Chapter 2 is going to begin this coming weekend. Pulling the heads and intake off to make room for the future. I need to figure out if these heads will work and then report back. Mileage: 87,275 What's new: Ported Stage 1 replacement heads fresh from the machine shop Old style B4B that will likely be portmatched Hybrid pushrods In this iteration of the top end, I'm aiming to be as stock appearing as possible and covering the B4B and 750 Qjet with the stock air cleaner and giving no clues to what lies beneath. I might be a sick puppy in that I like to work on the car almost more than I like to drive it, so that's why this is starting in October, again. Everything on the list below is what I seek to do this winter, and it seems like it's reasonable, knowing my work ethic. Especially since it's mostly free... Tighten a lot of bolts on the engine to find out where oil is going on long highway trips(PCV???) , but it's apparently not being burnt on the plugs. Sike it probably was ✅PCV grommet Eliminate steering lag by jacking up the front end and finding the culprit The Driverside front window ✅Fix the damn dash brake light, once and for all Auto adjust the drum brakes by using reverse Tighten the exhaust again just to make sure ✅Suspension work Put the heavier advance weights back into place ✅180° thermostat ✅Trans work to firm up shifts New fuel line up to the pump? I'm thinking yes ✅Check current intake for leaks by spraying starting fluid ✅Procomp Rev Limiter Put fire extinguisher back in the car ✅Remove radiator, blast all the crap out of it from 52 years Check all fluids in the spring, they aren’t correct NEED TO FIX THE STEERING ✅Get the bigger 830 Qjet to work Can't wait. Also, 14's are old hat now. Let's make that change. If someone wants to start the HP/TORQUE debate, be my guest.
I like where you are going but....you tried your old combo out at the drags once, maybe twice, in not so good weather? And your satisfied with that? I got a better idea. Why not drive up to the track on a nice cool October day and see how it really runs? Then you have two types of weather to compare what you are about to do to the car. Much more satisfying then just throwing stuff against the wall and hoping it will go faster, IMO.
Yeah that 14.02 was on a 2000' DA day, I'm pretty satisfied. I wanted to go faster anyways, and on a sea level day it says it likely would have been in the 13.7s. I don't really mind getting into the 13s, I really just want to beat my friends 4 speed 79 Trans Am that went 13.59 at 105.11 mph in great air (~200 ft) at 3675 race weight with my 4500 lb boat. It would get under his skin if my car was quicker, and I want to be reliably in the 13s. He thinks his 3675 lb Firebird is making 400 at the crank, when sadly every calculator says otherwise, around 340 hp. And also, I already have data showing what it'll do in poor weather, I'll likely to experience poor weather in the future and then I'll compare to that without burning $35, 3/4 of a tank, and risk breaking stuff then just replace the old 80,000 mile parts with the new.
It appears to be the stock one, or at least the only one I know this has had. Also, so I don’t forget: Mileage is 87,275 as of 10:42 am 10/25/19.
Those heads and valves look pretty clean, did you have them off in the past, like when you swapped cams? Can't remember everything you did.... So much easier taking the heads off when working on a Riv, so much room around the A/C box!
Yes heads were pulled off last time I did the cam, but I never actually cleaned them. It seems that there is some valve guide wear. Cam looks solid and most things wore as expected over the past 1,000 miles. Just waiting on the heads, new alt bracket, and putting it all together, probably over thanksgiving. I also enjoy this comparison picture of the two intake ports, one is the head I pulled off and the other is the ported one before the machine shop.
John, Just using the shim steel gaskets will make an improvement over the composites as it will RAISE the compression.
Modified the B4B yesterday as well. Is this done properly? Will I still have to increase the driver side primary jet size by 2 sizes?
Wow thats alot of valve guide boss ground away! Can you post pic's of the intake and exhaust ports compared to the ones you took off?
The divider is not cut down very much. Cut the carb gasket across in the same area to match it. I just use one size bigger jet on the driver side to guard against detonation on mine. A deeper cut may eliminate the need for stagger jetting. Gary Paine may know more about this.
Definitely jet up as you said and cut back the gasket. IMO cutting down the center divider any more is a no-go in a car of this weight and at its' current performance. It is a low end torque remover. Low 14's and probably 13's on good days doesn't need that kind of "single plane" thinking. Start talking about it when you're in the 12's. For now try 1" open vs. 4-hole spacers the next time you get to the track. That will tell you which way to go. There is no such thing as too much torque, just not enough traction.
