Same as on all mechanical fuel pump SBC's [I have a collection of them in my toolbox that are used for punches] Get on to Northern Auto parts website and look at their Master engine kits. I did that and it was economically viable [even when exported to NZ] You are building the same as my last rebuild. [a 283 2 barrel for the street] I would recommend converting the carb to electric choke, and filter to spin-on style. I optioned for an Elgin #CL1787PK [1200-4200 rpm] 204/204 dur @ 50 .427 .427 lift camshaft. for an extra $68 and a drop-in set of speed-pro VS677 valve springs [$46]that aren't too stiff and will take up to .440 lift. I never purchased valves as mine were all straight .My machinist always cuts the valves and the seats [even if the valves were new] My total machining was: Hot-tank, Bore Block, Deck Block,Mill head surface, Cut Valves and Seats, and Fit Cam Bearings [from the kit] The rest I did myself. You will get "nickel and dimed" on external parts [plugs, and leads, paint etc] but if you keep the stock points distributor try and hunt down a genuine GM condenser. [I had 2 in a row fail straight out of the box, so I used the old Chevy condenser] The result is a very driveable engine ,with good low rpm manners with a 3 speed non-synchro 1st gearbox. I'm too old for "High Strung" engines on a daily basis
Sweet looking machine there!! Kind of wondering if I can just pull one off at junk yard, since there are a lot of sbc's there. Aren't they interchangeable? I would think.
Yes a junkyard pushrod will be fine , they seldom cause issues [except getting lost in the garage] Just do a visual check with a ruler to see if it is Not concave at the camshaft end. If it is, just move on to the next engine. If you look at my photo ^^^ it has front engine mounts [not side mounts] You will need these with a truck bellhousing. Chances are a 65-66 passenger car block isn't drilled on the RH side by the fuel pump. So Check Yours! Now is the time to drill and tap the block while apart! one of the bolts goes through inside the fuel pump boss, so you need shorter bolts not to contact the pump pushrod. [this also applies to the factory drilling] And use sealant on the bolts. The fuel pump on my engine is from a 65 Impala .I clocked it so the fuel outlet cleared the front mounts. If you need a replacement get a 4460 pump ,they are already clocked, and cheaper! The main difference is the fuel inlet is at 90 deg from the outlet on the 4460 pump. [the '65 pump is less than 90 deg] Old 283's make fun builds
What camshaft does the 1966 283 come with, vs. performance cam options that might suit my needs a little better? As well as upgrading to stronger pistons, piston connector rods, etc? If that is possible.. I saw an ad online for an 283 sbc 4.6L HP RV 480/480 camshaft and lifters kit for sale... Is that worth looking into, or ???
The problem with installing a bigger cam in a 283 is it makes it loose power at low RPM. A 283 short stroke engine don't have a lot of torque. If you have a stick and low rear gears and dont mind listening to it scream at high RPM go ahead and install a bigger cam. The Hyd cam from a 350 HP 350 engine is a good cam for any street driven small block. Aftermarket cams are iffy. They tend to go flat during break in and require different valve springs and valve train parts. Happiness is quite often a stock factory cam. Having stated that. I like to use a 30-30 solid lifter cam set at .028 hot & degreed straight up. But I run a stick and like high RPM.
My issue is that My baby, (my truck) is all low gear, 4 speed manual trans, HO72 456 geared rear end, and has an unquenchable thirst at the pump! I would like to lower the rpm, while keeping torque and increase the acceleration, not so much at takeoff, but long haul stamina.. She's a great old truck, and I know she has potential for more than just low gear hauling, I want to increase mpg and mph maybe by 20 mph and whatever increase in mpg is better than 10 or 12 mpg what I get currently
2 postings above my previous post [that's why I put ^^^ arrows there] 283 cams are weak! With a short 3.0" stroke ,too much duration kills them . You want as high lift as possible without increasing the duration [which is why modern engines perform with roller cams] Cam grinders a fighting a losing battle with ramp angles so the side effect of more lift is more duration. Too much duration kills cylinder pressure, so on Hi-perf engines they up the static compression to counteract this On post # 122 [above ^^^] I recommended a 204/204 dur @ 50 .427 .427 lift camshaft. I have real world experience with this Cam and 2 barrel carb .440 lift is the most you should go without using long slot rockers and coil bind which require cutting spring seats and different [stiffer] springs. By the time you did all this to make it compatible, you could simple drop a stock "dished piston" 350 shortblock underneath everything and get more satisfying results [for LESS $$$] If our car wasn't stock with matching #s ,I would've opted for a roller cam 350 shortblock with all the 283 peripherals to disguise it.
Oh, I don't think I saw that. Thank you, I will look that up and see what I can come across.. I don't like 350's.. I do like 454's but don't want that route with my ol girl. I want to keep it as close to time era as possible. Just want to beef it up a little so I can haul my trailer, and go camping, fishing, and move along highway without everyone blaring the horns and screaming at me or flipping me off!!
I ran a old 64 3/4 ton with the granny 4 speed and 456 gears. I found a set if 8 hole 19.5 rims and installed tall tires on them. made it longer legged and reduced fuel comsumption. it still pulled ok because of the SM420 trans low granny first and reverse. Used it for a wrecker and pulled some really big stuff.
You will probably get more gains from a modern Transmission Eg: TR6060 with a midshift conversion. If you did this , you could use a car bellhousing and stock side engine mounts for your swap.
That bus was heavy. I had to ser the wheels on a dolley trailer to keep from pulling wheelies. I remember when the local school district bought that bus new in 1966. it replaces a 46 ford that had a flathead six. It was sold and converted to a camper. Then the river flooded and it went under water. And it was gave to me. It still has the 292 engine and drivetrain and had 6 inches of mud inside it. Pulled Ok but stopping was really marginal.
Ok, just found this, I'm assuming this is what you meant, or close to it... camshaft type: hydraulic flat tappet rpm range: 2000-4500 intake range: 272 exhaust duration: 282 intake duration: (.050" lift) 214 exhaust duration: (.050" lift) 224 Lobe seperation: 112
Naw I never worry or get excited. I started out with a 46 ford bob truck when I was 16 and it didn't have boosted brakes. I learned to drive like I never had any brakes at all. Ive drove Semi Trucks. Hauled oversize and overweight equiptment all over the Ozarks with old trucks that never had any jake brakes. Simply moving the bus a half dozen miles wasn't anything to me. My only worry was the possibility of a encounter with John Law. So I moved it on Sunday when they where likely still in bed or attending church.
I used to drive an old 68 AutoCar before the frame rail went to S*** on it, it was a fun learning experience. lost the brakes on it once and had to use my little red button to stop! was a long nose like an old school Pete! I miss driving from time to time, but less $$$$ to spend not being owner op
Back to issue at hand, is my 283, (I think it is, if I'm not mistaken in my homework).. a hydraulic cam setup?? If so, will the cam that I just described work for the performance and torque I am looking to accomplish? I know I'm probably asking dumb ass questions now.. sorry in advance
Nope..... Go to post # 122 the 2nd post on this page [ with the photo of my 283 on an engine stand] I've edited and highlighted the specs for you. Go to this website and scroll down to your engine and tick the options [it will come up] http://www.northernautoparts.com/Products.cfm?CategoryId=76 or here [straight to the page] http://www.northernautoparts.com/part/ek-ek0951 Without an engine kit the cam and lifters are available here http://www.northernautoparts.com/part/ei-cl1787pk Understand 90% of your driving is OFF the throttle [cruising on the idle circuits] so don't over-cam a short stroke engine. That cam [or another brand of the same specs] is what you want with an honest 9:1 to 9.5:1 compression ratio.
I think the stock original cam if it not worn out would be Ok. Those Factory engineers weren't stupid. At present the 55 in my avatar has a 100,000 mile 283. Stock 220 Hp engine. All idid was replace the timing chain. recurve the dist. adapt a carter carb and install hedders. Stock original cam. never had the valve covers off of it. And it runs like the proverbal raped Ape. I hold it flat on the floor and side step the clutch when I take off in a great cloud of blue engine smoke and some tire smoke. . Sometimes the 318 trans will explode. I got a set of 456 gears I need to get installed in the 9 inch rear.
That goes with my theory "Don't over cam a short stroke engine" 63-'66 195 hp used a cam that was 198/198 @ 0.050, .398/.398 lift. and 112 LSA When I upped the duration to 204 deg , I also zero decked the block for a slight raise in compression. Lift generally doesn't lower cranking cylinder pressures. The Factory engineers designed the specs to poorer quality fuels [compared to modern "rocket fuel"] and different driving conditions.[eg:45 mph in a screaming, low geared blueflame work truck] Your engine is 50+ years old Imagine what the Factory engineers thought when they looked back the same time period.
In that case, I will put these ideas on hold for now and just do the basic rebuild of what I have and then see what she does. Maybe I'm not giving this engine a fair opportunity by underestimating it's potential. I would like to see what my 62 yr old truck can do with a freshened up 54 year old engine!
Now, heres a good question, where can I find a wire harness to mate the engine to My truck? The guy that sold me the engine, did NOT have the wire harness at all! Can I use My harness to connect the coil, dizzy, ballast resistor, starter, alternator, ignition switch, gauge cluster??
You can probably ggl a basic wiring diagram. It's just stuff like battery to ignition switch,> 12 volts to the negative side of the coil. > + to dist., etc. Batt > starter button> starter Ballast resistor? Whassat? Really, never used one.
well, my 235 I6 has a ballast resistor and when I first tried to start it she wouldn't run without one, so I figured I probably should leave it alone and hook everything up same as the I6. Wouldn't the coil be setup as a 12 volt positive system ? Why run pos to neg terminal? Idk, I'm still learning as I go!
Yeah, I've seen them but I never knew what they did. Resist ballast, I guess. Ha. I've said for years that all I know about electricity is 12 volt d.c., but after reading some of that "positive ground" stuff, I'm not sure. I always thought "negative" meant "ground". Btw, the first engine I built was a 235 for a '56 Chevy. Put a 2 2 barrel manifold on it and a 272° (later 29?°) solid lifter cam.
Surely someone will step in and make sure any wrong information I give you won't ruin anything. Honestly, that's how I learned how to "hotwire" a car. (Nope, never stole one) Really, that's how you can start a car if you are under the hood. Put a screwdriver between the poles on the starter and vroom.
The Jalopy Journal
