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Hot Rods Too much engine.

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by norms30a, Nov 9, 2015.

  1. norms30a
    Joined: Jul 17, 2008
    Posts: 588

    norms30a
    Member

    I have been working on a 1930 Model A coupe for about 4 years and I thought it would be fun to have a hot engine again. I had one about 30 years ago and It had 550 hp. and was a thrill to drive, it would not idle below 1400 rpm. and took lots of gas and had to be tuned up a lot.

    I thought the new 383 stroker engines with hydraulic roller cams would eliminate the need for constant tuning, and running 1 carb instead of 2 would make it more user friendly also. So I got a 383 and put it in my model A along with a 700r4, now I have driven it a little and I realize that I am 30 years older and my tastes have changed.:eek:

    I now am interested in cruising and not so much the performance. So my question to all of you is, what should I do?

    I figure I have 3 choices;
    No.1 De tune this 383 stroker with a stock numbers roller cam and possibly drop the compression from 10.1 to 1 down to 9 to 1. although the pistons are just a maybe.
    No.2 take out this engine and freshen up a 1970 Chevy 350 that I have sitting in my shop and try to sell the 383 stroker.
    No.3 Buy a GM goodwrench 350 and drop it in and try to sell the 383 stroker.

    I believe it would be hard to sell the 383 without losing most of my investment in it or I would do that. Even though it has only about a hundred miles on it I'm afraid I can not sell it for much, so what do you guys think I should do?
     
    AHotRod likes this.
  2. jcmarz
    Joined: Jan 10, 2010
    Posts: 4,631

    jcmarz
    Member
    from Chino, Ca

    Are you on drugs??
     
  3. How's that go?..... You can never have too much power, maybe not enough traction....

    Maybe you should look into a Prius....
     
  4. 327Eric
    Joined: May 9, 2008
    Posts: 2,116

    327Eric
    Member

    You are going to lose one way or another. A set of big chamber heads and a smaller cam and you should be fine. I did the engine swap thing on mine, built a 327 and sold my big block at a huge loss.
     
    31Vicky with a hemi likes this.

  5. dirty old man
    Joined: Feb 2, 2008
    Posts: 8,910

    dirty old man
    Member Emeritus

  6. 270dodge
    Joined: Feb 11, 2012
    Posts: 742

    270dodge
    Member
    from Ohio

    That is traditional.
     
    Boryca, deto, bobss396 and 7 others like this.
  7. Rusty O'Toole
    Joined: Sep 17, 2006
    Posts: 9,657

    Rusty O'Toole
    Member

    I vote you detune the 383 as the best easiest most economical solution. You won't get half your money back if you sell it.

    Milder cam possibly less carburation and retuned ignition. You will still have to run hi test gas due to the compression ratio but will get better mileage than if you lower it. Water injection will cure it, if it still knocks.

    You may find after all this, that it is not only more driveable but has more power in the low to mid RPM range and is only slower over 100 mph.

    Suggest you call the company that made your cam, tell them what you told us and see what they recommend. Then go one step milder.
     
    BradinNC, timwhit and 2racer like this.
  8. Fedman
    Joined: Dec 17, 2005
    Posts: 1,163

    Fedman
    Member

    Just change the Gas Pedal Ratio linkage to "slow" down your pedal input to the carb.
    A Twitchy pedal can make anything seem difficult and over powered.
    A slow pedal, you can enjoy the daily drive and enjoy the power coming down the merge ramp on the interstate!
     
    Flowmeister, Saxman, -Brent- and 3 others like this.
  9. Regret= So if you have the means to get it back, That's fine...... But if you don't..........
    And just for reference.......I had a engine that was dyno'ed at 682hp. Idled at 950 in park...... ran like a top,and had excellent street manners....... Sounds like this one is up to you,and what you want to do.......
    Wild side,or the street rod crowd........
    We can't decide for you.........
     
    falcongeorge likes this.
  10. 57JoeFoMoPar
    Joined: Sep 14, 2004
    Posts: 6,138

    57JoeFoMoPar
    Member

    A little less cam and compression will do you good. You'll appreciate the torque of the stroker motor, so I would vote against getting rid of it.

    I'd be willing to bet your last souped up rod of yesteryear didn't have a 700R4 behind it. That could be part of your problem, if you want to call it that. That 700R4 has a numerically higher gear than a TH350 or TH400, helping you off the line, and the OD is letting you go hard on the open road. In other words, you're getting more out of the horsepower you have now than you were before. Maybe running a cam that moves the powerband down a bit might suit you better.
     
  11. LMAO! Nearly fell out of my chair.

    Bem
     
  12. norms30a
    Joined: Jul 17, 2008
    Posts: 588

    norms30a
    Member

    I have a Mallory Uni lite ignition with vacuum advance and a Q Jet carb. I have had Q jets on 283's and 454's so I figure it should work on this engine. Possibly I am not a good enough tuner, I have the timing at 34 degrees total advance and it idles at about 1200, any slower and it will slow down and die. When I have it in gear and am stopped it will idle about1000 for a while, pop it into neutral and the engine revs up to 2 grand then slowly idles down. I have to have it in gear to shut it off or it trys to run on. The idle screws are useless as is the choke with the high idle.
     
  13. 2racer
    Joined: Sep 1, 2011
    Posts: 960

    2racer
    Member

    no. 1 seems like the most logical choice
     
  14. Rusty O'Toole
    Joined: Sep 17, 2006
    Posts: 9,657

    Rusty O'Toole
    Member

    Start with the cam. You will probably need water injection or lower compression. That requires different heads or pistons ($$$$ bux) unless you can get by with a thicker head gasket or double head gaskets.

    Water injection and hi test gas won't require any other changes and won't cut power or mileage.
     
  15. norms30a
    Joined: Jul 17, 2008
    Posts: 588

    norms30a
    Member

    Someone told me that the cam overlap could cause the dieseling after I shut the switch off, could this be?
     
  16. ROADSTER1927
    Joined: Feb 14, 2009
    Posts: 3,127

    ROADSTER1927
    Member

    Sounds like the cam is huge or most likely you have a vacuum leak. I bet on a tuning problem. I would keep the compression myself, that makes them run good and good fuel economy. Gary
     
    Johnboy34, 55willys and jack_pine like this.
  17. Fedman
    Joined: Dec 17, 2005
    Posts: 1,163

    Fedman
    Member

    Okay, your description of the way the engine is running here is telling me the tune-up is not happy.
    A vacuum leak? Yeah maybe. Revving up to 2000 when shifted in to neutral is not right period. Many, many high horsepower cars are driven everyday on the street, and when driven easy, are as docile as a 4 cylinder economy car. Big potential power does not mean hard to drive. Do not give up yet on your combination, just get someone familiar with tuning to help lend a hand to get you on the right path here.
    It would be a shame to start selling off good stuff at a loss when a little help could get you going for nearly nothing.
    Best of luck with this, and please keep us posted on your progress with your project! :)
     
    belair likes this.
  18. norms30a
    Joined: Jul 17, 2008
    Posts: 588

    norms30a
    Member

    A vacuum leak, I had not thought of that. What should I squirt on the intake to test for one?
     
  19. Fitnessguy
    Joined: Sep 28, 2015
    Posts: 2,020

    Fitnessguy
    Member

    I would say you have a carb tuning issue and or vacuum leak. If you are wanting to stick with a single carb, I would throw a edelbrock on out of the box without any tuning I would bet you have a nicer running motor right off the top. The comment on the 700 is correct, the first gear in that will make the motor a little jumpy. I have a 500hp 383 with a qft double pumper in my camaro with a large cam. Have a turbo 400 tranny that I am adding a gear vendors overdrive to. Right now besides the higher revs at highway speed the car has great manners and if I stay out of the throttle is very friendly to drive. Nothing better than the sound of a nice big fat cam!
     
  20. Fedman
    Joined: Dec 17, 2005
    Posts: 1,163

    Fedman
    Member

    First thing to do here, is just put a wrench on the intake manifold bolts and give them a tug. Fresh intake gaskets can settle and leave the manifold loose and floating on the intake gaskets (Vacuum leak). Add a blower drive on top of these gaskets and prepare to re-torque 2-3 times at least until the manifold is seated. Very normal for new engine parts and gaskets.
     
  21. Jimmy2car
    Joined: Nov 26, 2003
    Posts: 1,707

    Jimmy2car
    Member
    from No. Cal

    You just need to have someone knowledgeable tune it for you
     
    norms30a likes this.
  22. I agree, it is most likely a tuning issue and or vac leak. I drive my model A drag car on the street, with a blown 406, has 630 lift roller cam. No problems at all. Has pretty good manners for what is in it. I can cruise sanely or get crazy, the best of both worlds. Good luck with whatever you decide.
     
  23. norms30a
    Joined: Jul 17, 2008
    Posts: 588

    norms30a
    Member

    I will go out tomorrow and tighten the intake bolts. I know there is not a lot of overlap between the heads and the intake for the gasket because the head ports are so large. I was worried about the intake covering them, when I first put it on I did not think the intake would be big enough to seal up by the ports.
    To be clear to you guys, I love the power this thing has and I also love the big cam sound and if you guys are right that it needs a better tune or a vacuum fix to make it more cruise friendly That is what I am going to do. After all, the power and sound is why I have this engine in the first place, but I have to be able to cruse down a busy street too.
     
    Last edited: Nov 9, 2015
  24. That would be my first option. A long travel pedal is also cheap insurance in bumper to bumper traffic too - (helps) stop you nudging the throttle and ending up in someone's trunk before you know it.
     
  25. cretin
    Joined: Oct 10, 2006
    Posts: 3,066

    cretin
    Member

    What language is the title of this thread written in?
     
  26. mgtstumpy
    Joined: Jul 20, 2006
    Posts: 9,214

    mgtstumpy
    Member

    With the current project, I've upped the ante and gone the other way from a stock 5lt SBC to a nice roller 383SBC with a few improvements including a stout 700R :D Been a while since I've had anything but a stocker and feel like some performance for a change. I'll pay for it at the pump but I'm not getting any younger (Mid 50s). I can detune it later, maybe?
     
  27. 19Eddy30
    Joined: Mar 27, 2011
    Posts: 2,314

    19Eddy30
    Member
    from VA

    Needs to be Tuned !!! Or a lot of Miss match Parts ""Combination ""
    Throttle blades pass transfer Slots ,
    May be Vac leak,
    What Size converter Do you Have ??
    What size is the Qjet,
    Holley would Be a lot easier to tune , If you do not know how to do a Qjet
    Timing @ idle
    What size is yr cam,
    Intake
    Yr compression ratio ,
    87 , 93 , 100 octane
    Heads
    Exhaust size
    Plug # & gap

    My self I drive my 30 A about 350 miles a week ,
    SBC 408 , cam is a solid roller whith .660 lift
     
  28. stubbsrodandcustom
    Joined: Dec 28, 2010
    Posts: 2,273

    stubbsrodandcustom
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Spring tx

    I would leave the compression man.. change the bump stick out with a mild 240 cam or 260 at best. 3 duces and just let the torque do its job... should idle great at 800 and still have a good sound and still give you the torque that a 383 has on tap.

    other options your loosing money and will cost you more. You know the bottom end of this thing is bullet proof.. stick with it. I have been here before. left my higher compression and ended up getting 22 mpg out of a big block like this that used to get 9mpg. Just throwing that out there man. Best of luck......
     
  29. indyjps
    Joined: Feb 21, 2007
    Posts: 5,377

    indyjps
    Member

    Can you provide more info. When you say, you went out and got a 383, I'm assuming you bought an assembled engine from a shop? Do you have cylinder heads info and cam specs?
     
  30. A easy way to check for a vacum leak . Remove the air cleaner, cup your hands over the top of the carb so as to restrict the air flow, the engine RPM will increase if there is a leak.
     

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