Masters of Motors (MOM) the new EngineMasters Challenge (EMC)

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RAMM

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Like the title eludes to--The old EngineMasters Challenge is dead and gone and JE Pistons and Ammsoil have picked up where HotRod Mag has basically discontinued. I've thrown my hat into the ring this year and if this goddamn pandemic would let go of us it might still happen--MOM takes place in the last week of September-first week of October ( I don't remember the exact dates). I'm going to pretend like I've been accepted and it's still going to happen because with all this social distancing and "self-isolating" I'm in a position to put a positive spin on this and document and SHARE this build from my small one (1) man machine shop (that I just purchased BTW). I'm viewing this as an opportunity to springboard my new business onto digital media platforms such as YouTube, FB, Instagram and yes right here at FABO. If the MOM doesn't happen this year it may happen the year after and if it doesn't someone somewhere is going to wind up with a bad to the bone 340.

As an interesting aside I tested a 406 SBC that I revamped last week (588HP/564tq) and I recorded footage from my GoPro knockoff and I flew my drone in the dyno cell above the engine during testing. ( I would like to believe I am the first to use a drone to record a dyno session in the cell) It looks pretty cool.

Long story longer--We're building a 344.5-350 cube 340 LA for the MOM competition and I'd like to share and receive any and all feedback here on FABO exclusively. Yes I did say WE'RE as in the FABO membership. I won't post the rules of MOM because I want everyone to either take it upon themselves to look them up and as well as I don't want to stifle any ideas. I'm treating this as a brainstorming session where no question is stupid and no idea is wrong. I will correct and explain why certain ideas or suggestions won't fit into the rules if you don't know the rules.

Next post I will lay out some of the MOM's scoring rules and our power goals and what I've got and what we're "locked" into. J.Rob
 
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The rules really didn't change much from last year.

The BIG and HARD rules are '68 and earlier engines with IRON PRODUCTION OEM cylinder head castings. The heads HAVE to be on the NHRA approved S.S. head casting list. So here we are good to go with J,X, and even '308 castings (which I was surprised)

Static Compression limit is 11.5-1
Stock stroke +- .015"
Max overbore .065"

The "SCORE" is calculated by the AVERAGE HP and TQ over a 3000rpm window DIVIDED by CUBIC INCH x 1000.
Example: 344.5 cubes will equal 345 CI
345 makes 400 AVG HP and 400 AVG TQ from 3200 RPM-6200RPM. The math looks like this:
400+400=800/345= 2.319 x 1000=
2319 Points

That's not bad but I know what it took to win last year and I have a very good idea that it will take 2600 points or so for a comfortable outright win this year. More to come with pictures when I get into the shop tomorrow. J.Rob
 
I believe the LA 340 "fits" the rules the best out of any platform this year and with the braintrust of FABO I plan to display it.

Unspoken (till now) goals are 1.56 HP/CI and 1.39 TQ/CI for a comfortable win. This will not be easy but it will be FUN!

These are peaks of 540HP/480TQ with strong averages-this means no dips in the torque curve and a big smooth horsepower curve. Where it gets interesting this year is the ability to pick and choose the 3000 rpm test window. So this means we can choose where our engine scores best within a 3200-7200 range. It may produce best averages from 4200-7200 or maybe 3800-6800 or 4000-7000 or 3900-6900 etc..... We will test it in every possible range. I will need help with all kinds of things like graphing, math, did you try this? Did you try that? There will be things I won't think of--this is where FABO comes in. This will be fun and who doesn't need more fun at a time like this. J.Rob
 
when your done of that engine it just might take a short ride east , im starting to save any extra money i can get my hands on starting today . this is going to be the most awesome thread .
 
I have in my posession a '68 340 stock bore block missing main caps. I have purchased a set of 4 bolt R3 main caps from a very good FABO member and have them already.
In stock:
Eddy SV 2815 intake manifold
Weiand 7545 X-Celerator (which I believe will be the ONE)
Holley Strip Dominator
6.200" Pankl Honda rod journal connecting rods
Cloyes stock silent timing chain
Cloyes stock chain tensioner
Ferrea Hollow Stem 11/32" 2.02/1.60" valves
Forgot to add a very important component that is an absolute blessing:
I have a set of Schubeck lifters!!
That's about it at the moment.

The plan is to procure a stock steel crank and machine it and nitride it accordingly.
Half fill/Hardblock the waterjackets for maximum cylinder rigidity.
Custom JE pistons with an abnormally thick crown to leave me machining options(since they are the sponsor I want to support them)
I would like to set up three sets of cylinder heads--J castings, X castings, '308 castings
The heads will have to be assembled and ready to rock when testing begins. The heads will feature different chamber sizes and porting and slightly different valve angles. This is why I need room in the piston forging to do what I need. I may need to order 2 sets of pistons in order to cover the range of testing I plan. I may order the first set @ 4.070" bore and the second @ 4.100" if testing is going the "right" way.
I will be ordering at least 3 solid flat tappet cams (SFT) from Competition Cams. I will be starting with a cam that is our best guesstimate and using test data to go from there.
I will be ordering some Schoenfeld Sprint car headers and some merge collectors.
The testing order will be VERY important as all iterations of intake manifold, camshafts, cylinder heads, headers will be tested.
What the above means is EVERY manifold will be tested with EVERY camshaft and EVERY cylinder head and EVERY header configuration. This is a TALL order-but it will be FUN and INTERESTING. This is what it will take to win. This is what it has always taken to win--Try EVERYTHING. As dumb as it sounds it may make best average power with 1 X casting on one bank and 1 J casting on the other. No idea is off the table or off the wall here. The heads and pistons will be the most difficult part to get to play nice together. More to come J.Rob
 
Isn’t there an NHRA approved Edelbrock Head and if so would you consider that as an option. Thanks for doing this.
 
pittsburghracer said:
Isn’t there an NHRA approved Edelbrock Head and if so would you consider that as an option. Thanks for doing this.
Click to expand...

No aluminum, Cast iron OEM heads only. Also NO special one off factory performance heads allowed. If it isnt iron and isnt on the list it ain't allowed. Also cylinder head casting must be submitted for pre approval. J.Rob
 
Hey Ramm, congrats on the new adventures. Best of luck with each. Could you please supply a link to the rules?

Are you looking for cylinder heads?

Thanks
 
Is a Magnum style head allowed. I never ported a set but I did get to run my fingers through a couple of sets. If I ever played with a cast iron head that one raised my curiosity some.
 
I think that would be to new for the challenge.
It seems like the challenge wants to keep this particular class build old school like. Era correct parts kind of thing
 
It’s a good question... once I read the rules page, it may help out a bit. It just seems like an old school build off competition. Era available parts or just the OE head to limit expenditures for crazy cylinder heads and so on....

Ramm has laid out enough already (IMO) that now I’m really just down to a cam selection on the operating RPM band.

I found the “Honda” rods journals a surprise.
 
SSG_Karg said:
How about T/A casting heads, or modifying a set of X/J heads to T/A offsets?

Bingo! Pushrod tube mods are allowed. I will be plugging and moving the pushrod on at least 1 set of heads and using Hughes .350 offset intake rockers. J.Rob
Really looking forward to following this thread. Good luck!
Click to expand...
 
New Guinness record-for the Drone
Congrats
rocker arms? cup adjusters moved over 1.75 maybe
long rods for lighter piston
early hemi heads where's that list :)
lifter bores?
pushrods tapered?
beehive springs light retainers? (springs take hp)
comp cams doing specials?
can you replace the rocker stands?
 
LMAO @Wyrmrider on it like a house on fire!
These are all the things I’m wondering about.

Still, love to see the rules...
 
Wyrmrider said:
New Guinness record-for the Drone
Congrats
rocker arms? cup adjusters moved over 1.75 maybe Hughes .350 offset
long rods for lighter piston Yes and better rod ratio
early hemi heads where's that list :) That ain't gonna work and not necessary even if it was.
lifter bores? .904 bushed
pushrods tapered? Maybe
beehive springs light retainers? (springs take hp) Actually I've tried and zero change observed but yes maybe beehives
comp cams doing specials? I don't understand--Comp has always done custom cams
can you replace the rocker stands? No--pedestals are limited but I will use a 3/8" fastener.
Click to expand...

J.Rob
 
Have you found anything (horsepower) by upgrading to 3/8 holddown bolts. I know you will be running thicker shafts but I always wondered about the 5/16 deal.
 
Thanks Ramm, I think Wyrmrider was asking if Comp Cams is sponsoring the challenge, must use Comp Cams as per rules, or there your go to guys.

While, it is IMO that Comp has some nice grinds, I generally look else where. Faster/fastest ramp rate possible coupled with highest lift etc.... I’m not going through this, of which you know so well.

This is why I said earlier, even though I didn’t know all the rules, it’s the cam I’m trying figure out. While the parts that surround it may very well make a curve in the choice, actually, no doubt, Wyrmrider has a point.

Whom else have you look at?
I’d understand that it is early in the game and you may not have looked elsewhere.
 
RAMM said:
Like the title eludes to--The old EngineMasters Challenge is dead and gone and JE Pistons and Ammsoil have picked up where HotRod Mag has basically discontinued. I've thrown my hat into the ring this year and if this goddamn pandemic would let go of us it might still happen--MOM takes place in the last week of September-first week of October ( I don't remember the exact dates). I'm going to pretend like I've been accepted and it's still going to happen because with all this social distancing and "self-isolating" I'm in a position to put a positive spin on this and document and SHARE this build from my small one (1) man machine shop (that I just purchased BTW). I'm viewing this as an opportunity to springboard my new business onto digital media platforms such as YouTube, FB, Instagram and yes right here at FABO. If the MOM doesn't happen this year it may happen the year after and if it doesn't someone somewhere is going to wind up with a bad to the bone 340.

As an interesting aside I tested a 406 SBC that I revamped last week (588HP/564tq) and I recorded footage from my GoPro knockoff and I flew my drone in the dyno cell above the engine during testing. ( I would like to believe I am the first to use a drone to record a dyno session in the cell) It looks pretty cool.

Long story longer--We're building a 344.5-350 cube 340 LA for the MOM competition and I'd like to share and receive any and all feedback here on FABO exclusively. Yes I did say WE'RE as in the FABO membership. I won't post the rules of MOM because I want everyone to either take it upon themselves to look them up and as well as I don't want to stifle any ideas. I'm treating this as a brainstorming session where no question is stupid and no idea is wrong. I will correct and explain why certain ideas or suggestions won't fit into the rules if you don't know the rules.

Next post I will lay out some of the MOM's scoring rules and our power goals and what I've got and what we're "locked" into. J.Rob
Click to expand...


Very cool. It’s a ton of work. BTW, good luck with the shop. A one man deal is a tough row to hoe. It takes a tough dude to make it work and make money.

Keep us posted. Hopefully it happens this year.
 
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