Do u know what cam he used. Thanks. Kim
Dyno testing a stock(?) 1972 440
- Thread starter IQ52
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Low compression obviously isn't the hurdle to good horse power everyone thinks it is. Those of us who've built engines as kids in school already know that. We just slapped intakes, carbs, cams and headers on stock engines and they ran great. We didn't care about dyno numbers......nobody had access back then like they do now. We did go to the drag strip a lot. Some people just cannot get their heads around anything under 9.5 compression. It makes no sense to run compression on the ragged edge of detonation for a street car, yet you simply cannot tell people that. They'd rather believe some foolish magazine article backed by sponsors trying to sell parts and forum gurus telling them they have to run a Jones cam or compression at 11:1 on pump gas. All that's just a bunch of bullcrap and if you follow that advice get ready to spend a LOT of money on specialized machine work to make it happen. It's NOT budget friendly. And most people I know don't have money fallin outta their asshole.
yellow rose
Overnight Sensation
Everyone I know builds nothing less than 10:1 on pump gas and most of us are well over 11:1 and it’s not hard or any more expensive.
You can’t think and build like a broke *** 17 year old but the cost to build one with compression isn’t any more money than to build it with less compression.
Compression ratio is power. To leave it low on purpose is really short sighted.
Whiplash and thmprs aren't anything new. Been doing the same thing with cams for a lot of years in low compression engines. You get a 108 or shorter LSA and smack it in ahead at 100. Tricks the engine with increased cylinder pressure. Plenty of low compression 360's run damn well with a 284/484 in at 100. And I'm sure the peanut gallery will say what about fuel economy or some other stuff. If you want fuel economy, stick with the stock stick. It's about making things work with what you have.
If you think that you'll get a 420 lift cam with shorter duration to run with a 484 installed at 100-102, Ummmm NOOOOO!!!!
If you think that you'll get a 420 lift cam with shorter duration to run with a 484 installed at 100-102, Ummmm NOOOOO!!!!
Well, I'd love to build one with a lot of compression. I cannot afford it. I am glad that you are fortunate enough to do it. I'll just stay like a broke *** 17 year old kid. Thanks for the insult yet again. It seems all you're good at.
Yes, I think it was Crower who started the Whiplash and Thumpr style cams.....Was it the Hydraulic Hauler line? I cannot remember....it was one of Crower's lines. But they had a wide split, narrow LSA much like those type cams now, but 50 years ago. Crower has always been at the top of the pack far as I'm concerned.
Why are we talking about compression in a low compression 440 thread.
I believe IQ posted this thread for that very reason LOW COMPRESSION budget build.
I believe IQ posted this thread for that very reason LOW COMPRESSION budget build.
I wouldn't call it on purpose, Tim. More like out of necessity.
yellow rose
Overnight Sensation
That wasn’t an insult. Explain to me how much more money it is to build a 10.5:1 engine as opposed to the same engine at 8.5:1 because I’d like to see it.
I just did a very mild 340 with a measured 10.28:1 compression ratio. Nothing trick and it’s will run on 87 pretty easy, but I don’t like doing it.
It would have been the same money to do less compression, and it wouldn’t run early as well.
Instead of using stock used cast pistons as in my 400, for example, I would have had to buy new. Can you see that now?
Kim La Roy’s engine wasn’t just some worn stock build. It was machined to exacting tolerances. Sure it was low compression but it had near perfect bores and a few tricks we don’t know about. He is also a Pro engine builder that is a whole lot smarter than most of us on here. Kim
I was kinda thinkin the same thing.
Exactly. Nonetheless, he gave a great example of what can be done with low compression.
And thanks for the dig. "some worn stock build" is about all I can afford nowadays. lol
It wasnt a dig. I was just saying it just goes to show that someone in the know can build a better engine than 9”% of us. Kim
I cannot disagree. However, with the same resources at my disposal, I can learn. I'm quite certain you can too. I'm quite content to do the best I can with what I have. It's very rewarding to ME to build something successful out of what a lot of people would call a pile of junk.
I don't think the short block was anything special.
The heads well..... that's something different.
all in all I think this build could be cloned by anyone with similar results.
I built stuff from not as good of parts as I would of liked. A guy knows what will live and what won’t. I would do it again and again. I seen years ago what I thought should of never ran and it actually ran very good. Kim
famous bob
mopar misfit
With all the $$ u spend/parts u`ve bought , and diff. projects and cars/trucks u have posted about , I thot u were somewhat of a hi roller !
Maybe hi troller ,---------LOL
famous bob
mopar misfit
hell ,I cant even afford a 400 block !
famous bob
mopar misfit
But , but , how many of those stock worn out rebuilds you got ??
just yankin ur chain !
You have a point, I must admit. Had I stuck with one project, I could build a much more costly build for sure. But how many of us have only one?
lol A few. But......my long rod slant six build is not one. It does have cast pistons, though. Hypers.
famous bob
mopar misfit
Me me me , barely can afford this one !
I can barely afford this one I`ve got -----------
MopaR&D
Nerd Member
Sorry I don't remember off the top of my head I'll have to go back and watch that episode again.
Regarding high compression being more expensive... I'd argue it is because if I had wanted more than 9:1 in my current 5.9L Magnum with open-chamber Edelbrocks (long story) I would have had to swap out the pistons which obviously would require new rings and the cylinders honed. Instead I just used a junkyard short block as-is with new rod bearings and "sent it". Took advantage of the fact that the used heads I got came with ARP studs and I added Cometic MLS gaskets so it's ready for some light boost if I ever want it. Runs pretty damn good as-is I'm still in the process of upgrading the rest of the chassis to really make use of the power. The cam is a custom-grind Racer Brown hydraulic roller which I know also helps a lot with the rest of the combo. ~6000 miles since I built it and it's still "tight" no real blowby or any other indication of bottom-end wear.
Conventional wisdom would say it's stupid to put a $3000 top end on a $200 short block but the junkyard Magnums seem good for it.
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