I' m building my first Buick. I've got a 70 G.S. with a 72 455 10:1 comp. Poston gs110 cam Poston s-divider intake Rhoads lifters, hi-po oil pump turbo 400 with 2500 conv. 12 bolt with 3:73 gears. I also have 1 7/8 headers and 2 1/2 exhaust. What do I need to do to get this to run low 8's in the 8th. all help will be appreciated. I've been running Chrysler products for years but always loved the look of the 70 G.S. and bought this last year. Didn't want to do the engine but it let go on me. Thanks Wayne
Here's my non-expert opinion... Just a few points based on what I have read here on the board: - Some people have had better luck with other intake manifolds. TA Performance makes a couple of good ones. - You didn't say what carb you were running, but you will probably want to go with something at least 800CFM. - Have a Buick guy tell you where to set your ignition timing and how to set your curve. A Chevy guy will likely steer you wrong. - Freed
thats a lot of cam for that stall but if it launches hard and the car hooks you should have no problem
Is that a high pressure oil pump? Most Buick guys will advise a standard pump with a thrust plate and an adjustable regulator for pressure away from idle, rather than a high pressure pump. I'm one of the 'wacko' guys that see 12 psi hot at idle and have zero problems with seeing that:laugh: I've heard soome guys say 80 psi at 4500 rpm is too little for their taste...hey, don't the threads on the filter fail at 100 psi:laugh: :laugh: On the intake side, bear in mind that about the manifold I know for certain, besides stock, that will allow the stock ram air aircleaner to fit, is the Edelbrock Performer 455. It is a bit higher than stock, I cut my foam seals in half so they don't deform too much. The ram air seal plates rub the snorkel a teensy tiny bit, but the aircleaner does no contact the hood. An 800 cfm carb is a definite minimum. The Buick 455 has a high velocity intake charge, it uses more cfm than a comparably sized Chevy, for instance, with no trouble. I've seen cfm 'calculators' that claim 750 is the right size carb...:error: Maybe for a Chevy 454 or 350 it's right, but Buick's design is different:TU:
This combo, while not what I'd have used (Rhoads lifters and hi-po oil pump) should already do that if you are hooking up. I'm running about 9.5:1, whimpy Competition Cam 268, B4B, Q-Jet, same gears, switchpitch T400 and 3" exhaust. I hit 8.10-8.20.
The gears, conv., intake,headers and about everything else was on the car when I got it. I just had it painted and some interior work and vinyl top done and was tuning it up when she started knocking. I never even drove it more than around the block. I had to get new crank, cam bearings[old ones melted] cam,lifters,springs,retainers. I'm just trying to get to drive it some to justify the money allready spent. I'm also running a 750HP holley. I might have to go to a looser conv. thats why I got the Rhoads lifters so maybe this one will work. Thanks for everyones help Wayne
start out with 34* total, kinda standard for the Buicks, thengo up and or down at 2 * intervals to give you a baseline for your combination, hth, Bruce
Yeah, 43* total to start. Begin at like 10* initial and see where that takes you with total mechanical. Cam bearing failure is sooooooo common with Buicks. My 430 ate them like lifesavers, my 455 seems fine. Here's what we surmise... The hi po oil pump pre-loads the front of the cam and drives it down, forcing it into the cam bearing. It also helps shear off roll pins in distributors. Go with a TA booster plate and adjustable regulator and crank in the reg until 1/4" of threads are exposed. With many aftermarket brands of Stage1 springs, to get the closed seat pressure they need, the open pressure is just too much, which places undue stress on the valvetrain, which burns cam bearings. We like to use TA's dual valve springs. The heads have to be machined to use them, but they are so sweet! Attention to those two things will certainly help. Tri Shield Performance will port your timing cover real nicely for volume oiling.
