LS PROJECT, PART 2 BLOCK PREP AND BALANCING by Mike Mavrigian all photos by author We swapped out the OE torque-plus-angle main cap bolts for a set of ARP studs. This will provide added strength and will eliminate wear on the block’s female threads during future servicing. I recently visited Gressman Powersports where Scott Gressman [...]
CARBURETOR/FUEL PLUMBING Our big-gulp carb is Holley’s Ultra Dominator (P/N 0-80673), an 1,150 cfm race carb that features billet metering blocks, three-circuit metering, mechanical secondaries and oversized sight windows for easy float adjustment. Recommended fuel pressure is 5-7.5 psi. The anodized billet metering blocks feature changeable idle feed restrictors for easier tuning of the idle [...]
CRITICAL: BUY QUALITY Performance aftermarket fastener manufacturers offer much higher tensile strength fasteners that are specifically designed for racing applications. ARP, for example, offers threaded fasteners that boast 170,000 psi, 190,000 psi and 220,000 psi. In other words, instead of hitting the local hardware store or Internet source for imported who-knows-what-or-where-they-came-from fasteners, stick with reputable [...]
The upper intake manifold plenum box gasket is stainless-steel reinforced and provided a perfect fit. The upper plenum box is secured with 1/4″ x 20 x 3/4″ stainless socket head cap screws. I applied a dab of moly to the threads prior to installation. I tightened all screws to 60 in-lbs using a criss-cross pattern. [...]
Using my Goodson 1.8″ – 2.6″ valve spring height gauge, we set final spring installed height at 2.150″. The original valve guides protruded a tad too high for adequate retainer-to-guide-seal clearance. Using a 1/2″ guide cutter and an 11/32″ pilot, I cut the guides down by 0.147″. During intake manifold and gasket test fitting, I [...]
WATER PUMP Installing the Meziere Enterprises electric water pump P/N wp300 was a breeze. With gaskets lightly coated with UltraCopper RTV, I snugged the four ARP 3/8″ x 16 x 1.250″ stainless bolts to a specified value of 25 ft-lbs (Meziere supplies socket head cap screws, but I opted for the ARP polished stainless just [...]
CLAMPING OUR HEADS Using ARP moly lube on our stud threads and nuts (and on both sides of each washer), all nuts were tightened to a value of 65 ft-lbs, with the exception of the four special inboard (lifter valley side) studs, which were tightened to 45 ft-lbs. Note: Because the four lower outboard studs [...]
LIFTERS Cyl. No. Lifter cup orientation (per lifter pair) 1-close together 2-far apart 3-far apart 4-close together 5-close together 6-far apart 7-far apart 8-close together Our mechanical roller lifters are Crane’s offset Ultra Pro R/T lifters, P/N 13571-16. With the lifters soaked with 30W oil, these were slid into the lifter bores. Because of the [...]
Dart 11-Degree Big Chief Cylinder Head Specs P/N………………………18500000 Material…………………355T6 aluminum alloy Comb. Chambers……….56cc (70cc also available) Intake valve dia…………2.470″ Intake port dim. …………1.815″ x 2.725″ w/3/4″ radius Intake port volume………FP CNC – 497cc Intake port location……..Raised 1.500″ spread ports Exhaust valve dia………1.800″ Exhaust port volume……185cc Exhaust port dim………..2.020″w x 1.780″h Exhaust port location……angled & raised [...]
We build a big, big block drag mill just for the sheer hell of it. by Mike Mavrigian photos by author Some folks love to claim that bigger is not always better. While that may be true in some cases, let’s face it…when the conversation turns to displacement, well, bigger cain’t never hurt. After all, [...]
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