brassplyer

In another thread I mentioned a Vette I'm looking at where the seller has a Weiand 142 SC on a ZZ4 crate motor. By itself a solid motor but I've been advised it isn't an appropriate build for a supercharger due to the compression ratio and the rods and pistons not being forged and that the rings haven't been gapped for the blower. My understanding is the crank on the ZZ4 is forged.

Since the engine is already in place, what do you think about rehab'ing this existing engine to lower compression with head work along with appropriate forged pistons and con rods? Do you see potential pitfalls in doing that? Do you agree it would be more cost-effective than getting/building a new engine? It's all but brand new so I assume it wouldn't be a problem to condition the cylinders to break in new and properly gapped rings. If this is misguided thinking due to ignorance please fill me in. I have some experience putting together engines with existing parts from the machine shop doing a rebuild, have the fundamental tools - engine stand, click torque wrench, ring compressor, I'm familiar with cam assembly lube, but have -0- experience planning and building a higher-performance engine. Of course I'm always happy to expand my knowledge.

I'm mulling this over because I don't see how I'd be able to reproduce this car with an appropriate engine build for what he's asking for it. The car includes the new engine with a/c compressor (though the A/C system needs TLC), billet serpentine pulley system, electric rad fans, MSD ignition, the new Weiand 142, newly refurbished 700R4 trans - even has a decent sound system - in a really clean, straight body with suspension mods (rides really nice) and two hoods - one with a big engine hump, one with a stick-through hole - both to accommodate the blower either with a dish-style air cleaner or a scoop type. It's a lot of Vette...if only the engine was the right one. He'll sell it without the supercharger but then it wouldn't be as much of a kick in the pants as I've already seen it can be with it.

Thoughts, suggestions?

Jebbysan

I believe a set of forged pistons, a quality 10 pass hone and a set of Moly rings gapped correctly would be all you need here except for one thing.....an electronic boost timing controller from MSD or equivilent......
If you are scared of the rods......a set of Eagle SIR's are $200 for forged 4340 with ARP cap screws.....the crank should be fine at this level.......but everything will have to be balanced......Blend the heads and spend time on the exhaust port.......those heads are very overrated.
If it were mine......it would get pistons, rods and timing controller......at the very least.
Problem with blowers is that there is always a smaller pulley ...but this unit at 8 to 1 compression with 7 pounds of boost would be a rip.....and safe



Jebby

stingr69

If you want to spend money you can do it. All the "good for now" stuff you are changing out for "better" will add up to a lot of money. You are only saving the existing block and crank.

Or you can run it as-is and see if it holds together. Build it up again if it ever breaks.

brassplyer

What I'll do is take the blower off and run it carb'd until I line up the pieces. Even the NA stock ZZ4 is a lot healthier than what came in an '80 originally.

gkull

I have worked on a few of the tiny 142 blowers in the past. They are just a little 100 hp power adder. It is not a high boost thing requiring heavy duty parts and special blower ring gaps.

The 142 runs under vacuum conditions unless you open the throttle blades. The 670 cfm carb, poor flowing heads and small duration cam are also limiting factors.

The 142 that we tried to hop up for a customer had a 10 to 1 motor got pulleys to overdrive the SC near its max rpm, a 950 cfm carb, afr heads, and a blower cam. We put a boost adjustable 10 degree timing retard and the owner drove and drag raced for years. The owner wasn't happy with how little more powerful the motor was and he added a 100 hp NO2 spray plate under the carb

gkull

I found an article about the blower. In the delivered 1.95 ratio pulled we never got much in the way of boost and adding only say 25%to a 300 hp motor is not stressful

This is also the slightlybigger 144 ci

http://www.superchevy.com/how-to/eng...3-small-block/

jackson

Since it seems you are bound and determined to buy this car, I agree ^^^^ what stingr69 says^^^^

How much $ is it gonna cost for you to $ buy it? Again, how much?

OP, although you've been around here a few months, and you've asked lots of question about this car, and you've gotten at least 10 times as many replies … surely you've noticed how rare a consensus is; like the herding cats example.

Bikespace

How good of a deal is the car?

Sell the blower, and enjoy the car with a stock ZZ4 for a while?

cv67

Just drive it like it is
Doesnt sound like he has the carb set up right though. Very minor deal

brassplyer

$7500. I wasn't going to do it but watched it come down over the last week from the original 10k he was asking for it. When I saw it down to 8k this morning I figured I'd make another offer. Worked out since I had originally offered 8.5 and he countered with 9. I've seen Vettes with a lot less going for them go for more. Looking online the engine, trans, carb and blower alone add up to around that much, plus really fresh tires that probably don't have 1000 miles on them, suspension stuff he did, even an extra hood all sitting in a really intact car. Even has a decent sound system. Needs paint (already primered and he knew enough to not use paint remover on the original paint) and the A/C looked at, various little things like the one headlight has lazy eye coming up and is reluctant to go down, the power locks need fixing, some minor interior stuff but that's easy. I feel like I scored pretty well.

And now I don't have to go through the drill of buying a trailer and trailering a car back from parts unknown.

I'm looking into whether I want to get tooled up to paint it myself or take it somewhere.

brassplyer

As previously noted I have no experience with building high(er)-performance engines but an approximately 1/3 jump in power is considered "eh"?

ddawson

I have added blowers to many factory engines without issue.My last one as a stock LS1 with Heads/Cam and Methanol injection using a 112HH Magnacharger. 13PSI and 500 RWHP and zero issues.
Enjoy it until it breaks then have more fun rebuilding it.

htown81vette

I always though that this was what the 142 was designed for. Throw it on a stock shortblock, add 100 hp. It works out to about $20-$25 per HP which is really a good value. Which was what the 142 was intended for.

htown81vette

Also, if you were worried about it you could disassemble the ZZ4 and gap the rings (to whatever they are suppose to be for boost applications). Since that is the first thing to go when you add power adders. The rings. Even a forged piston piston will not survive if the rings aren't gapped correctly.

htown81vette

After crunching some numbers the effective compression ratio with that ZZ4 would be too high to run on pump gas. And you'd have to turn down the boost so low it wouldn't be worth it. Maybe you could get some thicker head gaskets to bring the compression down?

79L48

This is what the OP was told in another thread.

Remeber this is is all fun and games stuff... go make your money make you happy. I wish you well and hope the car provides what you are lookin for! Whether anyone else wants it or not is immaterial. That’s why this is a great hobby. There is space for us all.

76strokervette

If you have easy access to E85 you could run it without any worries. This would require updating hoses and seals but imop much less
work than the alternatives.