We got the exhaust done today. Magnaflow mufflers, a free-flowing 3" cat and of course the ceramic coated headers installed with the new 383 :yesnod: :yesnod:

I custom-made a plug wire set to meet the needs. Topped off the coolant level. Set static timing. Held my mouth just right. When I turned the key I had oil pressure right away. :cool: So I plugged in the power to the HEI coil and turned the key again. It didn't spin three revolutions before it was firing on all 8!!! :D :cheers: :cool: :cheers: :yesnod: :yesnod:

I held the idle real high for fifteen minutes. Varied the speed from 2,000 to 3,000 or so regularly. Watched the headers glow deep cherry red :mad

Then I let it idle so I could set the timing and listen to the lope....Aaaahhh it felt so good. After two weeks at work my baby was ready to Graduate from The Dyno Shop! No leaks. Exhaust worked like a charm. I was EXCITED!! :cool:

OK Last minute details. Check the Auto Trans fluid. When I yanked the transmission's dipstick, the WHOLE TUBE came out of the trans! I saw the PUFF of smoke and THEN I ABSOLUTELY FREAKED! Deja-Vu. (I put an engine in a Ford van once, and it caught fire while I was filling the trans with oil. My funnel leaked onto the header!!)

OMG!!! I shut her down and got under there with a fire extinguisher. But no prob :eek: the fire didn't have enough fuel - guess the trans didn't leak too much. :D

The cam only got about 12-15 minutes of break in before shutdown. But all is well I hope ... when I started it back up again to move the car, I got to hear the lope of the cam! Ahhhh, music after all this time.!!! :cheers: :cheers:

Paranoid enough to not wanna drive it with the trans dipstick tube just flopping in the breese, I pulled it forward to make room to pull in another Vette ('71 454) right behind it and lock the bay door. :yesnod: :yesnod:

I intended to drive it for a couple of days then run it on the Dyno when I got back to work Thursday. But at least I got to hear it run!! ... ok so I'm Excitable. Ok, so I'm EXCITED!!

Bright and early Thursday I'll put a new dipstick tube on the trans, one with an ear that will bolt into place on the bellhouseing #5 bolt. Until then, at least I heard it RUN!

Paul in san Diego!
:cool: :cool:


[Modified by SanDiegoPaul, 5:31 PM 12/24/2002]

 

nothing like the first time whe it fires up congrats :cheers:

 

:cheers:

 

:cheers: :thumbs:

 

"427 MarkIV
"I'm into street cars that run 10's or faster"
"


OK< Ok, so I have a ways to go so I can impress YOU!! :lol: :yesnod: :smash:

 

Cool...Glad to hear that it runs.... :cheers:

 

Congrads!! I just got mine running Friday as well. :cheers:

 

Congrads!! I just got mine running Friday as well.

Cool!! I sooooo wanted to be driving her on Christmas day today....but that's OK good things come to those who wait. :yesnod:

Obviously I need to get a trans dipstick tube ... or figure out how to (and where to) fasten that one without the ear that's supposed to be on it.

But it was after closing, and it was Christmas Eve so everyone else wanted to go home. Can't blame them for not sharing my excitement I guess!

BUT AT LEAST I HEARD IT RUN! WHOPPEEEE!! :cheers: :cool:

 

Does anyone out there expect me to have a ping problem with this motor, using Cast Iron heads and 10 to one?

 

Congratulations Paul! I see it's a happy Christmas for you.
Static compression is just a guidline as a large cams extra over-lap will counteract the higher compression ratios problems. To determine actual compression ratio requires measuring when the intake valve actually shuts on an assembled motor and hours of number crunching - don't what to go there.
Dynamic compression is a much easier number to measure. Just remove plugs and stuff in the the compression tester for a crank test.
To quote David Vizard (the Wizard): 180psi min; 200psi = performance street; 220psi = street/strip motor, and 240psi for race only motor.
Now get that thing on the Dyno and give us some numbers for your setup!
How 'bout some 1/4 mile times too. Good job, your gonn'a make us garage bound shark owners jealous!
Heads up on cam breakin - over 2,000 for 20 min. (is what I remember reading somewhere). Whoever put the Goodwrench crate motor in my car managed to wipe the #4 exh lope almost round - another sorry story not intended for Christmas. :thumbs:


[Modified by cardo0, 10:30 PM 12/25/2002]

 

It could. 10 to 1, iron heads, and a typical medium performance street cam (high lift, medium duration) you could be close. I would keep a close ear to it and better yet take the plugs out and look for little specs (the top of your piston) stuck to the ground strap. Also look for chipped porcelian. When you have a loud exhaust sometimes you can not hear detonation. I do not know about a small block, but on a big block #5 and #7 are the worse. I would assume small blocks are the same, but don't take my word for it.

When you put it on the dyno detonation is usually easy to spot, it causes ripples in the power graph.

By the way congrats, new motors are exciting to get going. I hope to see it at another of the So. Cal. Vette cruises.

 

Awesome man! I can't wait till that day rolls around for me :steering:

 

Heads up on cam breakin - over 2,000 for 20 min. (is what I remember reading somewhere).

yep that is the standard. I gave it fifteen minutes before having to shut down for that trans leak ... I think it will be OK.