Hey guys, I would like a bit of advice on my 283. It's a '62 with unknown mileage as I pulled it from a 67 Chevy "acid van" at a scrap yard I used to work at. Only been running it to pull it in and out of garage. Noticed I was getting antifreeze in the oil so I pulled the plugs and did compression test. #5 =30lbs, #7 = 0lbs. Others varied between 115 - 130lbs. Pulled the heads and ordered steel shim 3.9(8?) Bore .015 head gaskets from SCE but they won't be here till the middle of May! Same with Summit. I want to drive this thing so I also have a pair of 1094's coming tmrw so I can slap this thing together. Motor is stock as far as I can tell with minimal ridge on cylinders. Stock heads have 1.74 intakes and I didn't see any cracks between 5 and 7 but I also have some 186 camel humps with 1.94 intakes and crane cams 1.5 rollor rockers that have been on the shelf for yrs collecting dust along with an Edelbrock dual quad tunnel ram with aapair of 1405's. Can I run this set up? Maybe with progressive linkage and the secondaries wired shut?? I know a cam and lifters are in order but the head gaskets alone just broke the bank so they will have to wait for now as I'm gonna take it all apart anyway some time after I get the steel shim gaskets from SCE. This is in a 31 model A with a t5 and open 3.73's (I have 4.11's and a posi carrier on the shelf for future install) turning M/T 33/19.5/15's.Not looking to build a drag car, just a mean looking daily in a rural area. Will also need wiring diagram for this unilite unit for tunnel ram install as the wire colors don't match any of my searches. Thank u in advance as I'm sure u guys will point me in the right direction! I also know this place LOVES pics so here u go! I can take more pics as needed...
Check to make sure the valves will clear the cylinder walls on a 283 stock bore.Thats not a 4 inch bore your working with.I think you would be happier with a single 600 cfm 4 barrel.
Your ignition set up looks just like my Accel light triggered kit. I use the recommended Mallory power filter on mine and it has worked well for over 10 years. Here's most of the instructions (whole thing is bigger than my scanner). Gary
Thanks! Gary, can u zoom in on wiring diagram or maybe tell me which wire goes where? Gets blurry when I expand it. Also ohm size for resistor if it requires one?
Yes, that's much better, thank u! Still no thoughts on running the tunnel ram? Is it going to just flood this little engine like the Mississippi in spring?
If it were me, I would put the bigger heads on her; but wait for a hipo cam change to use that tunnel ram.
That sounds like sound advice. I have an Edelbrock performer intake and 600cfm carb I can throw on it in the meantime. Cam suggestions? Duntov 30-30 equivalent?
I world be worry about the zero compression in number 7 and 7 in number 5. Since these two cylinders are sitting side by side, I think that you are on the right track with a head gaskets. If the head gasket is bad that might be why you are getting water mix with the oil. I would take the 194s to a machine shop and have them perform a valve job with harden seats (you always can use the heads on a later build), new seals, and a fresh lap. Put the thing back together and run it until you get the rest of the build completed. I would not add any speed equipment on it, you will most likely just blow it apart. Don't forget the can that goes in the lifter valley that hooks up to the draft tube.
Better check and make certain all the pistons come up to the same height in relation to the deck. antifreeze on the pistons can bend rods. bent rods can reduce compression.
When I pulled plugs for compression test it didn't shoot any antifreeze out of any cylinders and there wasn't any on top of piston when I pulled head. Thinking intake leak for antifreeze, and head gasket for loss of compression. Sound feasable? Draft tube can doesn't fit under aftermarket intake.
Loading the top end full of speed parts on a bottom end you know nothing about will probably be a lesson you'll never forget.
I'm willing to take that chance. Besides, I got the motor for free. Idled @ 30lbs oil psi, better than my ot 01 gmc! If it blows I'll just freshen up the 383 stroker Ive had on an engine stand for yrs though I think it's way more than what this little car needs! I don't have a lot of $$ but I have accumulated some parts. Again I'm not looking to build a 7000rpm drag car, just a mild driver that turns heads. Thanks for the encouragement..
I am running a 283 bored 60 over with 305 heads, 2 1/2" Ram Horn exhaust, electronic ignition, Edelbrock intake and Edlebrock 500 cfm carb. Flattop pistons, and some other stuff. 4 Speed manual. It had an L79 cam in .223-.223 duration, it and was a really nice snappy little engine. However I wanted a bit more, so just changed to a Comp Cam 270H which is .270-.270 duration. Boy did that add some jump to it !!! I did switch to a 600 cfm Edelbrock, but it ran better with the 500 cfm, so changed back... Don't know the specs on the Duntov 30-30 cam, and know it is popular...just offering mine as a definite success story. Good luck.
if your gonna swap the cam out in it, I would recommend the Duntov 097 cam, not the 30 30, you probably wont have enough compression to make the 30 30 work well and with the valve over lap you will bleed off even more compression. The 097 cam was made and designed for the 283, and was in the 283 2x4 motors in corvettes and possibly 57 2x4 283 cars, if I remember right. you can get a brand new 097 spec cam from Speed Pro under the part Number CS113R for under 100 bucks, a set of lifters and your off. it will wake up the 283, give it a great sound and not be to rowdy for the unknown short block. That's what I have for the 283 that I have to assemble, now that I have all the parts for it to put in my 39.
if you can track down a set of 305 HO heads (601 castings) they have a 53 CC combustion chamber that will give you boost in compression. you can sometimes find them rebuilt for cheap, where someone had them gone thru, put on there 350 and realized that it made the compression to high and or ran out of breath above 4000 RPM. they dont work for crap on anything much bigger than a 305, but they work great on a 283. Combine that with the 097 cam and you have a pretty decent little small block for very little bucks. Use the steel shim head gaskets from SCE, not the off the shelf small block head gaskets, they are rebuilder head gaskets and are too think, you loose compression. I've done this combo several times and its amazing how snappy it will become for so few bucks into it.
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