1974 440
But it was very soft off idle to 3K. It made solid numbers just like many before it (and before the cheap dyno days we have now). But peaky numbers and higher in the rpm band which is exactly what happens when the static compression ratio drops. It takes cylinder pressure to build power. If you can't build cylinder pressure by mechanical means, you have to wait for the physics of a running engine to do it for you.
It's still a ton of engine for an A body and well worth just bolting in for starters. Big smiles :D
I appreciate your thoughts, and some more compression would change the engine dynamics some. Plus you always find a way to give a compliment in there.
It could be better with some changes, but soft and peaky.......is it?
Sorry buddy, but if you think 414 LB FT @ 2500 RPM is "soft" then we'll just have to agree to disagree. And that was the bone stock 440 number. The last pull was 434 @ 3K. I think calling that engine soft is as far away from being connected as you can get.
Mechanical this, cylinder pressure that, blah blah blah. Why don't YOU show us some of YOUR dyno pulls, big Dave?
I don't know Rusty, maybe it is very soft off idle to 3000 rpm, I didn't test this engine there, maybe he did? After all it was only making 441 lb-ft at 3000 rpm on this pull with the 509 and the single plane, and completely stock it was making 403 lb-ft @ 3000 rpm.
Here is a soft-and-peaky-next-to-last-pull compared to the first pull.
RPM........... stock TQ/HP..........soft and peaky pull........ TQ/HP gain
2500...............414/197..................not tested................?/?
2600...............402/199..................not tested................?/?
2700...............403/207..................not tested................?/?
2800...............402/215..................not tested................?/?
2900...............399/220..................not tested................?/?
3000...............403/230..................441/252..................38/22
3100...............397/235..................452/267..................55/32
3200...............399/243..................462/281..................63/38
3300...............399/251..................466/293..................67/42
3400...............391/253..................463/300..................72/47
3500...............385/257..................458/305..................73/48
3600...............380/261..................450/308..................70/41
3700...............371/262..................444/312..................73/50
3800...............365/264..................440/319..................75/55
3900...............358/266..................443/329..................85/63
4000...............350/266..................451/344.................101/78
4100...............348/271..................455/355.................107/84
4200...............336/268..................461/369.................125/101
4300...............332/272..................464/380.................132/108
4400...............323/271..................470/393.................147/122
4500...............313/268..................471/404.................158/136
4600...............304/266..................471/412.................167/146
4700...............295/264..................469/420.................174/156
4800...............283/259..................469/428.................186/169
4900...............267/249..................463/432.................196/183
5000...............260/248..................456/434.................196/186
5100...............249/241..................457/444.................208/203
5200...............231/229..................452/447.................221/218
5300...............225/227..................442/446.................217/219
5400...............214/220..................428/440.................214/220
5500...............204/214..................422/442.................218/228
I'm seeing a torque rolling hill, but no peak. And I'm not going to say that the low (7.85:1) compression gave us "peaky" horsepower. Maybe an uphill grade?
It was making 38 lb-ft & 22 hp more than the stock engine @ 3000 rpm and 218 lb-ft & 228 hp more @ 5500 rpm. If it was only making 441 lb-ft of torque at 3000 rpm, then was it soft from idle to 2900 rpm? We'll know in the future, because the engine sits in the corner waiting for it's next chance on the dyno.