originally Posted by erik erikson

Say a 632 BBC
Sure it can be made to run on pump gas.
The biggest problem with the engine would be valve springs.
800 HP would require a mech. roller cam in other words stiff valve springs.
If you had to change the valve springs every month or so to move the .700+ lift cam I think it would take some fun out of it.
You could always have a second set of heads done and just change the heads out instead.
Then when you run your second set of heads you could do your valve job on the other set of heads.
I would rather cut the cam back to a hyd. roller and make an easy 650 hp.

i must be doing something wrong i have runed soild roller on the street past 700 lift at lash isky alloys springs are more than up to the job an i do not change them out much at all .i have run race engine on the street . that may not be evey ones cup of tea but it is mine and you would be surprised with that you can run on the street . if you do not drive something much then race fuel is not a big deal .i may not build a engines for some one like i drive but i do know it can work. big cam big heads hi CR and a big engine = big power .the cam i have in my GTO is741/731 276.6/287.5@050.on 112 at 1200 or so it a bit lazy in 3 gear . but this ends fast when you are winding it up it will run up to 8000 rpm very easy

So Thesals
What Were You Driving That Had 800hp And What Were You Doing When You Were Poped For Reckless Endangerment.
I Think They Over Reacted