Don Terrill’s Speed-Talk

I am under the impression that E85, (when 85 percent alcohol), is good to right at 13.5 to 14 to 1 static compression ratio in our old engines. Is this so because if it is, compression ratios like these are real horsepower makers. pdq67 I have built multiple 540 size BBC engines with compression ri...

Yes, it was at the top against the snap ring when I started. But...I’m not completely convinced that .0875” is right either. I think my “light” testing springs are throwing me off. I’ve got some more testing to do before I’m comfortable with my measurements being right. And possibly a call to Howar...

I forgot about the 375 horse 396 cam.. My buddy has a mint 69 Chevelle with that motor in it, 18,000 original miles. It idles real nice. It has that rippled exhaust pipe with resonators at the back, it has a nice sound.. I doubt the extra cubes will make up for the loss in compression. I'm more the...

So you don't have any suggestions on a combination that makes 1400 hp... got it. Here are some combos Forged 4340 crank Good steel or aluminum rods of your liking Oiling system up for the task Good solid blower heads Good aftermarket block of your choice (iron or aluminum) Single idler gear drive. ...

I probably didn't describe that well (sleep deprived here too). 7.750" with the plunger fully depressed. On a 3/8"-24 stud, 1 turn of the adjuster should equal approx .042"...so to fully depress the plunger was 2 1/4 turns, thus 2.25x.042" equals .0945". So my thinking here is that with about 1 tur...

One BIG brain fart I did when checking with the PBM rockers was not accounting for the lifter plunger collapsing (too many distractions), so any previous numbers was basically garbage... With the Scorpion rockers in place, using the Straub method mentioned earlier in this post, at .272" valve lift ...

https://www.nrel.gov/transportation/assets/pdfs/50916.pdf See especially page 22. Good info. The data I saw showed similar hot weather results, but saw a difference in the cold weather results. Anyway, our testing is now seven or eight years old which is a lifetime with how some of this stuff is mo...

While doing battery and EV testing for Ford out in Arizona in the summer we were testing battery efficiency in high heat and documenting just how much efficiency loss we were seeing due to the heat (120-140* F). After gathering some good data (and having fun doing it) we saw that no matter what ther...

It looks like it will be a fun combo. One concern I have is with the summit mufflers. My brother bought a pair of their 3” turbo mufflers and we ran them on the dyno. They were down 40 hp to a simple chambered thrush $30 muffler of the same size. This was on a 460 hp SBC. When we were only getting 4...

Oh the tangled webs we weave. I am looking forward to seeing this thing done.

Paul

If using a factory crank and rods I often use the same rod and piston in the holes first to see if there are any patterns that can easily be identifies as taper in the decks. Then I verify that the rest of the pistons and rods fall close to the same measurements. If need be I can shuffle some around...

Thanks for the update. Funny thing is I just saw the thread started on December 22 and thought it was a new thread. I forgot that we had not hit the 22 yet this year. (Having a newborn and getting no sleep will do that). All to often these threads never have a resolve. At least now we know from your...

Back with the old arp lube they recommended that you torque and loosen the bolt or nut something like five times before final assembly. I would measure stretch at each torque and just as described the threads would burnish and by the last torquing the stretch would be right at the recommended number...

The question is there any type of high-temp epoxy or another type of a compound that could be used to fill it and also seal against the pressure of combustion and stand up to racing use?? J.B. Weld 'High Heat' is what you're looking for. Make sure there are no raised edges along the scratch. If so,...

Every high school auto shop should have to build that. I would build one with my nephews (and my own boys when they get old enough) but it is probably just as easy or easier to build a sbc with them. Still I like this video as you learn about each aspect of an engine.

Paul