I was think'in about making the engine room of my 59 PU stand out in the crowd. I'm happy enough with the 283 mouse, but what about adding a 144 Weiand and making it roar? What is the max cranking compression that will live with 6-8lbs boost? I don't want to build a bomb, but adding 100hp would be really fun. Have any of you built an engine like this?
I skipped right over the small blocks with my 59 truck, pulled the six and dropped in a 396 in 1979, then in 1990 I went all out with a blown 454 Somewhere around 8:1 or a little higher should be ok with low boost. I don't know what the translates into in terms of cranking compression. What is in the motor now? heads? pistons? cam? etc
A buddy of mine used that little weiand on a small block in his truck and he felt he actually made more power when it had a single 4bbl. When he was just puttin around it didn't make boost while the cam/compression etc of a single 4bbl motor had better response. now, when he got into it the blower would eventually overpower the single 4bbl but when puttin on the street light to light etc you don't get there.
I really don't know what's in the mill currently, it's how I got it from an unknown builder. I checked the block and found it's a 283 HO motor, but just what's inside is a mystery just yet. I can feel and hear the performance cam, and found a Crower sticker in the glove box. An Edelbrock 650 on a dual plane manifold. HEI for sparks. Hugger headers and 2.5in exhaust. TH350 from Monster and a 10 bolt posi. But A Blower Would be SO COOL. Am I dreaming or will it become a nightmare?
It's hard to say without knowing more about the engine. The heads and pistons are kind of important, you want mild compression, good airflow, and strong pistons with a blower.
Ok, I guess it would be foolish to put anything like this together unless I know exactly what I'm dealing with. I'll keep what I have and collect information and parts for the future. Thanks for the input, you saved me from wasting money, parts and tears when it went BANG!
You can give it a try, but it would be wise to figure out what you're doing first. Also a blower acts like making the engine bigger...usually it's less expensive and less work to start with a bigger engine.
One concern i have is do these small blowers----like the 144 put any stress on the nose of the crank? SBC crank noses can't take the strain of a 6 or 8-71 for very long.
It will stand out, but not as a traditional hot rod, more of a street rod, because those little Weiand blowers are pure 80s stuff. Do a 4-71 or 6-71 to be more era correct. Walden Speed Shop is even reproducing the old Cragar drive stuff.
Yes I agree a 4-71 blower is what I want. I suppose a V-belt drive would also be "correct" for the early 60's. What carb or carbs would best to complete the package for street use, again I don't want to build a bomb. Thanks everyone for the information, I'm learning.
Actually the Gilmer (wide toothed belt) setup was around since the very late fifties, but the v-belt looks way cooler.
People that build serious blown small blocks use cranks from Crower or Callies and order them with the bigger diameter snouts. Forged pistons and rods are pretty much mandatory and heads with good flow along with free flowing exhaust are necessary. It is a lot cheaper to build a stout big block any day.
Double keyed half decent crank and the right tension on the belt is where alot of people go wrong You dont always need to run a crank support
Well, are these trailered show cars or cruise only cars that don't see a whole lot of use? If neither of the above, then do these engines have aftermarket cranks? It's a serious issue: http://www.scatcrankshafts.com/scattechpdfs/Break_the_Nose.pdf
Im running 8.9/1comp and 7 PSI boost.The Gilmer belts have been around since at least as early as '54 on racing/hot rod applications and earlier than that in other uses.
I built a 283 with a 6-71 for my old 32 3 window. Drove it a lot, many times at highway speeds for extended periods, and never EVER had an issue. It was a mild 8.5:1 comp stock crank short block and was pushing about 5-6 lbs of boost at peak. IF you don't beat the hell out of it all the time it'll last longer than most people think...... I've seen bone stock small blocks with 6-71's last for years, as long as they are not over boosted, and the driver know's the limits of whats at the end of the throttle..pass that too many times and, BOOM. Like others have said, you should really get some nitty gritty details squared away with static comp with the heads your running, then you should be able to figure what boost will be able to run without problems.....generally speaking... I'm currently in the process of getting thing's together to put another 6-71 blower motor together for my current 32 5 window. This will be a small journal 327..but this one's gonna be built a bit more suited for boost.. Tony
I am looking at a blown small block too. There are excellent boost charts / tables now a days....so the blower size to cubic inch is much clearer. The 283 cu in....is small for a 6-71.....they make serious boost underdriven quite a bit. Dyers reference for example:
Good pistons, forged 8.5-1, zero gap rings, steel crank, GM is ok, gear drive, good bearings. better head gaskets MLS, decent rods with good bolts, powdered metal GM or better, more valve spring pressure than stock, better pushrods, roller rockers and a solid lifter BLOWER CAM, (more duration on exhaust) calculate how much carb you will need, on that 283 prob. no more than a 650 (blower carb- boost referenced power valve) Easily 375+ hp with the little 177 blower. Drive it like you stole it, just check spring pressures and bearings once in a while. If you're saying "i can't afford all that stuff" forget the blower-- IMO. By the way 350s are cheap now Good luck and have fun
I have thousands of miles on mine, stock crank, single keyway but I do have a nice billet steel crank hub
THat sounds like a little bit of overkill for a mild blown small block, but all of it is good advice. I'd use more carb, and a hydraulic cam, stock rockers, gaskets, rods, timing chain, etc. Forged pistons and a steel crank (stock in many 283s) are good items to have on a blown motor.
Yeah, sorry i get carried away LOL! If you do one upgrade it leads to another---- i like to run the snot out of em and hate to tear them up. Best wishes
The Jalopy Journal
