Camshaft Selection

Hello,

I'm building a 400ci blown alcohol small block Chevrolet engine for my Anglia. I ran a blown alcohol SBC powered dragster back in the late 70s, but the engine was built for blown gas engine. The dragster ran in the low 6s which when looking back was amazing considering the 8:1 SCR and a camshaft that was ground on 110 LSA with an advertised duration of 310/328.

I realize that most of you are running BBC and HEMI engines, but the camshaft LSA and duration should be relevant to my build. I know that 114 LSA is better than the 110 LSA due to the alcohol having a slower burn rate. Following that line of thought I question the need for increased ex duration. For what it's worth I'm using AFR 245cc Eliminator series cylinder heads and the engine will have a 11.5:1 SCR.

I don't have time or the money to re-educate myself by buying and changing camshafts so I'm looking for suggestions from TAD engine builders/tuners.

Thanks

 

Call this guy. 1-620-330-2572
and if he tells you to call me don't...lol...if you want you can but it has been so many years since the sbc days, Rick Santos would also be a good one to call Rick is a great guy.Dave Lowe
p.s. if you need Ricks # I think I still have it SS automotive out of cali

 

Dave,

I sent you a PM.

Thanks

 

I didn't get a pm..Dave

 

Dave,

Well for some reason that doesn't surprise me. I'm not good at navigating through these forums.

I would definitely appreciate Rick Santos's phone number. Back in the late 70s I raced a 364ci (4.03" x 3.5625") blown alcohol small block Chevy in Pro Comp. That engine required a considerable amount of grinding in order for the rod bolts to clear. After getting the rotating assembly fitted in the block I attempted to install the cam and discovered that the Brooks aluminum rods were hitting the camshaft.

Currently I want to build a 400ci (4.125" x 3.75") blown alcohol SBC for my Anglia. I spoke with Brian at GRP and he says that their 1200 series rod is considerably smaller than the forged Brooks rods. I would like to talk with Rick Santos about a camshaft choice and what is required for fitting the 3.75" stroke rotating assembly in a Dart little M block. I don't want to purchase any parts until I have talked with someone that has built an engine similar to my specs.

Thanks

 

Just a guess but I bet you will still have rod/cam clearance issues even with smaller billet rods, unless you have a raised cam block.

Are you dead set on the 3.75 stroke? If you shorten the stroke you get plenty of clearance even with a std base circle cam, a stiffer crank and room to run a longer rod or a taller ring stack whichever you prefer.

 

Moparious Maximus,

Yes I have considered going with less stroke. If the 3.75" stroke turns out to be more work then I want then I'll drop back to a 3.5" stroke.

Thanks

 

Dave,

I got Rick Santos's phone number.

In what year/s did you run a blown small block Chevy? I'm in Wichita, KS and I ran AHRA in 1978 and 1979 with a blown alcohol SBC in one of Gingrass & Dearmore's SPE chassis. (picture below) I first built the car with a 2 speed Lenco and before I could get it to the track both sanctioning bodies added the mandatory reverse requirement. The car was to close coupled for a three speed w/rev so I built the worlds shortest clutch Turbo 400 transmission that was married to the SPE clutch can which held a two disk Crowerglide clutch. When I say short, the tail housing was 5/8" long and it's only purpose was a place to install a seal.

In one of your post I read where you stated that you hurt a lot of parts. My car ran in the mid 6s and did so with the same set of bearings for two seasons, but it destroyed a set of bearings the year before while I was playing with it. I ran a Hampton air-lock blower @ 20% and the only part that I ever hurt was when I spun the blower hub on my hard chromed Hank The Crank crankshaft. I'm a machinist so I took the crankshaft to United Engine and had them weld the crank snout up with their submerged arc welder and then I re-machined it and cut double key ways in it and never had any more trouble.

364ci (4.03" x 3.5625")
Early GM Hi-Nickel block
Hank The Crank hard chromed crankshaft
Brooks aluminum rods 5.7" long
J&E pistons with Dyke rings (8:1 for gas)
Sig Erson roller camshaft ground to my specs (110 LSA originally for gas)
1.625" diameter valve springs.
REV kit
AFR cylinder heads
Weiand blower manifold with 10 hours of welding.
Don Hampton supercharger (super nice guy)
Hilborn hat with 150 pump
Mallory Super Mag

Clutch Turbo 400 transmission with 2.44:1 school bus low gear.
8 3/4" Chrysler with way to deep of gear ratio

The original engine was built with the 4 bolt main bearing block that I removed from my pickup because it lacked the power to pull my Chevy II. The main bearing caps walked on the block which caused iron flakes to to be fed to the rod bearings. It was so severe that it destroyed the main bearing cap register in the block. Thanks to my hard chromed crankshaft it survived without any damage. I purchased one of the first Hi-Nickel blocks and installed a set of home made billet steel bearing caps that had a heat treated 4340 alignment sleeve in the outboard bolt holes. That put an end to main bearing cap walking problem.

Next I ground all of the clearance in the block and then thoroughly cleaned the block. I went to install the cam bearings and discovered that GM had not re-tooled for the Hi-Nickel castiron and the boring tool went dull in the second cam bearing bore making it impossible to put cam bearings in the block. I had to make all of the shaft hangers and the late Chet Wilson and myself re-bored the cam bearing bore.

Now that the rod bearings were not being peppered with iron flakes the bearing problems were almost eliminated. I say almost because when I increased the boost I started to notice some shiny spots in the rod bearings. I had long ago eliminated the ZERO oil pressure at launch and chute deployment so I knew that there was still an issue that had to be taken care of. It was obvious that there was a lubrication problem. After much thought and no solution I went to the Federal-Mogal bearing book and started reading. What I came up with was switching from main bearings with a 180 degree annular oil groove to bearings with 360 degree annular oil groove. The half groove interrupted the flow of oil to the rod bearings whereas the full annular oil groove provided a constant flow of oil.

I ran out of money and had no choice but to sell the car. It bothered me so much that I had to take the Cold Turkey approach and stay away from any form of a hot rod. I have not been to a race track since 1979. I bought a virgin Anglia that has 13000 actual miles on it and I'm going to have one more hot rod before I checkout.

 

you need to talk to mogonal spelled wrong...he is in your neck of the woods he runs a fast blown dragster..Dave 'chrome' Lowe