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gotta worry about how the coolant goes thru the heads when you do that, remember the LT1's heads are different because of this and wont work on an earlier SBC as just a bolt-on
From what I am told if the heads are cooled first the compression ratio can be higher than 10.5 without burning up the engine. Can the heads be switched out with other heads, maybe LT1s (I dont know if LT1s are reverse flow, just using it as an example)
From what I am told if the heads are cooled first the compression ratio can be higher than 10.5 without burning up the engine. Can the heads be switched out with other heads, maybe LT1s (I dont know if LT1s are reverse flow, just using it as an example)
Yeah it does allow for higher compression, but you can compensate for that stuff with the right octane-fuel, no need to go and redo the whole engine compartment to just let you run a higher compression unless we're talking about a pure race car. LT1 is reverse flow, but it doesnt just bolt on and work right with the SBC Gen I.
The reverse coolant flow in LT-1's comes from the waterpump design, not the connection of the hoses! You cannot reverse the coolant flow in an L98 because the waterpump is designed with it's outlet into the block and the coolant flows into the block and out the heads. Reverse flow must not have been very effective since Corvette doesn't use it anymore.
It's not jsut the waterpump design. The entire engine block is different. It has four water openings in the front. The two top ones (smaller) route the coolant coming from the thermostat and the pump through block passages to the heads from where it goes back down into the block and then it exits from the block via the two bottom holes in the block (larger holes) back into the waterpump and through internal passages to the upper radiator hose. This cannot be duplicated in the Gen I SBC.
The reverse coolant flow in LT-1's comes from the waterpump design, not the connection of the hoses! You cannot reverse the coolant flow in an L98 because the waterpump is designed with it's outlet into the block and the coolant flows into the block and out the heads. Reverse flow must not have been very effective since Corvette doesn't use it anymore.
If memory serves me right,LPE built 383's Super Ram L98 motors with 11.0-11.5 compression and it ran on pump gas.Crucial selection of parts and a good cooling system should be the ticket.
:)