Pyro

Buy the cheap gm crate engine (1400.00) and install a HE268 cam, intake, carb, and header and it will make over 300 hp. Go to chevyhiperformance.com and there is a 8 part build write-up up on the cheap GM crate engine.

That sounds right. The header tubes are welded then the welds are ground flat. They leave a little sticking up to in order to press harder on the gasket. I think it is very important to use good gaskets. I had very good results using the small seperate metal gaskets that are used on the stock exhaust manifolds (felpro). I have always used auto zone felpro exhaust gaskets for a stock small block on my block huggers with out any problems.

I think you have four choices. 1. valve cover 2. intake 3. oil pressure port 4. distributor It sounds like you did the intake right (thick bead of silicone). So you need to wash off the oil drive it for a few minutes and get a good look where it is going from. You should use cork gaskets on the valve covers (rubber sucks) Make sure you have a gasket under the distributor Make sure the oil pressure line for the oil pressure port is not leaking.

Check the condition of your wastegate and pop off valve. If the turbo waste gate is bad (burnt or stuck open) then no boost. The same for the pop off valve on the intake. You should also check the rubber hoses in/on the J-pipe (on turbo output and throttle body input). If those leak then no boost either.

I have been battling that problem for years in my roller cam 454. I have changed cams and gears many times and the problem didn't go away. I have been told that high volume pumps eat those gears. However, I now think that slight core shifts in the block durning casting cause the cam and lifter bores to be out of spec. That is why some engines eat gears and some do not. It has nothing to do with your valve springs. The timing chain drives the cam and the cam drives the dist. and the dist drives the oil pump. The oil pump may be dragging. The pump needs the proper clearance between the pump lid and the pump gears. If the clearance is too tight the dist gear will be pushed hard. Another problem I had was the dist. shims worn into the bronze gear which cause a bunch of end play in the dist shaft. This caused the rotor to either come up and hit the cap or fall down a far distance from the cap which screwed up the ignition. So I machined a pocket down into the gear and screwed down a thick dist. shim (0.060) onto the bronze gear (used 2 counter sink screws size 2-56). I made a "horse shoe" for the soft gear. I'm happy to say that this fixed the shim "digging in" problem AND the sharping of the teeth! I didn't expect to fix the tooth wear problem. I just wanted the end-play to remain constant. It has been over one year and the gear still looks new. I have been pulling the dist about every two month to check it. Before it would take a few hundred miles before the teeth worn out!! You might want to try it.

That is what i did except I used a Hays scatter-shield bell housing. I used an old style 153 tooth flywheel with a clutch for a V8 ss nova and a gm T5 trans. I also had good results using the RAM 6 puck meltallic disc (10-1/2 x 1-5/32, 26 spline, 6000 series) and a pressure plate slightly strong than stock. If you drive hard then organic clutches don't last long with the small flywheels.

I think your 355 is running about 10.0:1 cr. Here are my calulations: cylinder volume = 727cc head gasket volume = 8cc piston down in the hole 0.020"= 4cc piston reliefs volume= 2cc combustion chamber volume = 67cc (727+8+4+2+67)/(8+4+2+67)=808/81=9.97

That is right. The port on the metering plate which is right above the idle mixture adjustment screw. It is a common mistake on chevys to place the vacuum advance on the wrong port. If the wrong port is used, the timing will retard instead of advance when the throttle is openned. Not good for performance! FYI, Fords work opposite of chevys, that is, fords use the vacuum port that has vacuum at idle.

150 isn't that much. You should be able to run the cheap gas at that pressure with a little timing retard. 200 psi is about the limit for 92 octane. I have read that 175 is about perfect for a street engine. If you are using the old style cast iron heads then you should have 64 cc or 76 cc combustion chambers. What are the casting numbers on the heads? Set the ignition timing at 40 "total" degrees and 4500 rpm and let her rip. If the engine pings under a load then drop a few degrees. A set of headers will help make some more power. Make sure the distributor vacuum advance is connected to the correct carb port. The correct carb port will NOT have any vacuum at idle. Holleys normally come jetted rich. Read a plug and make adjustments. I bet you will need a 68 or 69 jet in the primaries. Power and mileage go up if the mixture is right.

I use the Black Magic fan on my Z and it runs 190 to 200 around town in the summer (south Texas). If your fans pull enough air you shouldn't have a problem. What also makes an engine overheat is the hot air stuck in the engine compartment. If the hot air can't get out then flow over the radiator is reduced. IMHO, 50K is about all you can expect from a 280 comp cam. But, cams are pretty cheap and easy to change. However, roller rockers also wear out which starts adding up costs. But that is what you can expect when high performance parts are used. Your low rpms on the highway is a big plus! I'm sure your car will do fine. Just take it easy.

Assuming your engine doesn't have a cooling problem. The biggest problem you will have is cam and lifter wear. Cams that make 400 hp will not have a 100K mile lifespan like a stock cam. High and quick lifts will kill the valve components quickly. Even roller rockers and roller lifts die quickly under high performance conditions. To get 100K+ miles from a stock valve train, engineers design soft ramping lobes and weak springs. In extreme cases, I have seen people try to drive 0.700" lift, roller, big block chevy engines on the street but only to eat up the entire valve train after a few thousand miles. I would guess that you could get 25K to 40K miles from your valve train components (springs, rollers, cam, lifters) when using a "400 hp" small block cam. Furthermore, if you drive a lot on the highway, keeping the rpms low will extend the engine life. So a 3 speed automatic car with a 3.90 gear will last half as long as a 5spd car with 3.55 gears.

"I'm looking for something that would be cheap to start with but have plenty of potential so i can slowly build it up" To me it sounds like you are asking for a 350 chevy. The cheapest sbc and a lot of potential. FYI, 1400.00 can buy you a NEW (not rebuilt) 350 long block with 250hp from your local chevy dealer. Add a small cam, headers, intake, carb and make 300 hp+. A little head bowl blending and a thinner head gasket and 350 hp is obtainable. Add some performance heads and a bigger cam and the engine can make 400 hp. Go to chevyhiperformance.com and look in their old articles and see for yourself. I remember the above information from a project they did using a 250hp gm goodwench crate engine (350 Budget Build Up). I think it was around an eight part story where they bolted on different heads, cams, intakes, and even a blower. In the end, I think they made almost 500 hp!

ZFan, Are you using stock length push rods? Normally Canfield heads require +0.100 to +0.160 longer push rods to keep the rocker arm/valve tip geometry correct. This could effect power numbers also. Any fuel ratio data???

I have used both and could not tell the diference. In either case, slow shifts and normal width tires will save the trans. You can also use slicks but use a brake linelock to hold the car still while letting out the clutch a little to preload the drive line gears before dumping the clutch. I ran 1.5 second 60 footers and over 130 mph in the 1/4 mile using both WC and Non-WC transmissions. It is more important to use the V8 transmission and not the V6 transmissions. But I repeat, slow shifts and no clutch drops unless a line lock is used to take up driveline slack first. After my burnout in second gear, I pull up to the starting line and hit the linelock. Then I rev the engine to 5500 and let the clutch out just a bit. The engine pulls down a bit when the clutch engages. Then I dump the clutch on the last yellow and hang on. I'm sure my engine is making 400 ft lb of torque without N20 then aother 200 ft lb on the spray. So a transmission with a 300 ft lb torque rating can handle 600 ft lb if driven carefully.

IMHO, 500 hp out of a LT1 is not going to get good MPG unless you make the last 150 hp with N20, turbo, or a vortec style supercharger.

You need the 153 tooth flywheel and the 10.4 clutch. That is what I'm using on my GM T5.

1971 240Z lowered 1 inch 15" centerlines (8's in back and 6's up front) Heavy springs in the rear with raised spring perches No sway bar honda crx seats no roll bar white auto meter gauges 2600 lbs empty 362 sbc (3.550" stroke and 4.030" bore) 11.3:1 cr (flat tops, zero deck block) iron eagle heads (64cc combustion chambers, 200 cc intake runners) cast crank with 4 bolt mains 292H comp cam performer rpm intake holley 750 3310 carb 150 shot N20 (I use a 1 gallon fuel cell in front of car with racing fuel for N20 fuel enrichment) GM T5 trans 3.90 r200 diff brake linelock MT slicks (26x8.5x15) sintered iron clutch full lenght headers with 1 5/8 tube, 2.5 inch exhaust, two 2.5 hooker areochambers. 10 gallon fuel cell and mallory 140 pump 10.7 sec at 134 mph, 1.5 sec 60 footers, 6.9 at 110 in the 1/8 mile. I finish the 1/4 mile at the very top of 4th gear. The car drives well on the street and doesn't over heat. (Black magic fan with GM radiator) My times are slow compared to the mph because I shift slow to save the trans. I plan to go automatic, turbo, and a straight axle because I'm sick of breaking parts. I can't race the car anymore until I install a roll cage!

I may have giving "out dated" information. I haven't seen the latest JTR publication. However, my 1990 addition of Datsun Z V-8 Conversion Manual by JTR recommends using a GM radiator (part number 3054101) and a Black Magic fan (model 150) on page 7 in the cooling section. I have that same set up on my V8 Z and the combo keeps my car cool even in South Texas heat.

Nice job and thanks for sharing. All hotrodders love to hear dyno stories. A smooth idle with tons of torque and a 5 spd is a fun Z to drive. The way it is now, you should be able to run low 13's at 106 mph. FYI, A mild cam (around 265 to 270 degrees) with a decent set of aftermarket heads (200 cc dart iron eagles with 64 cc combustion chamber, $999.00) and 12.7's at 112 mph are obtainable without losing streetablity. A Black Magic fan and a stock GM cossflow radiator will keep your engine cool (as recommended by JTR manual).

Mike, A little note on big block chevy cam wiping. My 454 was doing the same thing. And I did the same fix as you are planning (roller cam). However, after reading a bunch of stuff and talking with some local speed machine shops I have come to the conclusion that Big Block chevys stuffer from "lifter bore alinement problems" and the cure is to re-bore the lifter bores and install sleaves which are bored into the correct position. This is a $450.00 job. I think my engine has a very bad case of this. After eating 3 cams during the "break in" I finally went roller. However, the roller didn't solve a little lope/miss that the engine SHOULD NOT have. My cam is only a 208/214 duration H-roller so I expect a good idle. I think that some of the valve events are off because the alinement is so bad. ???? This is just my latest threoy. This engine has been killing me over the last 3 years! And this is the last thing to try and the promising thing is that an old speed shop guy thinks this could be the case. This shop even has a special machine to correct the problem! If you are interested in talking to him call Bill at 210-333-7150 (kendrick automotive, SA Texas).[/u]

Sorry, I didn't know you had already been working on installing a Dana 44. In that case, I would not use the 700r with a 3.08 and a cam that big. Change the gear or reduce the cam. Eventhrough, the 700r does have a low first gear, the stift to second gear is a huge step. That trans was designed for a high torque engine installed in a heavy car with a 3.08 diff. And the low first gear helps get a lot of mass moving. The 200r trans would be a better choice if you can get your hands on one. It has a tighter gear ratios but you will still have a cam problem. You should not use a cam bigger that 230 degrees at 0.050" with a 3.08 in a light car. 220 degrees would be even better. I have tried serval 700r in my Z many years ago and had nothing but problems. I used 3 different GER transmissions. I broke the next off the torque converter on the last one I used. Plus that stupid TV cable messes with the carb linkage. I finally installed a GM T5 and now my Z feels much more "sports car like". I guess I don't like the feel of a loose converter on the street. I was using a 8" with 3000 stall which was nice at the track but felt weird in a Z on the street. My car now runs high 11.7's at 120 on slicks (26x8.5), T5, and a r200 3.90 open diff. And 10.7's at 135 mph with a 150 shot of n20. The T5 holds the power as long as slow shifts are used and no full power 5th gear runs. 135 mph was at the top of 4th gear 362 cid, 11:1, 292H comp cam, 750 holley, rpm intake, 200cc iron dart heads, full length hooker headers, 2.5 inch dual exhaust, aerochamber mufflers, 10 gal alum fuel cell, and brake line lock. I'm switched over to dual exhaust a few years ago and wish that I hadn't. My car now sounds like a ford mustang. bummer... I really miss the sound of a high rpm engine running through single exhaust.

Looks pretty good. AFR heads are great! However, I think your engine would run slightly better with the same intake and exhaust duration. Those AFR heads already have a good intake to exhaust flow ratio. You should add more exhaust duration only if the heads don't flow well on the exhaust side, or if the car is heavy and the engine is small, or if exhaust manifolds are used, or if a blower is used. If you go with the automatic use more torque converter (3000) or a smaller cam. I would use the manual if I were you. I don't like 700r's. FYI, a 2000 stall TC in a light car will be less than 2000 rpm (about 1700) A tight lash solid cam with 230 degrees of duration at 0.050 and 112 degrees LS will supply good street/strip performance. Then, if you need more power at the track, spray a 150 shot of N20. Sanderson Headers (see their web page) make a full length block hugger header that will work on a sbc Z. 1 5/8 header pipes with 2.5 inch pipes then Y into a 3 inch single pipe will work great and sound very cool. Use mandrel bends to get around the diff and a 3" hooker arechamber muffler. Use a 3.90 200r diff.

The mount is also from a 67 to 72 chevy 1/2 pickup with a small block. Auto zone should have it.

No, because the whole carb is pressurized. However, the fuel pressure needs to be increased as the boost is increased. The fuel pressure should be 5 to 7 psi greater than the pressure the carb "feels". So at 0 boost, the pressure should be 5 to 7 psi and at 8 psi of boost the fuel pressure should be 13 to 15 psi. The outer edge of the fuel lines need to be sealed to pressure box.

I enlarged the waste gate hole on my turbo using a die grider and a 0.250" diameter carbide cutter. It was easy since the housing is made of cast iron. However, I'm using an external wastegate. I would not enlarge it too much if you are going to use the stock flapper style waste gate to close off the hole. You could grind the hole out 0.020" all the way around then smooth out the sharp edges to increase exhaust flow out the hole.