j par
Well-hung Member
Both ramchargers? And you have a stick shift in your truck?
Best bang for the buck?
- Thread starter CRAMAR
- Start date
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Truck is auto w/OD. 42RE ??? can't remember what they call it, but basically 518
Listen to 318
Low compression small blocks like timing.
Converter and headers will help a lot.
When you get the money, a reverse manual valvebody.
I did not notice what carb you are running. Make sure it is opening all the way.
Have not read all 6 pages, but if it were me, I would over shoot the 13.5 goal so you have some room to play. If you want to do well at index racing, you need to be able to run faster than the index so you have room to adjust/play (depending on your driving style).
For example: I ran a 10.5 index a few times this summer, took out a lot of cars that could not quite run the number...cars running 10.55-10.65 were not competitive at all. Mine was capable of 10.3, but I could slow it easily to 10.5.
Anyway, long story longer...heads, GOOD converter, and street slicks would probably get you there, although if I went that far I would get a bigger cam, add headers and a Holley 650dp (Proform main body, no choke horn). All that would put you in the 12's, then you could slow it down into the 13.5.
If your J heads are ported, then I would just get a bigger cam, converter, headers, and 650dp.
Racing is not cheap, but there are many different ways to get you to your ET goal (some of those are cheap, like tuning what you've got).
Yes, and learning to get the most of what he has now, will help him when he steps up, to get the most out of his new combo.
j par
Well-hung Member
....
j par
Well-hung Member
You don't think after having the combo for 7 years he may have tried a few things like a tune-up..
Well, I have no idea what he has tried so far, and it is his money.
He stated he had limited funds. I have found over the years that people who are disappointed in their cars performance are still disappointed after dumping a lot of parts,[money], into it , if......they don't learn to tune.
I'm sure he has, but he is still slow for the combo. It may not be as simple as turning the dizzy. Or it may only be the eddy carb needs replaced by a 650 Holley DP.
j par
Well-hung Member
just like we have no idea what he's tried I don't think he is said he's disappointed in his car either? He just wants it to go faster? I heard him say budget and then I heard him say Edelbrock heads... I gave him a more budget-wise had option at that beginning few posts..
I'd like to quote him and ask him this specific question. If you could tune it and optimize it all the way down to 13.5 would he really truly be happy?...
he's already shown he's got the mechanical ability to at least take a cam in and out and change the springs on as heads..
it's easy for us that have went fast to slow down and be comfortable with it but do you remember before you did go fast??..
My hunch is that even if he got down to 13 5 he still ain't going to be happy with three-quarters or more of the drag racers leaving him in the dust...
j par
Well-hung Member
Quit being ridiculous with that carburetor bullcrapp...I'm sure he has, but he is still slow for the combo. It may not be as simple as turning the dizzy. Or it may only be the eddy carb needs replaced by a 650 Holley DP.
Holley crap my cars on fire!!!..
Carburetors mix air and fuel if you needs a bigger one than he needs a bigger one..
LOL.... I bet he'd be unhappy if he could tune it from a 15.02 to a 13.50 without spending a dime. Yep, he'd surely hate that.... LOL
….. about as much if you could tune your car from an 12.50 to a 11.20 without spending a dime. Yep, you'd hate that too... 
yellow rose
Overnight Sensation
I read this entire thread (mostly because I'm bored and have a meeting today I'm dreading) and I have to say that 318andhisflyingvalves, RRR and Fishmen67 have nailed it.
This car is way underachieving. I think the OP has made the cardinal mistake of falling in love (or has a fear of) numbers...by that I mean he's leery of a 3500 converter, he is setting his timing by a number and not the plugs and I'm also betting his jetting is out in left field, and he isn't sure about his rear gear.
For starters, learn to read your plugs. It isn't hard, and it takes practice. Pump gas reads differently than alcohol, and race gas is its own deal. Learn to read what you use first. Once you do that, you may find you are way off on jetting (which I suspect because most guys think a brown plug is tuned...it's not, it's way rich) and by looking at the ground wire, you should be able to see if you have enough initial (probably not) and enough total (again, you probably don't have enough total either).
Once the plug tells you it's happy, that's where YOU time YOUR engine with YOUR timing light. IDK if your light and plug say you need 42 total. If that's what the plug says, make it happy.
You are way short on converter. I think 3800-4000 is better. It's not 1984 anymore. Converters are so much better that there is no reason to give up stall speed for driveabililty. Ever. You can have both, and you should.
And I agree...a 3.91 gear should be in your future. You need more gear to get the car moving. It's that simple. Use the levers of the transmission and rear axle to move the car. Make the converter get the engine to a much happier RPM to make the car move. And you'll see the ET fall like a rock.
But start with the tune up first. Again, learn to read plugs, and tune by them. Then, and only then when you are comfortable with reading plugs should you buy and O2 sensor. It can give you false info, and if the plugs and the O2 sensor don't match, believe the plugs.
This car is way underachieving. I think the OP has made the cardinal mistake of falling in love (or has a fear of) numbers...by that I mean he's leery of a 3500 converter, he is setting his timing by a number and not the plugs and I'm also betting his jetting is out in left field, and he isn't sure about his rear gear.
For starters, learn to read your plugs. It isn't hard, and it takes practice. Pump gas reads differently than alcohol, and race gas is its own deal. Learn to read what you use first. Once you do that, you may find you are way off on jetting (which I suspect because most guys think a brown plug is tuned...it's not, it's way rich) and by looking at the ground wire, you should be able to see if you have enough initial (probably not) and enough total (again, you probably don't have enough total either).
Once the plug tells you it's happy, that's where YOU time YOUR engine with YOUR timing light. IDK if your light and plug say you need 42 total. If that's what the plug says, make it happy.
You are way short on converter. I think 3800-4000 is better. It's not 1984 anymore. Converters are so much better that there is no reason to give up stall speed for driveabililty. Ever. You can have both, and you should.
And I agree...a 3.91 gear should be in your future. You need more gear to get the car moving. It's that simple. Use the levers of the transmission and rear axle to move the car. Make the converter get the engine to a much happier RPM to make the car move. And you'll see the ET fall like a rock.
But start with the tune up first. Again, learn to read plugs, and tune by them. Then, and only then when you are comfortable with reading plugs should you buy and O2 sensor. It can give you false info, and if the plugs and the O2 sensor don't match, believe the plugs.
yellow rose
Overnight Sensation
Carbs do NOT cause fires. If you have a carb fire, you need to practice up on your tuning.
why did you explain this to him?????
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j par
Well-hung Member
Lol.. it looks like the bench Racers have United... You can either get hyped up on potential or have actual results...
What they think you should be doing according to their numbers in calculators LOL... I give up your correct make him Tune his car2go mediocre slow 13 something... I'm sure that's exactly what he wants because that's exactly what he said....
JPar you can't save the world....
What they think you should be doing according to their numbers in calculators LOL... I give up your correct make him Tune his car2go mediocre slow 13 something... I'm sure that's exactly what he wants because that's exactly what he said....
JPar you can't save the world....
j par
Well-hung Member
I know... You think you're the only one who likes to stir the pot? Its like shooting fish in a barrel with 318 has valves that will not fly...
He said earlier he wasn't going to fall for it but... Where's that Barrel I need some fish...
yellow rose
Overnight Sensation
why did you explain this to him?????
I lost my mind for a moment. Let my guard down. Went off the reservation.
I need to THINK before hitting POST.
I'll work on it though!!!
yellow rose
Overnight Sensation
WTH???? I'm a pot stirrer? That's hilarious. I'm Mr. Cucumber head. Calm and cool at all times.
I'm far from a pot stirrer. Just ask my wife.
No, don't do that. She will fib to make me look bad.
j par
Well-hung Member
She'll tell the truth and confirm what we already know...
and back to the regular scheduled program..... 72 Duster hitting 13.5's
Your mellow head meds must be working. LOL you HAVE turned a new leaf. lol MELLOW MAN !!!
j par
Well-hung Member
Spaghetti!...
yellow rose
Overnight Sensation
Your mellow head meds must be working. LOL you HAVE turned a new leaf. lol MELLOW MAN !!!
LOL. Love my new meds!!!!!!
j par
Well-hung Member
Disagreed! Another one of yellow roses red herrings...Your mellow head meds must be working. LOL you HAVE turned a new leaf. lol MELLOW MAN !!!
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