These other sellers have capitalized on our name as we see it, and many customers searching for us will inadvertently find them, thinking we are one in the same company. There is only one Skip White. Our official company name is Skip White Performance. Please see the article in the lower part of this ad for a more detailed explanation.
DART SHP BLOCK WITH SPLAYED MAIN CAPS. FORGED 4.030 BORE WISECO PISTONS, SCAT 3.750 STROKE CRANK, AND 6.0 SCAT RODS. FULLY ASSEMBLED FROM INTAKE TO OIL PAN.4.030" BORE X 3.750" STROKE. COMMONLY USED IN ENGINES BUILT TO 800+ HORSE POWER. COMP CAMS ROLLER CAM AND DELPHI STREET STRIP ROLLER LIFTERS. A CUT ABOVE THE OTHERS.
SA GEAR BILLET TIMING SET WITH TORRINGTON BEARING AND ROLON CHAIN 9 KEYWAY. COMP HIGH ENERGY ALUMINUM ROCKERS 1.5 OR 1.6 RATIO.
BALANCED ON OUR CWT BALANCER TO BELOW 2 GRAMS. SCAT RODS WITH ARP 8740 CAP SCREWS. MELLING M-SELECT SERIES OIL PUMP WITH M-SELECT DRIVE ROD. CHAMP OIL PAN WITH OIL CONTROL SYSTEM. This engine is designed for street/strip use.
See our other listings for the fully dressed out turn-key version. This engine is designed to have a high level of drivability, or street manners. Cams #3 and #4 are our favorites for offering exceptional low end and mid range performance plus max drivability without needing to deepen final gearing or the need for a high stall speed torque converter. If you choose to go with the Hurricane single plane intake and the first choice cam with 1.6 rockers, it will bring the hp numbers up to approx. We do not recommend the single plane intake combined with cam choice 1 on any car that is over approx 3,200 lbs and/or cars with a steep (tall) final gear.
Please read the cam info provided below on the cam choices before purchasing this engine. It is very important that you choose the correct cam and intake for your car and its intended purpose. Here are a few good reasons why we think the 383 engine is a better choice than the 350 engine.
The 383 will accelerate most medium to heavy cars dramatically quicker than the common 350's on the market. The main difference between a 383 and the 350 is that the 383 torque comes in much lower. If you're not familiar with the 383 engine, do an internet search on SBC 383 vs 350, and you will be convinced of the difference. There is no inherent weakness in the 383 engine when using a Dart high performance block.These engines are built to last. All parts used have much higher hp ratings than this engine is producing.
The exhaust note that this engine produces is much deeper than that of any of the smaller cubic inch engines on the market. The difference is dramatic to say the least. This engine can be installed in medium to heavier cars without killing acceleration, having to deepen the final gear, and needing a huge stall converter. This engine will accelerate a 3600 lb or heavier car much better than the 350.
Very low maintenance, decent drivability, yet costing only slightly more than building a 350 street rod engine. Horsepower will vary, depending on cam and intake choice. You have several different cams to choose from, and two styles of intake manifolds plus two rocker ratios. Longevity, reliability and low maintenance.You don't have to turn the engine to a critical rpm range to produce its max hp output. There is nothing unsafe about running an engine that's as well built as this up to approx. Our NKB aluminum heads use very high quality hardware.
The Wiseco Racing pistons are rated at 800+hp. The protection against detonation is at its highest with these type pistons. Should you ever decide to sell your car, the resale value of a street rod with a 383 engine is very desirable compared to those running 350's. No 350 can be built up to the level of a 383 while running pump gas with the same compression. The power and torque numbers down low in the rpm band are what make the 383 such an incredible engine, compared to the 350. We do a full test run on every engine we build on a test mule. The engine is run for two intervals of 15 minutes each, and every possible issue is addressed. When you install the engine, you must verify that the timing is set at the correct value, and the fuel to air ratio must be verified. We also include an engine stand like the one pictured, wheels included, and an engine lift plate.As of 9/15/2013 we completed installation of our brand new Super Flow 902S dyno. In the past, we outsourced our dyno work. Itâs been one of the best investments we have ever made. Every aspect of our engines can now be monitored, calibrated, and tuned. Best of all, we can now see what combos generate the best power, with consideration to drivability.
One thing we have noticed is that the de-tuned engines with different cam and intake combos certainly do have less top end horsepower than expected, but the torque increase in the low rpm range is much greater than in the higher horsepower setup. This increase in torque down low is what you want if youâre sporting around on the street, rather than all out racing. The de-tuned version of this engine will also allow you to set the car up closer to stock and increase drivability to a very high degree.
Throttle response is also noticeably better. The build sheet is as follows. Pictured below is the new Dart SHP block. This block is the absolute ultimate in quality, durability, and value.
Dart SHP block, splayed caps. The block is bored to size with our new Centroid touch probe machine.
Few machine shops have a machine of this accuracy. We also deck the blocks to an RA finish of approx. The decking procedure is also done by our Centroid CNC machine. We often find many brand new blocks to have a sloping deck of up to 4 thous. When we're finished decking the block, it is within approx.001 accuracy from end to end. Many machine shops fail to catch this as the machinery they use does not allow for such accuracy. We then plate hone the block with our new Sunnen SV10 diamond hone machine.
This is also a very advanced machine that hones the block with a finish unlike conventional machines. The final step is to clean the block in our high pressure block washer. Pictured below is the rotating assembly that comes in this engine. (file photo, actual parts may vary, see details below). The photos above and below are file photos.
This picture is to give you an idea of parts used in the rotating assembly portion of this engine. All parts are brand new, first line, unblemished, and balanced in house.Rear Main Seal: 2 pc RMS. Rod Type: Scat I-beam, Bronze Bushed. Rod Material: Forged 4340 Alloy.
Rod Bolt/Cap Screw: ARP 8740 Cap Screws. High Performance for street/strip use.
Dome Volume: RD D-cup Dish. Ratio calculates out to approx. Compression Height: 1.140 or 1.440 depending on rod length choice. Piston Material: Forged 2618 Aircraft Alloy.
Piston Rings: Hastings High Performance, Moly, Standard Tension. Ring Size and Fit: 5/64 5/64 5/64. Bearing, Damper, and Flexplate Specs. Balance: In House on CWT balancer. Damper: Pro-Race brand 6.75 Internally balanced if the 6.0 rod length is chosen.
Flexplate: Heavy Duty SFI 168 tooth or 153 tooth. Flat or Dish top pistons will be used depending on Cam selection. The Wiseco forged pistons are rated very high in the street/strip performance industry. Are made using the 2618 aircraft alloy and have fully machined crowns.
We prefer the 2618 alloy over the lower cost 4032 alloy. This alloy may fragment from the effects of detonation and if this happens, it can be very destructive to the engine. Those types of pistons are fine for stock or mild engine builds, but should never be used in carbureted engines built to high horse power levels.
The forged 2618 alloy piston is much more resistant to the effects of detonation and heat. Our Wiseco Forged pistons are custom designed with an increase in compression height. Here are a few facts about compression height and deck height.Our custom made pistons have a compression height that is. 010 taller on bbc pistons, and.
015 taller on sbc pistons, as compared to most all of the catalog pistons on the market. We find this to be a very valuable feature. Since our pistons sit at a taller than normal compression height, we only have to remove approx. 005.010 off the deck surface of the block.
Our goal is set the piston at zero deck (flush with the deck surface). This maintains the deck's thickness, making it much stronger than a block that has been cut down. The engine will also run a bit cooler with a thicker deck. It's well known that the deck dissipates much of the built up heat an engine generates.This also allows for future deck re-surfacing without compromising the integrity of the block. On our bbc engines, we actually leave the piston about.
005 in the hole to allow for possible piston rock. Our sbc engines will have the pistons setting right at zero with the deck. You may have noticed that our Wiseco custom made forged pistons are referred to as Racing Pistons on the package.
This does not mean that the pistons are for racing only. This is a generic term, referring to their ability to be used in high performance applications as well as for street rod use. These pistons are perfectly designed for use on the street, as well as for medium to upper level drag racing. We have built approximately 5000 engines using the Wiseco pistons. The engines have been for street rod and strip use.We have seen no problems, nor have there been any complaints. They are an excellent product in every respect. These pistons are also suitable for use with nitrous or blower setups. Flat or dish pistons, depending on cam choice.
HASTINGS HIGH PERFORMANCE MOLY RINGS. The picture below is a generic file photo of a Scat crankshaft. Some of the benefits of the Scat crankshaft. The material used in this crankshaft is manufactured from an exclusive Space Age material that was designed for high strength and fatigue resistance. The Scat cranks are the best value you will ever find. The Scat crankshafts are the best way to build a strong bottom end for, street rods, dirt and circle track racing, and drag strip racing. Pictured below is our ABS crank polishing machine in action. We polish the crank on every engine we build. This extends bearing life, keeps oil cooler, and with the reduced friction, a slight increase in horsepower is gained. Many machine shops fail to do this. The finish on most cranks are at the bare minimum of acceptance, and we know this can affect bearing life. We have measured the RA finish with our profilometer, and found it to be as high as 25 RA finish on many of the cranks. We bring that number down considerably. We now use the Clevite bearings in our engines. Our choice of rods are the Scat Pro Stock rods with ARP-8740 cap screws. We use genuine Scat rods with ARP cap screws in all of our engines. Our Scat rods are bronze bushed, and unlike some Eagle I beam rods, these are fully forged 4340 alloy. We have noticed some engine builders using low cost generic rods and crankshafts in their engines. These non-branded, (no-name) products are often poor quality in many ways. You will notice many of the low end engine builders fail to mention the actual brand of the rods or cranks used in their engines. Upon further investigation you will find such parts not to be a branded name product. They may label these parts with a name, but one that is totally unrecognizable in the industry. Our experience in years past with such rods and cranks has been disappointing to say the least.Besides the obvious issues such as incorrect sizing and machining that is difficult to correct, the questionable alloy these items may be produced from and the potentially incorrect heat treating methods used, could prove to be disastrous. Little can be done to verify this and nothing can be done to correct it. Failures of such critical parts will usually result in catastrophic damage to the engine.
As you may have noticed, this is why we specify the brand name, and series of every part used in our engines. Many of the inferior "no-name" rods on the market will also have "no-name" rod bolts in them. We have seen these bolts before, and they are very low quality.
They don't have ARP's rolled thread design, and they don't torque down with the same characteristics as a genuine ARP bolt. It's not just a matter of having a different brand bolt in the rods; these bolts are low quality in many ways. They have been known to fail in engines to a much greater degree than a high quality rod bolt, and this failure usually causes catastrophic damage in the engine. Beware of rods that don't mention the rod bolt brand.As far as we're concerned, ARP bolts are the only brand we would ever use or accept in a set of rods. Genuine ARP 8740 cap screws. PRO RACE BRAND HARMONIC DAMPER, 6.75 DIAMETER, INCLUDED. Pro-Race brand damper is used on all of our engines.
INTERNALLY BALANCED, 6.75 DIAMETER REDUCED ROTATIONAL MASS, OFFERS EXCELLENT CLEARANCE. 1.52" THICKNESS, 2.38" THICKNESS WITH HUB. FEW SELLERS FINISH OFF THEIR TURN KEY ENGINES AS WE DO. We did not offer this billet timing pointer in the past. However, we noticed that there was a birds-eye view of the timing pointer from the driver side of the engine, so we decided to use these on all of our engines. HEAVY DUTY SFI RATED FLEXPLATE MADE IN THE USA INCLUDED. This SFI flexplate is made in the USA and will resist cracking and warpage to a very high degree.One good telltale in identifying a low quality flexplate is the lack of welding on each side where the plate mates to the ring gear. They usually have a pale grey color to them, as they are not coated, and will rust quickly. Ours are welded on both sides, and are much thicker than an OE plate, and are zinc dichromate coated.
We do offer this engine with a manual flywheel. In most cases we do have both sizes, 153 and 168 tooth, available. We do our own balancing with our new state of the art CWT 5500 Series balancers.
The CWT 5500 is the ultimate for precision balancing. We now have three of these in our machine shop.We consider this machine to be highly advanced compared to the Hines balancer we once used. We balance every rotating assembly we sell within 2 grams or less at no extra charge. A balance sheet is included with your engine.
Three new CWT balance machines under one roof is a rare sight. Our crew wrapping up for the day. Our new NKB-200 heads have been designed especially for us.
After receiving many recommendations from our engine builders, we came up with the best quality, best flowing heads on the market relative to cost. The only way youâre going to get a set of heads that flow as well or better will be to spend at least double the cost or more. We have installed these heads on all of our 383 and 406 engines for the past two years.
Many of these engines were dynoed on our new Superflo dyno. The engines had every possible combination of cam, intake and carb. The results have been amazing.These heads are excellent in design and quality. Our choice of hardware and precision assembly also contribute to the performance and reliability of the heads. In the flowchart below, the NKB-200s are superior to the Procomp heads in flow rates, and also edge out the Dart SHP heads on the intake side. The intake numbers are far more important than the exhaust. The overall average flow numbers on the NKB-200 heads are higher than most any brand of non cnc'd cast aluminum heads on the market.
The difference in horsepower and torque generated by the NKB heads is monumental compared to most all of the low cost sbc heads on the market. We offer several cam choices with our 383 engine. Ere is a rundown on the hardware used in the NKB heads and the assembly process.
We are now using the Competition Series PBM valves in all of our 383 and 406 engines. These are considered a high end valve. These valves have an undercut and backcut feature. The backcut feature reduces valve weight by an average of 12.5 grams per valve. This weight reduction of approx. 208 grams off the complete set of valves has a monumental effect on acceleration, deceleration, and valve train life. It may be difficult to understand how this works, but rest assured, this is a huge reduction. The valve spring compression and rebound action will remain stable for a much longer time running lighter weight valves, as well as reducing valve float. The backcut feature is not be mistaken for undercut.These valves have both features. Backcutting is an additional radius, but located on the head of the valve to increase the flow numbers and reduce valve weight. The flow increase is approx.
3-6 points on the flow bench, and possibly more, depending on the initial flow rate of the heads. According to one of our machinists who built Winston Cup engines for 15 years, the exhaust valves had an additional radius cut on the outermost edge that allowed a better escape of the exhaust gas.This cut on the exhaust valve is in addition to the back-cut feature. The competition series are made from a much higher temp alloy than most other stainless valves.
There are at least three levels of stainless valves on the market, excluding those used in very high level racing such as pro-mod. The PBM competition series is compared to the highest level of those three.As a final note, backcutting a set of valves is said to improve flow in the low lift area, and this is most desirable on street rods. Comp High Performance Dual Springs, Part Number 987-16. Our Comp springs are 1.43 diameter, with an inner spring and internal damper. Others are using springs that are much smaller in diameter. Smaller diameter springs may be in the correct spring pressure zone, but they usually have a shorter life.
Comp springs are made in the USA. All of our engines using the NKB heads use these springs. Spring failures are near non-existent. COMP CAMS "POSITIVE STOP" VITON VALVE STEM SEALS. Comp 10 degree machined valve locks.
We use only Comp Super 10 degree machined locks. Our head builder noticed the low grade locks on the market fit more loosely than he felt they should, not to mention the possibility that they were made of inferior metal. He envisioned the engine being much more prone to dropping a valve at high rpm.
Using these locks, we have yet to have an engine drop a valve due to a valve lock failure. Comp Cams retainers # 75740-16 and Comp Cams ID locators. Our Comp Cams retainers # 75740-16 and Comp ID locators # VTH-4771-16 are made from 4130 chromoly steel. These retainers have a perfect fit with the Comp valve locks.
We have used these on all of our engines for many years, and have had zero failures. We hone all of the bronze valve guides with a ball berry flex hone to establish not only perfect clearance, but also a semi cross hatch finish for oil retention. We finish off with a natural bristle brush. The heads are then placed in our parts washer and cleaned with high pressure hot water, then pressure dried.Before installing the valves, we apply a heavy coat of engine assembly lube to the valve stems. The coating on the valve stems is essential to protect the bronze guides from gaulding on initial startup.
Our next step is to set the spring pressure to a predetermined pressure using a spring height checking device, most suitable for street rod use. The springs we are using allow for a near perfect seat to nose ratio. Be warned that some sellers of aftermarket heads may not be checking the installed height when assembling the heads, and may not be setting them up to the correct pressures.
We have a full scale machine shop with several very knowledgeable engine builders that know and fully understand how to properly assemble a set of heads. Combine the possibility of poor assembly methods with incorrect or low grade hardware, and it is easy to see how failures can result.
Head gaskets are Fel Pro 1003 premium race grade series, and ARP head bolts, and rocker studs. Comp Cams High Energy Aluminum Roller Rockers. If you've read our warning on engine builders using low grade no-name rods and cranks, a similar situation exists in the roller rocker market. We do not use or sell non branded, (no-name) roller rockers, period.
They have proven to be faulty in many ways. The center trunnions are not polished, nor is the center of the roller tip true to size or polished. Metal fragments are often left inside the trunnion housing and will cause destruction of the needle bearings.
The pins and keepers that hold the parts together are often of poor quality and improperly installed. The front roller will usually scoot along the valve tip, as it can't roll properly due to rough internal surfaces. We have honestly seen valve tips that were scalloped out due to the front roller dragging across them. This will cause the valves to side-load against the valve guides in the heads and surely cause damage to them if run like this for very long. We have scrutinized these products in the past and found all of the above problems, and I can tell you there are most likely many more. We would not use them in an engine under any circumstances. You will also see many of these rockers made from stainless on the market.They use a low grade stainless that actually has a near non-existent amount of nickel in them, but that's not the real problem with them, as stainless steel has no advantage over high grade heat treated steel when it comes to a roller rocker. The lack of hardness of the rocker body is the real problem. The problems with these stainless rockers are the same as mentioned above. They are pure junk, in our honest opinion. They could possibly be used on a budget back yard stock build up that has a very low spring pressure, with a cam that has very low lift, but then you would be better off with the stock stamped rockers on such a build.
We have heard of many engines using these rockers that came apart and spilled needle bearings into the engine, only to end up in the oil pump. It seems like some engine builders do not care how long the parts in your engine last, or they simply don't know this.
I can tell you for sure that using such low grade, "no-name" roller rockers is asking for trouble. We use Comp High Energy, Comp Ultra Pro Magnum, Comp Gold Arc, Scorpion Race and Endurance Series rockers in all of our engines.
The difference in these compared to the low grade no-name rockers on the market is huge. Delphi Anti Pump up lifters. We have had a vast amount of experience with the Dehphi hydraulic roller lifters.They are a good quality lifter and work well in our engines. Howards Brand Chromoly One pc. Howards brand are the only type of pushrod we use in our engines.
M ade in the USA from 4130 chromoly steel. Regular hardened pushrods will most likely flex in the engine when running above normal RPM ranges, and risk bending under high RPM. These do not have the welded ball on the end. We only use the swedged one pc.
Design, which is a well proven design far superior to the style many others use in engines. 4130 chromoly steel is also much stronger, and will resist flexing. When a pushrod flexes in the engine, you lose lift.
Don't be misled by the term "hardened, " as this is nothing more than a stock style low cost push rod. They will flex in the engine or possibly bend permanently.
We are offering several cam choices listed below in this engine. Comp Cams SBC Xtreme Energy Step Nose Hydraulic Roller Camshafts. This cam choice, coupled with our single plane intake and our -7.5cc. Forged pistons with 1.5 rockers, will produce right at 503 horsepower at approx. We recommend the dual plane intake for better drivability, and throttle response.
The dual plane intake will move the torque down lower in the rpm range. The single plane intake would allow the engine to make its peak advertised horsepower at the peak rpm, but these type intakes move the torque band higher up in the rpm range. Expect a slight loss of top end power with the dual plane intake, but low speed drivability and cruising are greatly improved. If you car is in the lighter weight range and has a decent final gear, (3.55-3.73 or numerically higher), then you may select this build with our flat top pistons and 6 inch rods at no additional cost. The compression range is a bit on the high side, but considering the flat top pistons allow much better combustion, detonation is really not a problem. An octane boost additive would be recommended. The single plane intake is not recommended for use in vehicles weighing over 3,800 lbs unless your vehicle is set up with a somewhat deep final gear, (3.55-3.73 ratio). Our cam timing components were left in the straight up position. Ignition timing was set at 34 degrees total and 93 octane fuel was used. During very hot weather, total timing should be set at 31-32 degrees. A final gear of approx.3.73 or numerically higher, and a stall of approx. 2,500 would be the bare minimum.
Preferably a stall speed of approx. 3,000 to 3,200 would be highly recommended, especially if you have chosen this setup with a single plane intake. Below are our dyno results on one of our 383 engines with this cam choice with a single plane intake and the 1.5 rockers. Results will vary depending on intake and rocker choice.
The horse power numbers will usually improve anywhere from 5-10 HP more than what the dyno results show after the rings have fully seated. Official Dyno report on our 383 engine with this cam choice, a single plane intake with 1.5 rockers, a Brawler carburetor, and an HEI distributor. If you choose cam choice 1 with the single plane intake combination, it is highly recommended that you upgrade the ignition system to an MSD Pro Billet distributor and CDI unit. You may also want to upgrade the carburetor to the Brawler dual pumper series. The acceleration and overall performance is greatly enhanced with the Brawler mechanical secondary carburetor.These important upgrades are essential for improved tuning, idling and overall performance. If you do decide to use the MSD Pro Billet distributor, we suggest you use the black timing degree bushing to increase the initial timing and possibly the lighter springs to control how soon the mechanical advance comes in. You may even "lock-out" the distributor, depending on your car's overall setup.
The CDI unit will make a huge improvement in how the engine runs at idle and low speed cruising, as well as high rpm operation. Comp Cams SBC Step Nose Xtreme Energy Hydraulic Roller Camshafts. This cam choice is the perfect all around setup for those wanting a decent bottom and mid range while still generating excellent power at the top. This setup will generate its peak power at approx. 5600 RPM and this can vary depending on rocker and intake choice. Vacuum is increased with this cam compared to cam choice 1. If your car is in the medium weight range or up to approx. 4,000 lbs, and you want slightly better streetability, then this is a very good cam choice. You still want to keep the final gear ratio at 3.55 or numerically higher.You may choose 1.5 or 1.6 rockers with this cam, but we recommend the 1.5 rockers if you would like to further improve low end response. A stall converter in the 2500 rpm or higher range would be suitable for this setup.
This cam should be paired up with the dual plane Crosswind intake for better drivability. The single plane Hurricane can be used, but the dual plane will have much better bottom end and mid range response. You can also expect a longer valve train life with this cam compared to the larger cam choice.This cam will also have a lopey idle, but not as radical as the larger cam above. Official Dyno report on our 383 engine with this cam choice, a single plane intake with 1.6 rockers and a Brawler 750 carb. Official Dyno report on our 383 engine with this cam choice, a single plane intake with 1.5 rockers and a Sniper EFI system. This cam choice has a lower lift and duration than the others offered above, and is highly recommended for use in heavy cars or full size sport trucks.
The low end response and mid-range power with this cam is very good. Between 405-420 depending on intake and rocker choice. The rule of thumb for cam size: the smaller the cam in a given application, the better will be the low end response.One more benefit to the smaller cam is the reduced requirements for lower gearing and higher RPM stall converters. A final gear ratio of 3.30 would be acceptable with this cam. This would be the only cam choice for running an overdrive transmission such as the 700R4 cruising at around 2000 RPM in overdrive.
If you are running an overdrive transmission, then choose this cam with the 1.5 ratio rockers, and the Edelbrock EPS intake. Valve train life is greatly extended with this cam as compared to the others, and drivability is at its best. Low and mid throttle response is very strong.This cam choice will also produce the greatest amount of vacuum at idle compared to those listed above. You may run power brakes with this cam. This cam is best paired up with our Edelbrock EPS intake. This particular intake is offered at no extra cost. The EPS intake actually has amazing off idle power compared to any of the larger runner dual plane intakes.
This intake is the most practical intake to select when you use this cam. Fuel mileage would be at its best with this cam and the EPS intake.
We also run a lower compression piston with this combination, making the engine less prone to detonation. Official dyno results with this cam, 1.5 rockers, dual plane EPS intake, SL-600 carburetor, NKB heads, and an HEI distributor. Notice the rpm range where we started this dyno run with this cam.
We are unable to start a run at this low of an rpm with any of the larger cams used in a 383 engine. The torque numbers this cam produces in the off idle range would be far greater with this cam and intake combo than with any of the larger cam selections. Notice the torque curve on the graph below. This combination is all about huge low end torque. We started the pull on this at 3600 rpm, and that can't be done on any of the cams above. The torque in the low rpm range with this cam is very impressive. THE CAMS LISTED WILL COVER MOST NEEDS FOR ANY STREET ROD OR SPORT TRUCK. You have a choice of single or dual plane intake. The single plane intake (1st pic below) should only be used on cars that are very lightweight and have good hood clearance.Dual Plane Intake shown below. This is a large runner dual plane intake.
They make excellent mid range power. Pictured below is the Edelbrock Performer EPS dual plane intake. If you're going with cam choice # 2 or 3 and require more bottom end power, we strongly recommend this intake.
This intake offers incredible low end response and has excellent hood clearance for those installing this engine in a C3 Corvette with a non-cowl stock hood. 304 STAINLESS ALLEN HEAD INTAKE BOLTS ARE USED ON ALL OUR ENGINES. Pictured below are some of our most popular valve covers. They are fabricated aluminum, and very high quality. You may select from any of the valve covers we have listed at no additional cost for your engine. The satin covers below are by far the most popular. OUR SECOND MOST POPULAR CHOICE. THE RETRO FINNED VALVE COVERS CONTRAST NICELY WITH THE CHROME AND POLISHED ITEMS. OUR RETRO STYLE TALL FINNED VALVE COVERS HAVE BECOME VERY POPULAR. Timing components: SA Gear 8999T billet double roller timing set.We use the top of the line SA Gear timing set with a torrington bearing and rolon chain. The difference in quality is dramatic compared to the common low-cost timing set. The upper sprocket is made from billet steel and the lower is induction hardened with nine keyways.
These sets are hand matched for selective sizing. Should you ever want to confirm that this is what is actually in your engine, you can remove the timing cover, and you will see that this timing set is very different in appearance to the run of the mill low cost sets often used by others. This timing set is offered in three different chain tension setups, allowing us to set it up perfectly every time. One more benefit is that timing accuracy is very precise and will remain that way. This timing set will likely last for the life of the engine. This is what you will find in most solid roller engines, as they have very high spring rates, and create an enormous load on the chain and gears, compared to non solid roller setups. It may seem like a bit of overkill to use such a high end timing set, but the versatility and extreme quality outweigh the cost, in our opinion. Melling M-Select Oil Pump, and M-Select Drive rod with ARP stud. The M-Select series oil pump by Melling has several important upgrades compared to the regular Melling M-55 Series. The gears are billet steel, and the body is stronger, coated with corrosion-resistant nitrite. This oil pump also includes the M-Select drive rod. Both components are far superior to the regular Melling oil pump and drive rods used by most other engine builders. If your engine is equipped with the 7 qt. Champ oil pan, it has kickouts that swell outward approx. 3 inches on each side. If you think you will encounter clearance issues with the kickouts, we recommend opting for the stock appearing 5 qt. Pan will still be a Champ pan and will have the windage tray and crank scraper. We strongly recommend reducing the amount of oil used in these oil pans by approx. Doing this may reduce the chance of oil leaks and reduce oil temps.The larger counter weights used on stroker crankshafts are why we recommend reducing the oil capacity in these engines. The higher capacity 7 quart oil pan is an optional upgrade on some of our engines. Our engines include a dipstick. It's very important that you re-calibrate the oil level marking on the dipstick.
This is due to the fact that the dipstick, oil pan, and block are all made from various manufacturers and we often see great variances. Couple this with the fact that you may be running a reduced amount of oil, and the "full" mark on the dipstick will most likely not indicate correctly. Once you have put a predetermined amount of oil in your engine, and run it for a few minutes, let it sit for awhile on level ground, check the oil, and mark your dipstick with a flat file to re-establish the full mark. We do not use the knock off oil pan gaskets on the market. Felpro premium oil pan gaskets are used on all of our engines.Pictured below is a file photo. The actual Felpro gasket used will be the correct model for this application.
We use our premium studded mini nut set on all of our oil pans and valve covers. The nuts have a serrated face and built in washers. This is the ultimate set for securing the oil pan and valve covers to the engine and is far superior to the typical bolts used by most other engine builders.
Our standard engine color is black. Custom paint work on engine blocks and oil pans is available as an optional upgrade. The pictures above and below are file photos to display the studded mini nuts.
Other items seen in these pictures may not represent your actual engine. We include an engine lift plate and heavy duty engine stand with casters with every engine we build. We offer this engine with selected upgrades. Listed below are some of the most requested ones.
Many not only improve performance, but further enhance the reliability and longevity of your engine, along with resale value. Most of these upgrades are low in cost considering the benefits they offer. We offer premium grade Ram brand SFI Billet Steel flywheels for manual transmission use at an additional cost.
This engine includes a flexplate for automatic transmission use at no additional cost. When purchasing a flywheel for manual transmission use, be sure to know what tooth count you need. There are two sizes available, and it is of the utmost importance to select the flywheel that is correct for this engine. There are several factors that must be addressed when choosing your correct flywheel. The tooth count must be correct.
There are two sizes available, and it is the bellhousing size on the transmission that determines this. Another important factor is if the engine your purchasing is internally balanced often referred to as neutral balanced or if it is an externally balanced engine, often referred to as externally balanced.
Big block and small block engines will also have a different bolt pattern in most cases. To sum it up, there are three important factors to look for when selecting the correct flywheel, tooth count, int. And whether or not you purchasing a big block or small block engine. The Ram brand flywheels we offer are very high quality. See our other listings for a complete line of the Ram brand SFI flywheels.SFI damper: Offers an extreme level of safety against breakage, and is very resistant against slippage of the elastomer damping material. SFI dampers are not only made from a better grade of steel, they are also constructed differently and have a much better appearance.
They usually last much longer than a non-SFI damper. Many drag strips require this on engines producing high horse power levels. The SFI certification is laser etched into the side. Scat Competition Rods: Recommended for those running hard. The regular Scat rods that come with this assembly are sufficient for most street rod uses, but the Scat Competition series rods offer more security against rod breakage under hard use, and they have the huge ARP-8740 7/16's cap screws.
These rods require slightly less cam to rod clearancing then the regular Scat rods. We use the very same Scat Competition rods in our 600+ hp 427 and 434 engines. ARP-2000 rod bolts: This is one upgrade that we find to be very valuable. The rod bolts are most likely to fail under hard use, moreso than the rod itself. When a rod bolt fails during high RPM, total engine destruction is usually the result. The ARP-2000 rod bolts are a very good upgrade, in our opinion.We actually have few, if any, problems with the regular ARP-8740 bolts, but those who run hard always upgrade to the ARP-2000 rod bolts. The ARP-2000 rod bolts also torque at a higher number, and this increased clamping force is also a factor in keeping the big end of the rod stable and true to size. The ARP-2000 bolts are installed in the rods and this upgrade is only available with the Competition rod upgrade. Race balancing: This is for those who want the engine to operate virtually vibration free at high rpm.
Extends engine life and frees up a few more horse power. This is a somewhat labor intensive procedure and is not required, but the feel of an absolutely vibration free engine at high rpm is desirable by many. The standard balance job that is included with this assembly at no extra charge is certainly sufficient. With a race balance job, all pistons and rods are match weighed to within 2/10's of a gram or less, and the final balance is brought down to around 1 gram plus or minus.An ultra smooth engine at high rpm has a noticeable feel and sound to it. If you do not opt for this upgrade, the assembly will still be fully balanced. We spend a good hour and a half doing the regular balance work, and it will certainly meet your needs. This is the ultimate upgrade for those wanting to run hard. Nos, blowers, turbos, are not an issue with this crank.
Even without such power adders, this Crank offers great protection under the most severe conditions. This upgrade also comes with the HP high Performance King bearings. Should you decide to run power adders in the future, this would be essential. The fatigue life of the 4340 crank over the cast nodular is also greatly extended. We do offer this upgrade as part of many of our assemblies in some of our other listings.
They have the key words, "fully forged, " in the title. This low cost upgrade is the next best thing to an internal balanced crank. This Scat crank is similar in design to the one offered in this assembly, but it has an internal (neutral) balanced front.
R unning a crank that is neutral balanced in the front will allow the use of a non-weighted front damper. This will eliminate the additional mass from a weighted damper.
Replacing the damper, if it's ever needed, becomes a simple procedure, and assures that the balancing is not affected. It's well known that under high rpm conditions, the front of the crank on externally balanced engines is at risk of breaking much more than those with an internal setup.
Dyno Tuning (Carbureted Engines): This is one of the most important upgrade/options we offer. There are many benefits to this service. The engine is first run at fast idle to bring the water and oil temp up to normal operating temperature. It is then run for approx. 20 minutes under a simulated load at around 3k rpm to promote initial ring seating. After this, the engine is shut down to allow us to check the readings on the spark plugs, and for any possible oil leaks. This cool down is considered part of the engine's first heat cycle. We then follow up with multiple low to medium rpm runs to further the break-in process of all the moving parts in the engine. During these multiple runs, we are paying close attention to the EGT (exhaust gas temp) readings, vacuum pump readings, oil temp and pressure, coolant temp, and overall engine sound. At this point, we start the actual dyno tuning process and this focuses around the air to fuel ratio numbers and what timing numbers produce peak power. We usually have to change carb. Jetting several times, adjust the idle circuits, and the air-bleeds occasionally have to be changed.We then establish the engine's full horse power and torque numbers at a given rpm limit. Having your engine dyno tuned will allow it to run at its absolute best, and is very important in protecting the engine from potential damage caused by the carburetor running excessively rich or lean.
This also establishes the engine's hp output and max rpm. These numbers are very important to know. There is one more value that we consider just as important to what we have mentioned above. An engine that has been dyno tuned has also been validated to be in perfect operating condition. This is something that running the engine on a test mule can't provide. Any problems the engine may have will show up during the dyno tuning process.We have on rare occasion seen a popular combination show hp numbers that were not where they should be. Some of these problems give no indication other than reduced hp numbers.
We find and fix such problems. The problem may be something simple and easy to find and in some cases very difficult to pinpoint. We will not send the engine out until it's perfect.
When engines are dyno tuned, the chances of you having a problem are near non-existent. Unforeseen problems may still occur, but they are rare. We have kept the cost on this extensive procedure low to not only make it affordable, but it gives us great peace of mind knowing the engine will be in perfect operating condition when it is received.
Pictured below is one of our actual Super Flow dyno's. This is a 2016 model and highly advanced compared to the much older models many shops have. We have two of these in use at our shop. The Super Flow is the best dyno in the industry. There is no way for us to properly shim the starter (should it be needed) while the torque converter and transmission are not installed. The flexplate will change position when the transmission is installed and the torque converter is hooked up to the flexplate.Some flexplates have a slight amount of run-out/warpage when the trans. And torque converter are not connected to it.
This makes correct starter installation difficult. Only when you have the torque converter mounted to the flexplate can you properly install and adjust the starter. Suggestion: While the engine is out of the car, still mounted on the engine stand, bolt up your torque converter to the flexplate.
This will flatten out the flexplate to a great degree. Then, mount your starter on the engine. This is the only time you will have a birds eye view of the starter gear and ring gear from the back of the engine. You can see if the proper amount of mesh is there. It's possible that once the transmission is installed and the torque converter is hooked up to the flexplate, the position of the ring gear may move a slight bit more. The transmission shaft centers up to the torque converter, and this causes the flexplate to further change shape slightly. This may alter your initial starter adjustment, and if it does, you may need to do a light adjustment once the transmission is installed. We strongly suggest using our Powermaster 9100 or 9400 starter on this engine. These starters have proven to be highly reliable, and offer excellent header clearance.For those with very heavy vehicles, such as 4x4 quad cab trucks, 3/4 ton trucks, and crew cab/ex-cab trucks, Suburbans, plus trucks that may do light to medium trailer towing, we recommend the de-tuned version of this engine. For those wanting to run a supercharger, we recommend our extra deep dish pistons with the 75cc heads regardless of the vehicle.
Our machinists each have many years of experience in building racing engines. This very critical work is done to exacting specs and with great care.Many vendors do not have machinists with the experience or the proper equipment that we are fortunate to have. All of our engine builders have been in the engine machining and engine building line of work for their entire working lives. Their ages range from 40 to 67. We have a total of seven machinists/engine builders. We have dyno tested the original creation of this engine with every cam and intake choice available extensively.
We now include the engine test mule run at no additional cost. The engine is thoroughly tested for leaks, vibration, unusual noises, overall engine sound and feel. THIS ENGINE IS BUILT WITH THE BEST AVAILABLE PARTS WITH CONSIDERATION TO KEEPING THE COST OF THIS ENGINE REASONABLE. This engine is warranted, with limitations and exclusions as set forth below, for two years from date of sale. Keep the crate your engine came in to ensure a safe return to our workshop. Our engines must be used with a rev limiter. Ue to the difficulty of accessing certain engine parts in some vehicles, we are not responsible for the additional time and labor costs you may incur in removing and replacing such parts. Tuning includes jetting or adjusting the carb, ignition timing, or readjusting the rockers. Tuning would also include changing out plugs to optimize temp range for your needs. Setting ignition timing is also considered tuning. You must check the timing on this engine before it is driven. Detonation damage is evident upon removal of the cyl. The first six months will cover parts and labor, and the second half of the one year period will cover parts only. Marine engines must upgrade to a 4340 crank unless the engine already comes with this, and the ARP-2000 rod bolts. Our engines are custom built to your specifications e. Cam choice, intake, rocker ratio, engine color, compression ratio, and upgrades. You can enjoy your engine with occasional spirited driving, as it is well designed for it, but we will not cover damage caused by racing or improper tuning. A rev limiter and fuel to air ratio monitoring device must be used on this engine. The rev limiter should be set to cut off at its peak horsepower or less if you choose, and this should allow many years of service without a problem. Your carb should be tuned to allow the correct fuel to air ratio.This ratio can vary depending on many factors such as altitude, vehicle weight, gearing, type of driving, etc. These values should be in the recommended safe zone.
It is highly recommended that you re-torque the intake manifold. The gasket sealant tends to shrink after a period of time and this may cause the intake bolts to lose their proper torque values. The torque range is approx.The spark plug gaps should all be re-checked. For those running an HEI distributor, the plug gap should be approx. 040.045 Those running an MSD 6AL unit should gap the plugs to approx. 035.040 These values are very controversial and you may experiment as to what runs best in your engine.
Widening the gap too much can put a strain on the ignition components. Be sure your plug wires are completely fastened onto the spark plugs. Check your flexplate or flywheel bolts. Check fuel bowl levels in the sight glass on the carb once you have the engine running. Be sure your fuel pressure is set in the correct range.
Adjust the choke on the carb. We would prefer you set the choke to a loose setting. Setting it tightly may allow it do its job better, but can cause engine damage over a period of time due to excess fuel entering the engine upon warm up.
Be sure to use a high quality fuel filter. You may not find a problem with any of the items mentioned above, but considering the small amount of time it takes to check them, we find it to be a valuable preventive measure. As it's been said, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Continue reading for more detailed information on timing and carburetion. You must follow the recommendations listed below.
Tuning, maintenance, and oil recommendations. This engine must be maintained with oil specifically designed for high performance engines. The life of the engine can be greatly extended if you run a race grade engine oil such as our Schaeffer brand racing oil. We strongly recommend the Schaeffer Micron Moly 20w-50 grade in warm to hot weather or you may run the 10w-30 weight Schaeffer Supreme 7000 series semi synthetic oil in cooler weather. The part number for this oil is 709-06 for the six qt.
Case or 709-12 for the full case. After the engine is fully broken in, you may move over the Schaeffer full synthetic oil. The Schaeffer brand oil is very highly rated. It is the only brand of oil we use when dyno tuning.
Racing oil must be changed more often than conventional oil. Every 2000 miles or less would be optimal. We offer a full line of this oil in our other listings. Here is a brief outline of the average additive levels in the Schaeffer Oils as compared to Valvoline VR1. We only use Schaeffer oil in our dyno room, and strongly recommend its use in our engines.The 10W-30 7000 series oil is totally acceptable to use in one of our brand new engines. It will not interfere with the break-in process. The 20W-50 Micron Moly is also an excellent choice to use in warm weather.
191 Micron Moly Racing Oil. Soluble Moly = 350 ppm. A couple of things worth mentioning: Valvoline VR1 doesn't report any Moly in their oil. Schaeffer uses a soluble form of Moly that bonds to metal under heat, pressure, and movement.
Once fully bonded, it takes over 500,000 psi per square inch. Schaeffer Oil has the best base stocks and additives that make it the best oil on the market. Come with oil in it. We also prefer draining the oil as this gives us a chance to examine it for metal particles. The filter is removed and is also closely examined for metal particles or debris. This oil filter that we supply has an internal by-pass valve in it and is rated at 25 micron filtration. Run the oil and filter for a period of approx. You may wonder why we're using an extended life oil filter but want it replaced in such a short period. These extended life oil filters are an excellent choice for a new engine. They have a much larger capacity for the higher amount of debris developed from the new engine without affecting the oil flow volume. They also have better designed bypass valves and stronger cases on them. All of these features are essential to a new engine. When replacing the filter with one of your choice, you must use a high quality oil filter that has a by-pass valve in it. Some filters may also have an anti-drainback valve on them, but they are not necessary on V-8 Chevy engines, but the bypass valve feature is a must. Our engines are now equipped with a billet oil filter adapter that requires the use of an oil filter that has its own by-pass valve in it. Always opt for the medium length version, as this will help maintain oil pressure and volume much better than the short version. If your headers are an issue with the medium length filter, then the shorty version is acceptable. See our listings for the recommended oil filters. Billet aluminum oil filter adapter.Racing oil filters such as the Wix Racing oil filter may only be used after the engine is completely broken in. These racing filters have a very loose media and provide very little resistance and a high oil flow volume, but due to the loose media, they don't filter small particles of debris from the oil. They are only to be used on engines that do not see high mileage use, and have gone through one or two oil changes with low micron rated filters.
Oil pressure of 50-60 lbs in the upper rpm range on a fully warmed up engine is nothing to worry about. You may also notice that oil pressure drops at idle to approx 25-30 lbs when the engine is fully warmed up during very hot weather. This is somewhat common and no cause for alarm. If your engine has a Dart block, then it has priority main oiling.
This block routes the oil in a very different pathway compared to a GM block. The mains and rod bearings as well as the crankshaft are well protected with an ample supply of oil even when the oil pressure numbers are lower than you think they should be. There are many special additives in race grade oils that are not in conventional oil. These additives are very valuable for high performance engines. Add anything to racing oil.
This oil has exactly what is needed to protect a high performance engine. Some of these oils will state that they are low or possibly non-detergent, and that is a desirable trait of racing oil. The anti-foaming agents in race grade oils are much better than what you would find in conventional motor oil. Race grade oils have higher than normal amounts of the zinc compounds in them, and there are many components in the engine that can make great use of these additives. This engine does not include a fuel pump.
This engine is best suited to operate with an electric fuel pump, with a pressure regulator set at 6-6.5 psi. A chrome block off plate will be installed on the engine. If you decide to run a high volume mechanical fuel pump on this engine, then you must use the special polymer fuel pump rod that we offer, and you must also use a fuel pressure regulator, and gauge, set to approx.
Only use engine oils with high levels of zinc compounds in them when running a mechanical fuel pump. This will protect the eccentric fuel pump lobe on the camshaft. We strongly recommend the Schaeffer Racing oil. See our other listings for this oil. You must use a rev-limiter on this engine.
A rev-limiter will allow you the freedom to drive without having to monitor the tach. Every car from the factory has this feature. We strongly recommend using a crankcase ventilation system to pull gases from the crankcase. The exhaust evac system we recommend is made by Moroso. The benefits are numerous as compared to the typical pcv system.
Oil leaks are greatly reduced by using the exhaust evac system. Engine break in: As soon as your engine is installed. Check and reset the timing if needed. Drive safely please but keep your engine under load more than normal and bring the rpm up and back down to seat the rings much better and faster.
This allows the rings to expand in a perfect circle and with greater pressure against the cylinder walls to establish an even wear pattern. This is why race engines are dynoed.
To put a good number of passes on the engine under heavy load, as this will partially seat the rings very quickly, making the engine somewhat ready for racing. Failing to do this not only delays the break-in, but can permanently stop the engine from establishing a good wear pattern on the cylinder walls. If you have opted for our dyno-tuned version of this engine, then ring seating will be partially established. The dyno has a computer controlled break-in mode that we use before doing any dyno testing for power output.
Should you opt for the dyno tuning package, it does not mean that your engine is ready for full synthetic racing oil. Your engine will continue to seat the rings in to an even higher degree after 300-500 miles of driving. You must prime your new oil filter. Priming is not needed when changing oil on a well broken-in warm engine that has been running moments before changing the oil.If your new engine has been sitting around for weeks, or possibly months, then you must prime the oil filter. To be clear on what we're saying, we would like to see you add right at 6.75 quarts of oil grand total in your engine and oil filter when using the higher capacity oil pan.
When using the stock appearing oil pan, we would like to see you add right at 4.75 quarts grand total in your engine and oil filter. You must be sure that your air to fuel ratio is correct.
We strongly recommend purchasing a fuel to air ratio monitor. Proper carb jetting is also a must. If you are using your own carb. On this engine, then you must be sure the fuel to air ratio is correct.
If your carb is running too lean, detonation is at your door. If it is excessively rich, cylinder wash-down from excessive fuel will destroy your bore finish, pistons, and rings quickly, not to mention cause excessive fuel consumption. A tad on the rich side is not a problem and can help resist detonation; a tad on the lean side will generate the most power and increase fuel mileage. The optimal air to fuel ratio is approx. 13:1 Set total timing at 30-34 degrees. Total timing refers to the reading at 4500 rpm with the vac. The closer to the lower number (30 degrees) the total timing is, the safer your engine will be. Do not worry about initial timing, as it will be determined by the total timing. We do not recommend running the vacuum advance with this engine. Be sure to have a high amperage battery and high quality starter. The battery must be 850 cca or more. Use heavy gauge battery cables. This will allow you to control your timing for optimal performance and ease of starting.Do not run regular gas in this engine, no matter how much you have reduced the timing. It may not be enough! You may have run an old car in the past that pinged and clattered under load for many miles, and this didn't seem to hurt it. Most cars from the 60's and 70's had very low compression, especially when nearly worn out, and this is why the detonation did not destroy the engine.
Excessive pinging, spark knock or valve clatter, as it's often referred to, may destroy this engine very quickly. Light pinging now and then is unlikely to do any damage, but it certainly will when there is an excessive amount of it under load. Let any engine with compression numbers above 10:1 clatter and ping for very long, and you will lose the engine due to detonation, and in some cases this can happen very quickly. Spark Plugs: We recommend the Autolite brand, part number Autolite 3923. Most of our engines include the correct spark plugs. We also offer a premium NGK plug that is highly suitable for this engine when running in very hot climate. Race grade plugs are fine as they have a few features that are desirable for certain types of driving. Keep the temp in the low to middle range. Use a plug that's too hot, and you are once again close to detonation/pre-ignition; use a plug that's too cold and they will foul constantly, run poorly when cruising at low speed, and be difficult to start. You may also use NGK part # NGK 4544, a plug that is one step lower in heat range than the Autolite plug. The NGK plug is only to be run during very hot weather. You would be amazed at how much better an engine will run with the correct spark plugs installed, but brand name has little do with this. It's more to do with heat range than any other factor. Factors such as outside temp, altitude, compression ratio, and the type of driving you do determine the temp range to run. A slight loss of power is also an issue with plugs that are too cold, as well as possible difficulty in starting. However, you can have much more serious issues by running plugs with high temp ranges. Keep the engine coolant temp as low as possible, but it is not a problem if it runs as high as 210 on very hot days, as long as it's consistent, and not climbing. Never use any of the modern day type antifreeze formulas that are used in most newer cars. This will most likely destroy the gasket material used in these engines.We have a customer that used the orange colored antifreeze made for Toyota trucks as he happened to have this on hand. This led to a failure of the high quality Felpro intake gaskets. The print seal material was partially dissolved allowing great amounts of coolant into the combustion chamber.
This led to a catastrophic engine failure. The correct type of antifreeze to use should be ethylene glycol based, usually green colored. There are some animal safe substitutes on the market that should be ok to use. A mixture of 50/50 or even slightly less antifreeze will cool the engine better than a rich mixture of antifreeze. Keep the engine temp down if possible, but don't worry if you can't get it below 210 on a hot summer day.
The cooler you keep the engine, the lower the risk of detonation. Set engine idle at approx. 900-950, and never too far below this unless you are running the smaller engine cam choices. The reduced size cams would allow for a lower idle speed. Never let the engine idle for excessively long periods during the break-in period.
When setting your carb choke, we recommend setting it on the mild/lean side. It is best for the choke to open up to its full straight up position as quickly as possible. Keep backing it off until cold starting becomes difficult. Quickfuel brand carbs are best to run.
They are also suitable for use on engines running a mechanical or electric fuel pump. If the choke is set up on the aggressive side, it will create an over-rich condition upon every cold start-up and warm-up. This over-rich condition is very damaging to an engine, and will waste fuel. If you feel you can get by without using the choke, then by all means do without it!The modern day carbs actually do well with very little or no choke. With a few pumps of the throttle and a bit of feathering, the throttle will have you off and going smoothly, in most cases with very little or no choking at all. Hydraulic roller setups are virtually maintenance-free and require little if any maintenance.
Our recommendations will change from time to time. We never stop trying to build a better engine, and we learn from our own experiences and from feedback from our customers. We know there's always room for improvement. We're always working on research and development, as does any successful business. We advise checking out the recommendation section of our engine ads on a regular basis.
Not knowing is understandable, but failing to educate yourself on the do's and don'ts is asking for problems. We suggest joining a few good car forums, as they have a wealth of great information. However, beware of some individuals on forums who think they know it all, and really know very little. Do your research using several sources, and be sure to read between the lines.
You may never have a problem with any of the components, but excessive street driving at cruising speed can adversely affect these components. Solid roller setups should not be driven for excessively long distances or for long periods of time on the street.
A weekend of racing at the drag strip would likely have less of an effect on the valve train components than a 100 mile easy drive. If you do think you will be driving significant numbers of miles, we strongly recommend staying with our hydraulic roller cam package.
See our other listings for info on all of our engines. Your engine info will include the balance sheet and other information on this engine such as cam card, and your invoice will show your personal selection of the options offered. Many have asked why we're able to sell such an engine for such a great price. It's because we're a major distribution center for all of the parts used in this engine, as well as a full scale machine shop. Few machine shops ever get to master-wd pricing.
We also believe in keeping our profit levels low enough to allow the working man a chance to build his car the way it should be built. Please see the article below for a more detailed explanation. I'm sure many of you have noticed there are 2 high performance engine builders in Kingsport, TN with similar names, and this has led to a great amount of confusion. We are Skip White Performance, NOT White Performance and Machine.
Due to the name similarity many customers looking for us online inadvertently find them, thinking we are the same company. There is no connection between the two companies. We don't have a problem with free enterprise (competition). However, when the competition builds their foundation on such things as a name similarity and their supposedly long history of being in business, then we think it's about time we set the record straight. We have owned White Performance since 2003, with the exception of the machine shop, which was owned by Fred White at the time.
Due to their limited production capability and many disagreements about the engine building process and workmanship, we opted to open a full scale machine shop of our own a few years later. Fred White began competing against us even though our contract had a non-compete clause in it. As our business grew, we opened a second, much larger warehouse and machine shop around 2011, located on Brookside Ln. By putting heart and soul in this company, we have become the number one street rod engine builder in the nation.
This investor lacks any knowledge of this industry. They continue to use the White Performance & Machine name. Contrary to what is posted on their website, Fred White is no longer associated with the company in any way. All in all, we have been in this business 16+ years.
Skip White's passion has been owning and building street rods for 47 years on a personal level. The knowledge he has gained over time has allowed him to venture into this business and succeed to a very high level. The great pretenders continue capitalizing on our success due to the name similarity, but have been degrading our reputation. Recently, we have been getting calls nearly on a daily basis from people that now realize there are two shops in this town with very similar names. They complain of serious problems in getting their engines in a timely manner from them.Due to the confusion, there is an increasing amount of negative talk that is starting to reflect on our reputation within the street rod community, when in fact we have a near perfect reputation in this industry. We have become the largest street rod engine builder in the nation.
2-4 weeks, perhaps sooner, depending on the season. Now you know the real story, and we hope this helps with the confusion. You must have a dock or fork lift.
We can have the engine delivered to a residence with lift gate service but at an additional cost. Your engine will be in a crate on a pallet, and you will receive a roll around engine cradle at no additional cost. The value of the engine cradle is approx. Your engine will also be fully insured. You may also request an invoice at time of checkout. For tech support, please use the "Ask A Question or Contact" tab. Your selection of what type transmission you're going to use with your new engine is very important. I'm going to give you the real lowdown on what transmissions I recommend, as well as the ones I would stay away from.For those building a very mild, (detuned) street rod, (small cam choice, dual plane intake) these recommendations are not as critical. 700R4: Worst possible transmission choice. None, other than there are plenty of them around for a cheap price, and for good reason. Fuel injection does make this trans. It will get you from point A to point B period!
Very wide first to second gear spread. First gear is a 3.06 ratio Second is a 1.62 ratio. This nearly equates to skipping from first to third gear with a manual trans. This kills acceleration when these trans go into second gear on a carbureted engine with a healthy cam and large runner intake manifold. Compare this to a TH350.
First gear at 2.52 ratio and second gear is 1.52 do the math. The 3.06 first gear is so low that any final gear of above 3.55 or numerically higher will have you right at the max rpm at around 35 mph, only to then have your car fall on its face when it hits second gear, feeling like it skipped a gear. Wheel spin is uncontrollable upon hard launches, unless you have a very tall final gear, and then you can for sure count on going nowhere quickly when second gear comes in. Overdrive would be totally useless at highway speed regardless of detuning with a tall final gear, unless you were cruising at around 100 mph. Huge cost to build up to a decent street rod level. Don't even consider a stock rebuild to handle 500 hp or more. Under hard use, the 700R4 will fail quickly. Limited as to what level these can be built up to.High performance transmission builders and parts suppliers don't even recognize this as a serious transmission. More complex to build than a TH350 and far more expensive, especially when built up to handle high hp numbers.
Having to run a cumbersome throttle value cable to the carb. This feature actually serves a good purpose, but if not set properly, it can destroy your transmission quickly. Very critical adjustment, and often overlooked. The overdrive is actually useless with engines running decent size cams relative to the cubic inch, especially with large runner dual plane intakes, and single plane intakes are out of the question with this trans.
Stall converters are double the cost of the one run in a TH350. This is not a reliable transmission in a street rod. Lowers the value of your vehicle to some degree, especially on high hp builds.
These transmissions do not belong in most carbureted street rods. You must detune an engine considerably to operate the overdrive and be able to tolerate the first to second gear drop. Could be classified as the worst mismatch of parts known on a true street rod. As a side note, I would like to mention that most of us have owned a regular stock street car with a 700R4 trans, or its electronic likeness, a 4L60E, and didn't find much of an issue with the way they operated, especially if the vehicle was fuel injected.
This is because stock car engines are designed to operate totally different in the very low rpm range. They have huge amounts of off idle torque compared to the average carbureted street rod that makes 400 hp or more. This off idle instant torque allows the vehicle to keep its speed up decently when the 700R4 drops into second gear, and the same low rpm also allows the overdrive gear to operate normally at very low rpm. There are other factors that also allow these trans. To operate at low rpm, especially on fuel injected computer driven engines.
TH350: Best transmission choice, hands down. Excellent gear spread between all three gears.Most all transmission shops are capable of building these to at least level 1 or 2. No TV cable to deal with. Stall converters are low in cost, and the selection is broad. Very reliable and simple to repair if needed.
Select a final gear that will allow you the best overall performance and one that allows a decent off the line acceleration, and one that will be in a tolerable rpm range at highway speed. You must have the correct stall converter for optimal performance. This can make a huge difference in the way your vehicle accelerates.These are becoming scarce, but there are still plenty of them around, and high performance parts are easily obtained. You may have to go through this long story to your less than knowledgeable friends as to why you didn't choose a 700R4, and when you explain it to them, they may still think you don't know what youâre talking about. Very similar to a TH350. Simple to build or repair to stock buildup levels.
The TH350 has far more high performance parts available at reasonable costs. Is not a practical choice.Internal rotating parts (cast iron drum) are very heavy and create a huge drag compared to most any other trans. And this is not a subtle amount of drag.
The TH400 is well known to be a heavier duty trans. Than a TH350 but this heavy duty factor was designed more for heavy vehicles that may encounter pulling heavy loads. Only the largest of the GM cars weighing around 5000 lbs had these trans. In them, along with heavy duty pickups, usually 3/4 ton or larger trucks.
Even the half ton Chevy trucks didn't come with these in them. They will certainly hold up better than a stock built TH350, but they are not a desirable trans.
You can build a TH350 to level two that would be superior to any stock TH400 in every way for about the same cost. You will never see this trans in a true Pro-Street car.
Shops are able to build this trans with ease. Very reliable, and simple to work on. Not much to go wrong. Decent first to second gear spread. Rotational drag is very low with this trans. Moreso than any automatic on the market. Stall converters are not expensive and many choices available. Two gears, that's the problem.Can only be run in cars that have a very high hp to weight ratio. It would be fair to say a vehicle weighing approx.
3400 lbs would require an engine output of 1000 hp or more to make it a rational choice, and even then, you would still need a decent final gear to get things moving off the line. The first gear in these is somewhat tall. Those running a T-Bucket roadster weighing around 1800 lbs.With a 500 hp or higher engine could make great use of a Powerglide trans. Having only two gears limits having the best of both worlds when it comes to off the line acceleration and cruising at highway speed. Has a better gear spread than the 700R4 but not as optimal as the TH350. Not much good to say about this trans.
It certainly has a place in some special late model applications, but old school Chevy engines is not one of them. Most all the cons you see for the 700R4 exist within this trans. This trans is not a reliable trans. Compared to any of the early GM trans.
No TV cable to deal with or shifting linkage. It has pump pressure control and shifting via electronics. Not much good to say about this expensive trans. It is virtually a 700R4 with a modern twist.
Most of the same issues as the 700R4. Terrible choice to run in an old school carbureted engine. Computer controlled engines may require this unless you bypass the carâs computer system. Pointless to run such a terrible transmission. If you insist on such a trans, the 4L80E is a better choice, as it has a normal gear spread, and is a much stronger trans.
Still pointless to use with an old school carbureted engine. Four and five speed Manual Trans.
Excellent acceleration at any speed due to many selective gear ratios. Finding a gear at any cruising speed to hit it hard is easily accomplished with a manual compared to an automatic. In other words, less loss of power due to slippage as encountered with an automatic trans. For some people, the fun factor of shifting gears is one of the high points of owning a street rod. Simple to change out a clutch if needed.And high performance clutch and flywheel, especially the Tremec Series. Can be somewhat complex to change over from an auto to a manual trans. If you think your car is going to run faster with a manual versus an auto, you will be greatly disappointed.
The automatic transmission can not only shift much faster, but off line acceleration can be controlled to a much greater degree. This is why most drag cars have automatic transmissions. All things equal, a car equipped with an auto trans will outrun one equipped with a regular street rod manual with great ease. Missing gears when racing can cause damage to your engine, and loss of control of your vehicle should you drop into the previous gear during an aggressive run. Been there a couple times, dropped a valve in brand new Lotus Esprit shifting out of second into first rather than third, and locked up the back wheels on a Dodge Viper shifting into second rather than fourth at high speed. Nearly lost control of the car at around 80 mph.If you're deciding to run a 5 or 6 speed manual trans because of the overdrive gear, be aware that most engines built with large lopey cams, and single plane intakes running a carb will usually not allow effective use of the overdrive gear. Tremec T56 transmissions are very popular and highly advanced.
They tend to be notchy to shift when new. Takes many miles before they become easy to shift. They can be difficult to install in some early model classic cars, as they are huge compared to early model transmissions. Still about the best manual trans out there, and can handle very high hp levels. Sadly, your wife may not be able to drive your car with a manual.
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