what do you think? 540 Ci???
03-02-2011, 09:43 PM
#1
Racer
Thread Starter
what do you think? 540 Ci???
Anyone have anything to say about this builder, package and parts??
http://www.ultrastreet.net/shortbloc...0_short_rs.asp
I would be putting L68 Heads, intake and tri power on top of it, with competitions cams 11-208-3 package.
http://www.compcams.com/Company/CC/c...?csid=388&sb=2
Any thoughts?
Thanks, Rog.
http://www.ultrastreet.net/shortbloc...0_short_rs.asp
I would be putting L68 Heads, intake and tri power on top of it, with competitions cams 11-208-3 package.
http://www.compcams.com/Company/CC/c...?csid=388&sb=2
Any thoughts?
Thanks, Rog.
03-02-2011, 10:44 PM
#2
Melting Slicks
What are your goals for the car and what tranny and rear will be running?
At first glance,...
1) The 540 looks like a great deal ($4000)
2) The 540 would swallow up the Magnum 280H cam (which was a great cam in it's day). You'll likely want something bigger, and there's no way I'd run a flat tappet cam in a brand new engine. Go roller. More HP, quieter, and peace of mind.
3) With a 540, you're in square port country. Forget the factory oval heads and intake. I'd at least run a good aftermarket dual plane square port intake and a simple 4-barrel. An 850 DP would work well here. Also, look at some aftermarket square port heads in the 325cc range. But again, we need more info,..
State your goals and tell us more about the car and drivetrain. Also, what are the vacuum requirements,..(PB's? Headlights? etc?).
At first glance,...
1) The 540 looks like a great deal ($4000)
2) The 540 would swallow up the Magnum 280H cam (which was a great cam in it's day). You'll likely want something bigger, and there's no way I'd run a flat tappet cam in a brand new engine. Go roller. More HP, quieter, and peace of mind.
3) With a 540, you're in square port country. Forget the factory oval heads and intake. I'd at least run a good aftermarket dual plane square port intake and a simple 4-barrel. An 850 DP would work well here. Also, look at some aftermarket square port heads in the 325cc range. But again, we need more info,..
State your goals and tell us more about the car and drivetrain. Also, what are the vacuum requirements,..(PB's? Headlights? etc?).
Last edited by 73, Dark Blue 454; 03-02-2011 at 10:49 PM.
03-03-2011, 03:36 AM
#3
fine short block, but why the hell even consider ancient obsolete heads and intake and weak little cam?
If your gonna go through the trouble of getting a 540, put good heads and cam in it with a good intake. I suggest looking at AFR or darts that are 325cc runners at least.
If your gonna go through the trouble of getting a 540, put good heads and cam in it with a good intake. I suggest looking at AFR or darts that are 325cc runners at least.
03-03-2011, 07:51 AM
#4
Drifting
What's a "street" block?
Get some real heads, stay away from ProComp...a guy on another forum built a 468 and tried big valve 781's against new ProComps, the old iron heads made more power than the Chinese counterfeits.
Get some real heads, stay away from ProComp...a guy on another forum built a 468 and tried big valve 781's against new ProComps, the old iron heads made more power than the Chinese counterfeits.
03-03-2011, 10:14 AM
#5
Racer
Thread Starter
Great comments all, Thanks very much.
Goals, go faster but I will be keeping the top of the motor, Heads, intake and carbs stock only cause I think its cool. Will convert to a roller and reselect the cam package. Don't want too much power as south of the engine is all stock, THM 400 tranny and 3.08 rear. Need it to be civil enough to cruise with the wife. T Thanks Dark Blue and Tumarr
I will be sure to stay away from the import products
. My heads and intake are stock and ported. I'll clean them up and reinstall. I don't need to go too much faster and must consider the stock drivetrain and usage. Thanks L88
When it comes to this car I act like a woman, keep changing my mind!
Much to re-consider. I will rethink all and bounce it off you again soon.
Thanks, Rog.
Goals, go faster but I will be keeping the top of the motor, Heads, intake and carbs stock only cause I think its cool. Will convert to a roller and reselect the cam package. Don't want too much power as south of the engine is all stock, THM 400 tranny and 3.08 rear. Need it to be civil enough to cruise with the wife. T Thanks Dark Blue and Tumarr
I will be sure to stay away from the import products
. My heads and intake are stock and ported. I'll clean them up and reinstall. I don't need to go too much faster and must consider the stock drivetrain and usage. Thanks L88When it comes to this car I act like a woman, keep changing my mind!
Much to re-consider. I will rethink all and bounce it off you again soon.
Thanks, Rog.
03-03-2011, 11:03 AM
#6
Le Mans Master
No way would I run stock oval ports and a tri power intake on a 540. That engine will roll over and die at 5000rpms tops....it would be a torque monster and be great in a tow truck or tug boat but. At a MINIMUM do a roller cam and head swap to a real head. If you want to keep the tri power for hood clearance and stock appearance I can understand....you may look into having it professionally ported to TRY to help it some but. You will give up 50-75hp by trying to run it on a 540.
You need to hit up 427Hotrod, he knows 540s like the back of his hand and can get you going in the right direction.
You will not be happy with a 4500 rpm redline 540....you are choking it to death. You gotta sh*t can the stock ovals......(keep in mind this is coming from someone that has professionally ported 049 ovals). The ovals would be better on 496" or less. And even then they need to be professionally ported, 2.19 valves and springs setup to match the roller cam.
Heads are the one area you don't want to cheap out on. It would be better to spend the money on the heads and build a smaller engine if there are tight budget constraints. But I am all for building a 540, just don't neuter it.
You need to hit up 427Hotrod, he knows 540s like the back of his hand and can get you going in the right direction.
You will not be happy with a 4500 rpm redline 540....you are choking it to death. You gotta sh*t can the stock ovals......(keep in mind this is coming from someone that has professionally ported 049 ovals). The ovals would be better on 496" or less. And even then they need to be professionally ported, 2.19 valves and springs setup to match the roller cam.
Heads are the one area you don't want to cheap out on. It would be better to spend the money on the heads and build a smaller engine if there are tight budget constraints. But I am all for building a 540, just don't neuter it.
Last edited by ajrothm; 03-03-2011 at 11:22 AM.
03-04-2011, 01:15 AM
#7
Racer
Thread Starter
No way would I run stock oval ports and a tri power intake on a 540. That engine will roll over and die at 5000rpms tops....it would be a torque monster and be great in a tow truck or tug boat but. At a MINIMUM do a roller cam and head swap to a real head. If you want to keep the tri power for hood clearance and stock appearance I can understand....you may look into having it professionally ported to TRY to help it some but. You will give up 50-75hp by trying to run it on a 540.
You need to hit up 427Hotrod, he knows 540s like the back of his hand and can get you going in the right direction.
You will not be happy with a 4500 rpm redline 540....you are choking it to death. You gotta sh*t can the stock ovals......(keep in mind this is coming from someone that has professionally ported 049 ovals). The ovals would be better on 496" or less. And even then they need to be professionally ported, 2.19 valves and springs setup to match the roller cam.
Heads are the one area you don't want to cheap out on. It would be better to spend the money on the heads and build a smaller engine if there are tight budget constraints. But I am all for building a 540, just don't neuter it.
You need to hit up 427Hotrod, he knows 540s like the back of his hand and can get you going in the right direction.
You will not be happy with a 4500 rpm redline 540....you are choking it to death. You gotta sh*t can the stock ovals......(keep in mind this is coming from someone that has professionally ported 049 ovals). The ovals would be better on 496" or less. And even then they need to be professionally ported, 2.19 valves and springs setup to match the roller cam.
Heads are the one area you don't want to cheap out on. It would be better to spend the money on the heads and build a smaller engine if there are tight budget constraints. But I am all for building a 540, just don't neuter it.
Later, Rog.
03-04-2011, 01:34 AM
#8
Le Mans Master
He might consider using a set of brodix race right cylinder heads for that 540. Summit racing has them on sale around 860 dollars each fully assembled. These are a far far far superior head to the factory oval ports.
Install a good single plane intake such as a holley strip dominator and it at least in 850 csm carburetor.
Install a good single plane intake such as a holley strip dominator and it at least in 850 csm carburetor.
03-04-2011, 07:19 AM
#9
Drifting
If you really want to go "on the cheap", there's an ebay seller with what must be a warehouse full of Gen 5/6 rectangle port heads, all brand new. They're bare and about $600/pair to your door. They won't be the best for your combo, but they'll do until you can afford some good AFR, Brodix, Dart, etc. heads.
03-04-2011, 12:14 PM
#10
Melting Slicks
I'm thinking these heads:
http://www.airflowresearch.com/index.php?cPath=68_74
(the 315cc AFR's will work great with your 3.08 gears).
...with this cam:
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/CCA-11-450-8/
...or this cam if you want something a bit milder:
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/CCA-11-430-8/
...with this intake:
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/EDL-7163/
...and this carb:
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/HLY-0-80531/
With the above, you'll make 125 to 150 more HP than with a factory oval port set-up and have a car that's much easier to tune than a tri-power config.
Also, with the above set up, you'll make more HP and torque down low with the smallish 315cc runners and mild cam. And again above 3000 RPM you'd enough engine to rip pavement in any gear.
Perhaps others have thoughts on the above or other suggestions.
http://www.airflowresearch.com/index.php?cPath=68_74
(the 315cc AFR's will work great with your 3.08 gears).
...with this cam:
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/CCA-11-450-8/
...or this cam if you want something a bit milder:
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/CCA-11-430-8/
...with this intake:
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/EDL-7163/
...and this carb:
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/HLY-0-80531/
With the above, you'll make 125 to 150 more HP than with a factory oval port set-up and have a car that's much easier to tune than a tri-power config.
Also, with the above set up, you'll make more HP and torque down low with the smallish 315cc runners and mild cam. And again above 3000 RPM you'd enough engine to rip pavement in any gear.
Perhaps others have thoughts on the above or other suggestions.
Last edited by 73, Dark Blue 454; 03-04-2011 at 02:52 PM.
03-04-2011, 02:00 PM
#11
Le Mans Master
Member Since: Mar 2001
Location: Watkinsville, GA and Glen Cove, NY
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If you go AFR, and I love what the 315's have done on my 502, contact Mike Lewis (Wolfplace is user name) who is over on Chevelles.com in the performance section. He has great pricing on the AFR's and a great guy as well. He has built at least one 540 with the 315's and posted the dyno results and they are very impressive. All in a pump gas motor. I am running a Holley Strip Dominator and a Pro-Systems 1000 HP carb. Not sure about your hood but I am running an L88. Your only intake options for the stock hood and a stout square port motor are an Edelbrock Torker II or one of the old low rise LS6 rectangular port intakes. They come up on ebay every now and then.
Bill
Bill
Last edited by 69ttop502; 03-04-2011 at 02:05 PM.
