Are my expectations too high?
- Thread starter smithchargers
- Start date
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smithchargers
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Well things didn’t go so well at the track. The car seemed super “lazy” the first pass (and was the best pass). It went 13.56 @ 95 mph with a 1.90 60 foot. Looking at that mph you might recognize that something was off. I made 2 more passes slowing approximately tenths and 3-4 mph each pass until finally the bottom end started knocking. This was my second short block in this car in a month. The previous short block spun rod bearings. My torque converter ended up being balanced for an LA engine instead of being balanced for a magnum engine. I am in the process of correcting everything. I still believe that this is a 12 second combination.
smithchargers
Well-Known Member
the engine is hurt....aka bearing knock
smithchargers
Well-Known Member
engine #3 in and almost ready to try again
PRH
Well-Known Member
Nice looking Duster!!
What’s the latest combo sitting between the fenderwells?
What’s the latest combo sitting between the fenderwells?
A half inch lift roller seems a little anemic as well. Opinions? Is the combo to keep costs down? (cam, springs, valve to piston clearance)?
A lot depends on goals, hp output sought, $$$ is always an issue so a low lift cam is easy on the spring for long life. If you already have the roller equipped block w/lifters, it’s just a cam and spring expense.
If the cylinder head stalls at or shortly after the max lift of the cam, the head is doing the best it cam. Bowl porting would be fine but not full expensive port only to have a way under large & utilized port. To me that makes no sense. Same as lifting the valve to .750 on a stock OE port.
Often you’ll see me recommending a large lift cam or say to start looking for one yourself for a street beast or racer as to take advantage of the fully ported high air moving head.
Street machines/Hot Rods do not need this and they can and will still turn in good times at the track. In the case quoted, that was my opinion for the engine and it’s power output and what would make it better. The factor only offers what they make. Not always the best thing for street driving unless your car is super light with high gears to allow that single plane work in a otherwise (IMO) low compression, small headed motor.
The cam is a tweener, in between a good street driving cam and a good general bracket cam. It needs a RPM intake. Not a M1 single. Give it a nice bowl porting. It’ll wake up some.
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smithchargers
Well-Known Member
I can’t win. I buttoned everything on the engine up today and when I was filling the cooing system I found out that I was getting water in the crankcase. I resealed the intake and the timing cover to no avail. This is what I discovered. The Mr. Garbage Ultraseal .028” this head gaskets are leaking on both sides at the top of the gasket near the lifter valley area. The surfaces are straight and they were sanitary when installed.
That blows... Time for some cometics... Although they're expensive. Maybe regular felpros? Lose a smidge of compression though.
That sucks! Mine are holding up fine so far (fingers crossed).
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I don't thing that is a head gasket problem.
Get a straight edge and some feeler gauges. and find out if it's your heads or the block that has a valley or dip in it.
If they are straight you may want to look at the threads done in the block.........Bolts are two long or there is trash in the bottom of them thread for the head bolts.
You need to know these thing for sure, before you go buying another head gasket thay will probably do the same.
Just my 2 cents.
Get a straight edge and some feeler gauges. and find out if it's your heads or the block that has a valley or dip in it.
If they are straight you may want to look at the threads done in the block.........Bolts are two long or there is trash in the bottom of them thread for the head bolts.
You need to know these thing for sure, before you go buying another head gasket thay will probably do the same.
Just my 2 cents.
smithchargers
Well-Known Member
Update: I straight edged the surfaces and the were fine. I installed fel-pro gaskets today. Problem solved.
You have to look closely at the embossed gaskets as they sometimes have areas where the embossing extends to a free air section. That leaves that passage unsealed and a leak in the making. Happens quite a bit.
Also check against the block and head to insure the sealing surface extends over all the embossed areas. Something you really shouldn't have to do... but have to.
Also check against the block and head to insure the sealing surface extends over all the embossed areas. Something you really shouldn't have to do... but have to.
Mr Gasket has always been known for crappy gaskets. Kinda ironic, really. Now you know.
Never a problem with them.
smithchargers
Well-Known Member
I ran them twice with no sealing issues but I read online somewhere about 1 in 10 will leak.
furrystump
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I would re-torque them. I know they say you don’t need to but I have had issues when I don’t and they are fine if I just let them sit overnight and re-torque.
smithchargers
Well-Known Member
With the Mr. gaskets I did not even fire the engine and they leaked. I re-torqued them on the engine but of course they still leaked. The felpros seSled right away
furrystump
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I have had issues with the felpro without re-torquing. LA’s really just need that 5 head bolt towards the valley, so it’s one of the areas that you take every advantage you can get to improve your odds of success. They always turn a bit more after sitting overnight.
smithchargers
Well-Known Member
Update: first time out on a hot August day the car went 12.94 @ 104.19 and the slowest time was a 13.003 @ 103.79 BUT I know there is a lot more in it. The car has a horrible stumble in it off the line that I need to work out and it needs jetted up. The plugs are on the lean side. I was very pleased on how consistent that the car is running within.006 of a second of itself with over 12 passes over a 3 day period at the Mopar Nats.
furrystump
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A stumble right at the hit or a touch after? Right at the hit accelerator pump tuning, a touch after maybe rear jet extensions or bowl level could be high and its slopping fuel out of the vent tubes. Launching at what rpm? Single plane needs some rpm to be happy.
smithchargers
Well-Known Member
Right at the hit. I’ve triple checked my accelerator pump adjustment and my float levels. I thought about the jet extensions. I am also considering that this engine may not like my locked out distributor. The LA engine loved it but this one may not like the 36 degrees that it has all of the time. I am bringing it up around 2000 on the converter.
B3422w5
Well-Known Member
I have had those exact gaskets on my 360 the past 3 years. It gets raced a lot. Zero issues. You have something else going on
smithchargers
Well-Known Member
As stated in the thread above, I put Fel-Pro’s on the engine and the problem went away. I ran the Ultraseals twice before and never had a problem. This time I did. Sh!& happens.
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