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#45024 04/13/2004 5:34 PM | Joined: Jun 2003 Posts: 9 Member | | Member Joined: Jun 2003 Posts: 9 | It looks like I'll have my 63 Chevy down off the blocks today from its front-end transplant surgery.
I bought the thing two weeks ago and it has a few problems that need to be ironed out in the engine/drivetrain department.
It came with a rebuilt 327, Weber 4bbl(it also says Edelbrock on the carb), crower cam, etcetera. The engine is tuned and sounds incredibly good...but the truck doesn't perform quite as it should in my opinion. Acceleration is slow...on straight and level I feel like I could accelerate forever, just very slowly. On hills I have to floor it just to maintain speed.
With an engine as built as this one appears to be you'd think I could get a lil more out of it, you know? It's been suggested that changing gear ratios might make the difference, after all as best I can tell crower cams deliver max power in the 3000 to 6000 rpm range.
I was hoping someone more experienced than myself might take the time to explain gearing to me and give me some suggestions for trying to address this problem here in my shop.
Thanks,
Eric
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#45025 04/13/2004 6:37 PM | Joined: Oct 2001 Posts: 3,458 Extreme Gabster | | Extreme Gabster Joined: Oct 2001 Posts: 3,458 | That cam sounds really aggressive for street use, especially in a truck (is this a truck?). I wouldn't change gear ratios, that won't help much. Either swap to a more tractable cam or change to a higher stall convertor in the tranny.
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A lone amateur built the Ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic. | | |
#45026 04/13/2004 7:12 PM | Joined: Jun 2003 Posts: 9 Member | | Member Joined: Jun 2003 Posts: 9 | Feel like explaining the function of a stall converter and how it may help address my problem?
\m/
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#45027 04/13/2004 9:29 PM | Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 1,897 Member | | Member Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 1,897 | Does your truck have an automatic tranny or a manual?
Something that just popped into my head,,, have you checked your firing order???
two plug wires swithced can let an engine still run sort of well but really sucks the power out of it.
There is enough good in the worst of us and enough bad in the best of us that it does not behoove any of us to criticize the rest of us.
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Be yourself. If you are ever lost, It will be much easier to find yourself if you know who you are!
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#45028 04/13/2004 10:27 PM | Joined: Sep 2003 Posts: 324 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Sep 2003 Posts: 324 | You might want to check your vaccum advance. Just a thought. | | |
#45029 04/13/2004 10:39 PM | Joined: Jun 2003 Posts: 9 Member | | Member Joined: Jun 2003 Posts: 9 | its a turbo 350 tranny...
..and no, i haven't checked the firing order yet, but I will right now....
...and how do I test the vacuum advance?
\m/
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#45030 04/13/2004 11:07 PM | Joined: Apr 2004 Posts: 219 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Apr 2004 Posts: 219 | First thing I would do, is, break out the timing light. Your timing may be retarded. | | |
#45031 04/14/2004 4:16 AM | Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,749 Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) | | Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 29,749 | How does it accelerate in 2nd. gear? If you get good performance in the lower gears, your rear end ratio and the cam don't match. The engine has to wind up into its power range before it will perform properly. It sounds like you're over-cammed, or over-carbureted, or both.
All torque converters have a "stall" speed, the speed where the engine can't accelerate any further with the brakes locked. Most stock converters will only let the engine wind up to 1800 rpm or so if you hold the brakes and nail the throttle. If you put one in with a 2,500 rpm stall speed, for instance, it lets the engine wind up tighter, and gets it into a better torque range for better acceleration. With a radical cam, a higher stall speed converter is just about a necessity, regardless of the rear end ratio. Otherwise, the engine is sluggish until it reaches its rpm for best torque. Most hot-rodders use too much cam, or don't match the converter to the camshaft!
Jerry
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#45032 04/14/2004 4:18 AM | Joined: Mar 2004 Posts: 3,068 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Mar 2004 Posts: 3,068 | If your gears are stock, they should be alright for the engine/trans combo. Usually, weak engines that seem to run desent have timing issues. Check to see if timing gears are compatable with the cam. See if the distributor is off a tooth or more. Are your timing marks accurate to your balancer marks? Is the timing just too retarded? Does it ping/knock or start hard hot?
Just a few suggestions,
Scott | | |
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