Bang for the buck...goodwrench 350

[travis]

The Z-28 springs are a set I purchased around 20 years ago and used them for about 2000 miles with this same 266 energizer cam. This is why my garage is such a mess...I don’t throw things away

I’m going to use the 266...the owner made it clear he wanted a smooth idle. The 272 isn’t “rough” but you know it’s there especially with headers.

Compression will be 8.8-8.9. Chambers ended up about 66cc after I polished them. I didn’t measure them beforehand. Quench is .043” on average. I expect it will crank 160-170 psi. Hopefully fine on 87 octane as I know that is what he will use. I will still suggest 91 octane when he is towing.

As much as I would like to put an intake on it, he is done spending money on it, so the iron egr intake is staying. Other than cleaning up the sharp edges in plenum, is there anything else I can do to make it better?

FWIW, the crane 266 is equivalent to a comp 258-260 high energy lobe. It is 266@.0045, 210@.050, .440” lift, 110 lsa, 5* advance ground in.

It still has the factory air cleaner and is ducted up to the top of the core support, so that should be ok.

I’ve got to dig through my piles of old q-jets and find some thinner metering rods. The ones in this factory carb are pretty thick and I think it’s going to run lean.

Would a R44TS plug be about right?

[n2omike]

I think this truck is going to turn out great! For the gear and towing, I think that's about the perfect camshaft. You completed almost all of your 'wish list' and built a great combo. Plus, if he chooses to in the future, upgrading to the RPM intake will be a piece of cake!

Good Luck!

[Carnut1]

I am glad you are using that cam. Best of them for the truck. Take a good look at that intake, depending on the casting it will have huge bosses that can be removed which will help even the flow. I think stock it flows about 28-30 % different from bad to worse cylinder. In fact it is quite horrible. We need pics of the bowl job. This pos will run quite well. I love cheapo jobs like this that run well. Thanks, Charlie

[novadude]

This pos will run quite well. I love cheapo jobs like this that run well.

Me too. I find threads like this more interesting than the full race stuff. Probably because it's more in line with the junk I play with.

[F-BIRD'88]

The high perf -towing plug for this app is R42T (Champ RV8C) this is what I always use for this stuff.
Used cam re-breakin... Clean the cam lobes with vinagar.
Rub the Moly lube paste (Isky REV Lube) right in the cleaned lobes with your fingers. You don't need it slopped all over because you took the time to get it on the metal instead of floating around.
I would run in the cam lifters with old stock sbc springs set at max height for a week or 2 running, the swap in the Z28 springs at 1.70" you want low pressure during break in. Take it out and drive it hiway.

The crane 266 .440" cam is about 258° @.006" (like a comp hyd)
You can advance it a hair more if like...
Too bad about the low cr.. This is why the (ported) 601 or 4416 or 059 305 vortecheads are just right for this.
Almost a waste using these 64 cc heads on this motor.
They have a ton of potential as shown by Carnut1.

[travis]

If I had the time, experience, and a flow bench, then I would pursue these heads further. I don’t have any of these things, so it is what it is.

Low compression? Let’s see...4000+ pound truck, 4000-4500 pound trailer, Texas heat, iron heads without the benefit of a Vortec style chamber, old school carb and distributor, and the fact that it isn’t mine and I don’t know if he will really put better gas in it or not, etc etc...I will stay more conservative. I don’t want to be buying this guy another engine just because he blew it up because he didn’t stay on top of the tune or he let it rattle itself to death. It’s not a risk I’m willing to take when it isn’t me staying on top of things. I don’t run a garage or even do this for a living.

As far as pics...I didn’t take any Didn’t think about it because I’ve been slamming through this thing. Not like it’s much to look at anyway...I’ve probably got 8 hours in the heads (I’m not fast either)...bowl blend and cleanup, nice radius on the short turns, streamlined the guides, and took a hair off the PR pinch. When my work gets prettier then I’ll post pics

Hopefully I’ll have everything buttoned back up tomorrow.

[F-BIRD'88]

There is no requirement for you to provide any warrantee
For customers/friends like this. You're doing them a big favour, for likely cheap... So.
Detonation damage from using crap fuel is considered customer- end user operator abuse..(no body warrantees that) You should hold this policy too. For your own good...
Great job.

What were the stock heads casting number on this motor?
993's ? Single ex heat risers or dual like a 305 head.

These have budget hi- perf potential with a small (+4cc,) dome claimer piston like a KB9904HC.. Gives you 10:1 (76cc)
These 76 ccheads should have the same flow potential when (Agressivly) home ported as any of the 305 heads do. Not so bad if when you get the quench clearance effective using felpro 1094. .015" gaskets...For cheap budget 350 stuff.
Another way to skin a cat on a budget.

I wonder what the weight difference is between a KB 9904 hc piston and the stock GM cast crate motor piston with pins , is.... The KB piston is listed as 660/102.
It is a solid dome so can be played with a bit here and there....

[travis]

The original heads was 33417369 castings. I didn't investigate them much, but I suspect dual crossover passages in them.

I don't normally provide any sort of warranty (if you want a professional level engine then go to a professional level shop ), but I will still stand behind my work unless there is obvious signs of abuse. And...this guy is one of my only 2 neighbors, and I use his tractor/brush hog, welder, etc on occasion. I don't think he will be a problem but I also don't want there to be any problems either. So, I'm not really making any money on this deal, but I am getting the old heads and a 204/214 cam out of the deal These heads have a lot of casting crud in them...they will need porting for sure.

[travis]

I re-broke in the cam with the new lifters...everything sounds good and happy

I just took it for a spin around the “block” (about 4 miles). Much more better that it was before.

There is a problem though...flowmaster wannabes with dumps under a pickup bed is bloody f’n horrible. People do this on purpose??? The reverb was so bad I had a brutal headache just after breaking in the cam. This is no bueno and will have to be dealt with. I don’t know if tailpipes will be enough...may need some big case turbo mufflers

[PRH]

What I’m hearing is....... there’s a reason those mufflers and pipes are no longer on whatever they were on before you got them.

[FC-Pilot]

I re-broke in the cam with the new lifters...everything sounds good and happy

I just took it for a spin around the “block” (about 4 miles). Much more better that it was before.

There is a problem though...flowmaster wannabes with dumps under a pickup bed is bloody f’n horrible. People do this on purpose??? The reverb was so bad I had a brutal headache just after breaking in the cam. This is no bueno and will have to be dealt with. I don’t know if tailpipes will be enough...may need some big case turbo mufflers

If you can get it out from underneath the the truck you will be better off. Just went through this with my sister-in-laws truck. Decent 383 with similar exhaust. It was as annoying as all get out. Put extensions on it to get it out from under the truck and dumped it in front of the rear tire. Huge difference.

Paul

[NewbVetteGuy]

I've been curious why there were no recommendations for a more modern / aggressively ramped cams like the Lunati Voodoo line. With the CR limitations and desire for torque and the low RPM application seemed like it might be useful.

I quickly compared the Crane Energizer 266 to the Lunati 256/262 and the 262/268. The airflow numbers for the 083 heads were all over the place and the aluminum L98 heads were in DDyno already so I just ran with it so ABSOLUTE numbers are definitely off, but the direction is still interesting, IMHO. DDYNO is dumb and it won't look at both the seat-to-seat durations and the 0.050" durations to estimate the dyno graph you have to choose one or the other; I'm guessing reality is between the two.

Goodwrench 350 w L98 heads, felpro shim gasket for 8.8 static CR, with 650 CFM QJet, 1 5/8 headers w mufflers, and the Crane Energizer 266 cam:
Using 0.050" Durations: 280 HP @ 4,500; 389 ft lbs @ 2,000
Seat-to-Seat: 293 HP @ 4,500; 379 ft lbs @ 2,000

Lunati 256/262:
50 timing: 290 HP @ 4,500; 389 ft lbs @ 2,000
Seat-to-Seat: 293 HP @,4,500; 398 ft lbs @ 2,000 +20 ft lbs down low vs Energizer 266

Lunati 262/268:
50 timing: 316 HP @ 5,000; 385 ft lbs @ 2,000 (+36 hp, -4 ft lbs @ 2,000 vs. Energizer 266)
Seat-to-Seat: 312 HP @ 5,000; 385 ft lbs @ 2,000 +19 hp, -4 ft lbs @ 2,000 vs. Energizer 266)


I also simulated the Lunati Voodoo cam with no split on the exhaust and it really didn't make a difference worth writing home about, but it's not a big split.

Seems like if the springs can handle it, a more aggressive lobe with a smaller seat-to-seat is worth some torque while maintaining the HP. Friends don't let friends run Comp XE Flat Tappet lobes, but the Lunati Voodoo FT line is asymetric on the closing side and slows the valve down before close so benefits of a faster ramp on opening but not as valve train destroying or noisey.


Adam

[NewbVetteGuy]

Travis,
It sounds like you've got it all back together and running for him and I have no idea how much of an improvement it might make, but I do have a nice L82 Aluminum Intake off of my 79 Corvette that's just sitting here and I'd get rid of pretty cheap.

It's got all the sensors on it, it was cleaned up by a local machine shop but whatever they did it didn't remove hardly any carbon so I used a can of gasket remover on the inside and got it looking much better. It's also been painted with VHT engine paint.

https://scontent-sea1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/ ... e=5D55056D



Adam

[n2omike]

I've been curious why there were no recommendations for a more modern / aggressively ramped cams like the Lunati Voodoo line. With the CR limitations and desire for torque and the low RPM application seemed like it might be useful.

The beauty of this engine... is that he's doing it with mostly used parts and very little money invested. What he has should be a HUGE improvement over what he started with! And THAT is the essence of Hot Rodding!

[NewbVetteGuy]

I've been curious why there were no recommendations for a more modern / aggressively ramped cams like the Lunati Voodoo line. With the CR limitations and desire for torque and the low RPM application seemed like it might be useful.

The beauty of this engine... is that he's doing it with mostly used parts and very little money invested. What he has should be a HUGE improvement over what he started with! And THAT is the essence of Hot Rodding!

Totally get that.

I still like the Lunati 256/262 with those heads and CR and goals AND it's a very appropriate TPI cam; he'd have a top-end that's essentially a TPI motor minus the intake... -One used CL TPI intake from another jump in towing ability, torque down low, and MPG. -GM's best Gen1 SBC "Truck Motor".
(I'm a sucker for the long-runners and when I hear his goals and see those L98 heads and a cam that's appropriate for a TPI build, I immediately go there.)


Adam