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More Lift = Less HP?

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Old Mar 17, 2006 | 06:52 PM
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Default More Lift = Less HP?

I used Desktop Dyno 2000 when I first decided to go with 1.5 rockers but I thought that with my new intake and carb things might have changed, guess not. How accurate do you guys think this is? I input all the head flow numbers into the program. And I realize that my engine won't make this much hp, but I think that power increases will still relate.

If you don't agree with this how much power do you suppose that I'll make by going from 1.5 - 1.6 rockers on a my AFR195 383? Lift .520 .540 corrected lift .555 .576... I think.

1.5 Rockers


1.6 Rockers
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Old Mar 17, 2006 | 07:59 PM
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THose AFR heads max out CFM wise at .500" lift therefore it dosen't matter if you open the valve another inch you are at max flow that is why there is no HP gain
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Old Mar 17, 2006 | 08:09 PM
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Originally Posted by MotorHead
THose AFR heads max out CFM wise at .500" lift therefore it dosen't matter if you open the valve another inch you are at max flow that is why there is no HP gain
Awesome, thanks for saving me some money Motor Head.
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Old Mar 19, 2006 | 01:45 PM
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Originally Posted by torqvette
Awesome, thanks for saving me some money Motor Head.
Torqvette;
I have DynoSim software also, and I get slightly higher HP numbers when adding higher rocker ratios to the mix.....in the Cylinder Heads section, click "airflow data" and enter the actual cfm flow numbers for your AFRs at each lift point. The numbers go higher to .650 lift or so; enter this info and you should your numbers change. (If you don't have your numbers, they are posted on AFR's website).
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Old Mar 19, 2006 | 03:38 PM
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In order to get the lift higher than .5 wouldn't the valve have to be open longer thus get you max flow longer?
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Old Mar 19, 2006 | 04:24 PM
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Are those the street ported 195's, or the competition ported?
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Old Mar 19, 2006 | 05:16 PM
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Originally Posted by VETDRMS
Are those the street ported 195's, or the competition ported?
Street CNCd Didn't have 2k+ in my budget for heads.

Last edited by enkeivette; Mar 19, 2006 at 05:18 PM.
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Old Mar 19, 2006 | 05:18 PM
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Originally Posted by C3 Stroker
Torqvette;
I have DynoSim software also, and I get slightly higher HP numbers when adding higher rocker ratios to the mix.....in the Cylinder Heads section, click "airflow data" and enter the actual cfm flow numbers for your AFRs at each lift point. The numbers go higher to .650 lift or so; enter this info and you should your numbers change. (If you don't have your numbers, they are posted on AFR's website).
I did enter the actual numbers for each lift, from .1 - .65

And if you look closely, I do actually gain hp with the 1.6 rockers, but only 6hp after 6.5k, I'll be shifting before then anyways. And at that point I've lost some torque with the 1.6s. The 1.5s offer more hp across the band.

Last edited by enkeivette; Mar 19, 2006 at 05:23 PM.
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Old Mar 19, 2006 | 05:38 PM
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Oh ok, did you have them flowed or are you using AFR's number?
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Old Mar 19, 2006 | 07:48 PM
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Originally Posted by VETDRMS
Oh ok, did you have them flowed or are you using AFR's number?
AFRs numbers, why? Do you think their numbers are conservative?
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Old Mar 19, 2006 | 08:30 PM
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Originally Posted by torqvette
I did enter the actual numbers for each lift, from .1 - .65

And if you look closely, I do actually gain hp with the 1.6 rockers, but only 6hp after 6.5k, I'll be shifting before then anyways. And at that point I've lost some torque with the 1.6s. The 1.5s offer more hp across the band.
OK I see your point. Seems odd,though, that more lift could make less HP under 6500 rpm but I've seen tests done by David Vizard in his books showing the same results with some cams.
BTW, I popped the extra money for the competition ported AFR 195's and judging by the increased HP over the Trick Flow 195's I had previously, the flow numbers are quite accurate if not conservative.
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Old Mar 20, 2006 | 03:37 AM
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Originally Posted by C3 Stroker
OK I see your point. Seems odd,though, that more lift could make less HP under 6500 rpm but I've seen tests done by David Vizard in his books showing the same results with some cams.
BTW, I popped the extra money for the competition ported AFR 195's and judging by the increased HP over the Trick Flow 195's I had previously, the flow numbers are quite accurate if not conservative.
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Old Mar 20, 2006 | 09:46 AM
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Originally Posted by MotorHead
THose AFR heads max out CFM wise at .500" lift therefore it dosen't matter if you open the valve another inch you are at max flow that is why there is no HP gain

What does matter is: You want to lift the valve to max CFM and keep it there for the longest time. So if max CFM is at .500 and you lift the valve to .600. You will be keeping the valve at max cfm for allot more degrees.

I use 1.65 intake rockers. It would actually be better in your case of relatively low compression of 10.2 to go with 4 or so less degrees of cam and use 1.7 or 1.75 rockers. I have that cam ground on 112 lc in my 383 and it probably makes max power at 7000 rpm. It's way to peaky.
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Old Mar 20, 2006 | 10:01 AM
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With a high lift cam at a shorter duration you will make more tourque then HP in the bottom to mid range in the powerband. The heads should flow more then enough air for the street. You will lose some top end HP but you will make up for it with more bottom and mid range tourque just as your graphs show. I run a short duration (230) and high lift (560) roller cam on the street just for that reason. If you're not running the straightaways at Daytona I wouldn't worry to much about the difference in rocker arm ratio either. 10 to 15 HP gain when you motor is close to 500 HP to start with is very hard to actually see and feel, especially on the street. If it is a track car I might tweek it but for the street don't worry about it, houstonvett
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Old Mar 20, 2006 | 10:18 AM
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Originally Posted by gkull
What does matter is: You want to lift the valve to max CFM and keep it there for the longest time. So if max CFM is at .500 and you lift the valve to .600. You will be keeping the valve at max cfm for allot more degrees.

I use 1.65 intake rockers. It would actually be better in your case of relatively low compression of 10.2 to go with 4 or so less degrees of cam and use 1.7 or 1.75 rockers. I have that cam ground on 112 lc in my 383 and it probably makes max power at 7000 rpm. It's way to peaky.
I see what you are saying and it is true, probably why he did gain a few extra HP. I believe the 1.6 rockers are truely worth the money on heads, for example, that flow 250CFM @ .500" lift and then flow 275CFM @.600" lift.

Now if you have selected a cam that opens to say .570" with 1.5 rockers then the 1.6 rockers will open the valve to over .600" lift which allows it to take advantage of the extra CFM @ .600" lift vs. .570" lift.

So as I stated I don't think they are worth it on his motor because from the flow difference between .500" and .600" is minimal
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Old Mar 20, 2006 | 11:32 AM
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True cylinder and HP potential is the average of the CFM at all valve lift points. That's all those discussions about the value of heads with ports that have higher CFM of flow on the mid lifts ranges.

The AFR 195 street head has

.200 lift = 132 CFM
.300 = 198
.400 = 240
.500 = 260
.600 = 262

Total cfm at all lifts = 1092 / 5 lift points = roughly 218 average cfm if you lift it to .600 What skews the average lift is how steep the cams ramps are.

That is why i've always installed extreeme ramps with over .600 lift. My 383 was .635/.644 lift and now i'm running .620/.620 net lift after solid valve lash. You gain higher average power throughout the entire rpm range of the motor. So you can't just look a single rpm value and say that you gained only 10 hp with higher ratio rockers.

I went out driving my Vette yesterday and got several comments on how it sounds.
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Old Mar 20, 2006 | 11:41 AM
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I bet it sounds pretty mean, are you happy with the power ?
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Old Mar 20, 2006 | 11:56 AM
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The 750 cfm carb might be down on power at higher rpm. But 427 ci with 3 inch race mufflers and solid roller sounds like a real race car. I was manually shifting my 4 speed auto right at 7000 rpm

I've never heard it from outside my car, but everybody tells me that they have not heard anything like it out on the street.

It's just a joy to have it fire right up after three months because of snow and bad weather and go out a smoke the tires!
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