Technical UPDATE.......Squeezing a bit more out of my 283

Hey experts...
Still trying to squeeze a bit more out of my 283..it is bored .060 over and a lot more....won't boar you with details..
Do have a question though..
It has 305 heads on it, and wanting to figure out the compression on it.
Any way to do this ??
Also what is the difference between a Melling C 400 P and the earlier L79 cams.

Thanks much.

 

Google is your friend..!
MANY sites that will explain your task in full and give you the ratio math to go with it.

Mike

 

Run the numbers on the 305 heads, they are around 76 to 82 cc, not exactly performance heads. Just looked up the 882 castings, 76 cc combustion chamber with a 1.94/1.50 valve set. You need to plug and chug what pistons, stroke, etc into a basic formula to have it puke out a compression ratio.

 

L 79 cams are not all ground the same

 

Spring for a custom ground cam. NOT expensive at all and you get to tell the guy what you have and what you want.
I like Delta Cams in Tacoma Wash. 1(800) 562-5500 ask for Ken.
Good quality....good price....grind A LOT of stuff for the NW guys.
6sally6

 

There is a formula online to do this
Will have to know bore size, CCs of any dish, dome or valve reliefs, head gasket thickness and head combustion chamber CCs

 

58 cc heads

 

Didn't they make more than one 305 head?

 

They made millions. 58cc

 

There is a formula online to do this
Will have to know bore size, CCs of any dish, dome or valve reliefs, head gasket thickness and head combustion chamber CCs { Anthony Myrick }
and you'll need to know how far down the hole your pistons park
The math is simple pi x radius squared x stroke is cylinder volume swept volume =A
pi x radius squared x head gasket thickness and piston depth gives you that volume =B
relief volume or dome volume and combustion chamber volume you will have to determine =C
A+B+C divided by B+C

 

I have spent a lot of time trying to figure this out on Google..so far I can not....the reason I asked for help.

 

I did not put this motor together, so not sure about all the details.
I know from the build receipts that it has a Melling C400P cam and 305 heads.
I checked the head numbers and they are the lesser desirable heads, but do not know if anything was done to them..
It is a standard stroke, flat top pistons and bored .060 over.
Has Edelbrock duel plane with a 500cc Edelbrock carb
I am very pleased with the performance of this little screamer, but as all here should understand...just looking for a little more..

 

Had that one coming.

 

Here is s thread that should help answer your cam question

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/help-me-choose-a-cam-for-my-sbc.785018/

Here is your cam specs from this thread

 

Thanks much...what I was looking for.

 

Steel shim head gaskets?

 

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Actually, 305 heads tend to have very small combustion chambers; the most popular are the #601 with 53 cc chambers, and the #416 with 58 cc chambers. Both could be had with 1.84 intake valves. The 350 heads are another story, and I'd stay away from them with a "little 283". From that standpoint, I think he's headed in the right direction. He should however, contact a cam manufacturer that he likes/trusts, give them ALL his specifics on the car, and see what they have to say. Even with everything we know so far, rear end gear ratio will probably make the biggest difference in the seat-of-the-pants-feel. I know his Saginaw 4 speed is one of the lower first gear units (3.11 or 3.50:1). However, there's only so much you can do with ANY engine, and as they say, nothing is a substitute for cubic inches.
I am Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

I don't believe the 350 heads with 2:02 will clear the edge of the cylinder walls.It is hard to figure out what is in your motor when you don't know,Fel pro heads gaskets are .039,oem are steel shim are the piston rebuilder which are down in the deck.L79 from chevy is different from crane or comp. Cams have changed alot since those were made.Roller cam would make a big difference.

 

Engine vacuum would help.

 

Somebody please post..."just what the heck is this engine in?!!!"
A small Nova or a big Impala?.....Long bed pick up or a T-bucket?
Weight of vehicle plays a MAJOR part in the selection.
Is this a 3 speed....4 speed...5 speed...powerglide...turbo 350...turbo 400...??? See what I mean?!
2.50:1 gear??.........3.55:1.......4.11:1??????
Why do fellas post questions and then its like pulling-hens-teeth to get basic info from them!!
Grrrrrr
6sally6

 

Thank you

 

Find some 1960 / 61 Hot Rod, Car craft or other rod mags with tech articles as there were a shit ton of articles on how to hop up 283 V8 engines, it damned well isn't a new thing.

 

Hey now, don't be getting your undies in a bundle...my post was asking two simple questions...Look at it again
Now, as we have wondered away so far, Here is "What and Where"
This is in a 1963 Biscayne..see my avitar.
Saginaw 4 speed with 3.11 first gear
3.73 rear end
(1965) 283 bored .060 over
305 heads...don't remember the numbers, but not the two HO ones (also don't know what may have been done to them, if anything)
Melling C400P cam
Electronic distributor
Timing at 14 degrees advance
Edelbrock dual plane intake
Edelbrock 500cc carb
'63 Corvette dual snorkel air cleaner
Vacuum at idle is (15)
Corvette 2 1/2 ram horn exhaust
Full 2 1/2" exhaust
Cam comes on strong at ~3000 rpm thru ~4700 rpm
Runs at about 3000 rpm at 60 mph
Also remember my post title...want to squeeze a bit more out of it..
NOT major rebuilding or replacements.
Cheers.....

 

A Holley mechanical secondary 600 cfm double pumper might give you a little more kick.Also possibly a ‘67 open element style Vett 350hp air cleaner.

 

bolt-on's then ?
ratio rockers?
MSD box ?

 

Sounds like you need a tuner or get it to the strip and start testing and tuning yourself. Looks like that cam should pull way past 4700 in a lil 283, got valve springs to match? What's the total timing? Any local shop with a chassis dyno?

 

My buddy has the same cam in a 383 and it runs past 6500.What kind of fuel pressure,once again it is hard to figure out when you don't know whats in the motor

 

Find a chassis dyno

 

What is the cranking compression

 

What does your timing look like? Initial? Total? that may be a place to pick up "free" power......other than that - compression - have the heads cut and get 283 bore specific head gaskets from SCE - you likely have flat tops and are lucky if your at 9:1 - the small bore 283 with flat tops can take a ton of compression and timing on pump gas - while upping the compression will be labor intensive, its cheap too.....