Well, got out to the track tonight. Weather was all but identical to last time, so it was a good test. Previous best time was 12.29 at 109.7 mph (I rounded up in signature). Best time tonight was 12.23, but at 112.3 mph. So I did pick up 2.6 mph. I'm guessing that I picked up about 10 hp or so. I haven't checked the plugs to see if I'm running rich or in good shape there yet. Not quite what I was hoping for, but an improvement that cost me nothing more than a timing cover gasket kit and a few scraped knuckles. I did have one aww **** when my hi-torque starter loosened up from the mounting plate and ripped the gear off of the pin. Luckily I had the inspection cover on and it caught the gear/spring/retainer. I got it back together, but it did chew on some of the flywheel's teeth. Oh well, I'm looking into another converter anyway, perfect time for a new flywheel and starter. So in conclusion, it seems that degreeing a cam is an important step. Don't neglect it like I did. Or maybe you'll have to play with your combo and see where your cam likes to be. Mine appears to like being installed "true straight up." Phil
ooooooooooo Phil....you keep inching in on me, I might have to try that "degreeing the cam in" stuff when I get my NEW Brian Earick cam I gotta keep you in my sights....hindsight :grin: Actually, what you are running now is pretty identical to what I run here at Quaker...I gotta get out to the track more :shock:
Oh, forgot to mention that my 60' times stayed the same in the 1.75 range. Also, I must say that the car idles much better now, 650 in gear and 800 in park. Still has a little bit of a lope, but not as much. And it seems to be running 5-10 degrees cooler also. Phil
Phil, was it easier to hook off the line with the cam retard? Mine is at 107 ICL and man what torque. Now I know why you got those tires :Brow:
To tell you the truth, it seems like it's tougher to hook off the line. I think I'm actually getting some whee spin where I didn't before. I'm still launching at about 1500 rpm. Any more and my brakes can't hold the car too well. I have to really stand on them to stay staged.
Thats good that means you are making more power. Now put a converter in it and I think you will be there. Don't you wish you would have put it in when you had the tranny out after Norwalk. ou: You would already have that big smile on your face getting that 11 second slip before me :laugh: :laugh:
Yea, yea, yea. Well, I did it. I went and ordered a custom 9.5" torque converter with a 3200-3300 stall from Edge Racing Converters, along with a new flywheel and starter (GGGGGGGGRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR). We'll see what happens at Flint. Phil
Philip, two things....what kind/size of rear tire are you using and any suspension mods at all??? i like that 60 foot time.... Did the mirror gasket make it yet?? later Tim
Tires are 26" by 10" ET Drags on 15x8 wheels. Suspension is polygraphite up front. Rear suspension consists of boxed lowers and adj. uppers from HRPartsnStuff. Pinion angle is set at -3 degrees. Shocks are Edelbrock IAS all around. I've never had a wheel hop problem. I did put air bags out back to help with the rear bouncing on big bumps as my 325 DragRadials rear tires can rub up in the wheel well if I hit a big bump. Springs are stock replacements. Car's front end doesn't lift up much on takeoff and the rear keeps pretty straight and doesn't torque much to the pass. side. Those shocks really keep things where they are when hit hard. But they are nice during regular driving.
may be I missed it, but could you post what cam you are running and what the initial position was and what you changed it to? i.e. you retarded it 4* from where? Thanks Fred
I'm running Poston's 113A cam. Very similar to T/A's 413 cam. I installed it "straight up". When I finally degreed it, I found it to be 5.5 degrees advanced. Intake lobe is at 109 degrees. I used the 4 degree retard key on my crank gear. It moved the lobe center 6.5 degrees to 110, or 1 degree retarded. Car does run smoother and cooler. Not much quicker in the quarter, but 2.5 mph faster. I'll take it. I wish I could play around with it some more, but I'm tired of tearing off the front of the motor. I'll just be happy with it..........for now. New torque converter is on the way. I want an 11.99 time slip. Then I'll stop playing with it. Yea, right. Phil
Will moving your cam from 5.5 advanced to 1 retarded did or will this decrease your cranking compression in this type application? Phil, have you had detionation problems with either cam timing set-up? Are you running pump gas? This is good information! I need to check my cranking compression this weekend (I'm at 107 ICL by skipping a tooth on the top gear and using the retard side of the bottom gear). So you are at 110 ICL I would think this is 3 degrees advanced (but I guess there is 4 degrees in the cam). Thanks! Here's what I got with my adv/ret gear and 413 cam aligning the factory dot of the top gear (I did not check the retard side as it would be way off from what I wanted): 2A -->111.8 ICL 4A -->110.1 6A -->109.2 8A -->104.5
My cam runs on a 109 degree ICL. When I first put this motor together, I did have detonation problems with the cam 5.5 degrees advanced. I would encounter detonation unless I was running at least 25% 110 racing fuel. Then I redid the combustion chambers and piston tops. I was then able to run Sunoco 94 with absolutely no pinging at all. With the cam now retarded 1 degree, I still have no pinging issues at all. I can't say enough about polishing the combustion chambers and piston tops. My compression now is 10.03 to 1. I didn't check my cranking compression before degreeing the cam, but after I had 210 to 215 in all cylinders. If I did the math correctly, moving the cam gear one tooth is a 7.6 degree movement advance/retard (48 teeth/365 degrees). I'm not sure if you could start playing with combining moving both gears or not. Might start having piston-to-valve clearance issues. I was lucky and had .250 I believe on my intake and about .220 on the exhaust. Got to love dished pistons.
