Irish's pickup from hell, the 454SS.

[ScottyB]

Thats pretty good, I have always herd they get 10 regardless of how you drive it or what its in. I think with a roller drive train and a all the TBi stuff working right I could probably do that.

Some of you may call BS on this but I'm going to throw it out anyway. My '77 C30 has the original powertrain as near I can tell. After tuning it up, I get 12 MPG with it. Now, that is me driving it and not my wife. She gets about 8 MPG with it. I drive truck for a living and tend to be more conservative in my acceleration and braking which obviously helps. Don't get me wrong, I can put my foot in it and have fun but I can also nurse that old girl along too.

 

[HotRodPC]

Some of you may call BS on this but I'm going to throw it out anyway. My '77 C30 has the original powertrain as near I can tell. After tuning it up, I get 12 MPG with it. Now, that is me driving it and not my wife. She gets about 8 MPG with it. I drive truck for a living and tend to be more conservative in my acceleration and braking which obviously helps. Don't get me wrong, I can put my foot in it and have fun but I can also nurse that old girl along too.

I'd say 12 is very doable in a Carbed 454, but as you said, being very concious of your acceleration and speed. As said, I've got 13.2 with mine on a 140 mile round trip and I was being concious of my acceleration and cruise was set at 65. If I'm concious around town, no jack rabbit takes off from lights and stop signs, I can get 10 - 10.5. If I'm not, 8.25-9 is about it for city driving. But I don't do 65mph very well when going to my dads. Speed limit is 70 so I do about 75 and usually end up with about 11.5 but don't forget, that's 3.21 rear gear not 4.10's. My 4x4 with a 350, Th350 non lock up and 3.73 gears gets about 1 - 1.75 better. I'd imagine the 4x4 probably costs me 1-2 mpg with the added weight and pushing that extra axle or it would do better too.

 

[89Suburban]

Some of you may call BS on this but I'm going to throw it out anyway. My '77 C30 has the original powertrain as near I can tell. After tuning it up, I get 12 MPG with it. Now, that is me driving it and not my wife. She gets about 8 MPG with it. I drive truck for a living and tend to be more conservative in my acceleration and braking which obviously helps. Don't get me wrong, I can put my foot in it and have fun but I can also nurse that old girl along too.

I love that post

 

[Irishman999]

Cool truck Irish. Makes me miss my 92. But they certainly arent what you'd call fast in stock trim. A vortech kit transformed mine. Did I say I miss it?

When I got this truck it was pretty quick, there is no way the engine was stock. This new motor should move it pretty good, vortech kit is in the future but for now I just want it to be a functional truck again because I genuinely love driving it.

What transmission/gear ratio is he using to help him get that fuel mileage? I remember Evil Crew Cab saying he bumped his 454 up into the teens by swapping in a 4L80-E.




So are the oval ports better for performance and towing?

What larry said, I have dump truck heads on my truck. They will work for now, I like low end grunt.

Looking good!


Posted From Hell

Thanks man.

The rectangular port BBC heards are best for big performance. The standard oval port heads are best for street performance. The peanut port (small oval) heads are best for a work truck, daily driver and towing. They are designed for all low end grunt and torque and their peak performance is all done by 4500-4700 rpm, so if you intend to spin the motor over 4500 and make good power, then step into the big or standard oval port heads, cast # ending in 049 or 781.

Next heads I get will be the actual gen 6 heads with the large oval ports. I am planning on reading a porting and polishing book and building a flow bench. Other plans include bigger valves and some beehive springs.

Don't forget to get with Auto Zone and borrow that Balancer Installer tool. That's just about the only way you'll get the balancer on without damaging it. I have a feeling that's why mine slipped. Someone beat it on and damaged the rubber innerds. It's actually a super tight press fit. And don't try to bolt it on using the bolt. You won't be grabbing enough threads and will strip and pull the threads out of the crank. The puller tool allows you to grab all the threads in the crank then press is on. Just plan on using the tool and do it right.

The hillbilly way you install a harmonic balancer with a hammer is tapping on the main part going in towards the center while tightening the center bolt. Every tap vibrates everything and it just slides on. Im not doing that though, I purchased a tool for 25 dollars because I know I will use it plenty.

Some of you may call BS on this but I'm going to throw it out anyway. My '77 C30 has the original powertrain as near I can tell. After tuning it up, I get 12 MPG with it. Now, that is me driving it and not my wife. She gets about 8 MPG with it. I drive truck for a living and tend to be more conservative in my acceleration and braking which obviously helps. Don't get me wrong, I can put my foot in it and have fun but I can also nurse that old girl along too.

I am with you 100% that is total ********.....

Just kidding, I too am a truck driver (former truck driver) and with all the fancy throttle work you do floating gears its like you gain an extra sense of the engines torque and work load. When I would drive my wifes Mustang it would get about 10mpg more than when she drove it.

I think a light truck with a well tuned big block could get in the teens, thats what I am shooting for anyways.

 

[HotRodPC]

Next heads I get will be the actual gen 6 heads with the large oval ports. I am planning on reading a porting and polishing book and building a flow bench. Other plans include bigger valves and some beehive springs.



The hillbilly way you install a harmonic balancer with a hammer is tapping on the main part going in towards the center while tightening the center bolt. Every tap vibrates everything and it just slides on. Im not doing that though, I purchased a tool for 25 dollars because I know I will use it plenty.



.

I know what you mean about hillbilly way. I've done it on many small blocks. I just don't see that working on a BBC. It's tighter than a 12 year old ugly girl. It's even tighter than a knatts ass puckered up real tight. I wouldn't consider any other method on a BBC. Especially now, knowing I've have a balancer slip and likely cuz someone beat the hell out of it.

You might even consider aftermarket heads ready to bolt on. By the time you buy the Gen VI heads, have them worked over with all the good stuff, and oversize valves, you can get aftermarket cheap ProComp aluminum ready to bolt on heads for less and certainly good for a reasonable 500 hp. Even more with the right cam and pistons.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Chevy-396-4...Parts_Accessories&hash=item35bf0e0c0a&vxp=mtr

 

[Irishman999]

I know what you mean about hillbilly way. I've done it on many small blocks. I just don't see that working on a BBC. It's tighter than a 12 year old ugly girl. It's even tighter than a knatts ass puckered up real tight. I wouldn't consider any other method on a BBC. Especially now, knowing I've have a balancer slip and likely cuz someone beat the hell out of it.

You might even consider aftermarket heads ready to bolt on. By the time you buy the Gen VI heads, have them worked over with all the good stuff, and oversize valves, you can get aftermarket cheap ProComp aluminum ready to bolt on heads for less and certainly good for a reasonable 500 hp. Even more with the right cam and pistons.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Chevy-396-4...Parts_Accessories&hash=item35bf0e0c0a&vxp=mtr

I could go sit in a dozer for a few days and afford some really bad ass brodix heads for it but I am a hobby engine scientist. Dave Vizard is the king of engine builders, I love reading his ****. I spend alot of time at work sitting around reading so I mix it up with mostly automotive material. I read Hotrod magazine for the entertainment and some technical stuff but Drag racing action magazine is an incredible insight into what builds power and usefull knowledge like an engines oil temp needs to be at waters boiling point and why, that has influenced what adapter I will buy for my oil cooling on this thing.

I like factory stuff that is modified, I think the gen vI vortec heads have potential to make plenty of power. Dave Visards book will get me there as well as teach me how to build a flow bench so its proven. I am all about hands on and cant wait for phase 2 of this engine when time permits me to do it. I also like taking stuff to my machinist, I like keeping that guy busy and that wont happen if I just buy brand new ****.

I herd somewhere NHRA drag cars use heads that are cast iron worked over heads done by some guy who is bad ass, I want a taste of that with my truck.

 

[Old77]

let's see more progress pics of le 454ss!!

 

[Irishman999]

Update on the big block assembly:

I ran into a bit of confusion with the head gaskets, everything looked wrong with the coolant jacket ports but it was confirmed they are correct so there is a set of big beefy heads all torqued down to the finished block. I was really kickin ass on it until I realized the pushrods are about an inch too long.

Push rods will get sorted out, sucks I have a brand new set of push rods I cant use but maybe someone will need them in the future. Real bitch is going to be fitting all the stuff that bolts onto this engines intake manifold. Already confirmed that the throttle linkage bracket will have to be modified to **** to fit the edelbrock intake. I am already planning on buying a small cutoff wheel and a welder so I can make all this **** fit back on the engine and look stock, this will be a challenge.

 

[ScottyB]

... usefull knowledge like an engines oil temp needs to be at waters boiling point and why,

Not to go into all of that but I assume you are talking about the coolants boiling point under pressure and not with an open cap. It would be easy to say that means 212 degrees if you are running no antifreeze but that doesn't account for the pressure of the system which isn't great but would make a difference on the boiling point.

I may be off here and that is ok, I'm just trying to understand what you are saying. My frame of reference on this comes from a slightly larger power plant with a much harder to come by fuel source. (I understand Doc Brown got some from the Lybians to power his flux capacitor though.)

 

[Irishman999]

Not to go into all of that but I assume you are talking about the coolants boiling point under pressure and not with an open cap. It would be easy to say that means 212 degrees if you are running no antifreeze but that doesn't account for the pressure of the system which isn't great but would make a difference on the boiling point.

I may be off here and that is ok, I'm just trying to understand what you are saying. My frame of reference on this comes from a slightly larger power plant with a much harder to come by fuel source. (I understand Doc Brown got some from the Lybians to power his flux capacitor though.)

What I was talking about is condensation in the crankcase, water gets in your oil and needs to be transformed into gas form so it can be sucked out and burnt by the pcv valve. The entire point of the article I was reading is that an engine needs to be warmed up and the oil warm enough to boil off the excess water that forms in the crank case.

 

[Irishman999]

Update pictures on the engine, I am in the final stages and encountering problems. All the stock brackets wont wont fit with the new intake manifold but I am massaging them to fit one spark at a time. This thing should look somewhat factory when done.

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[MrMarty51]

Nice.

 

[ScottyB]

What I was talking about is condensation in the crankcase, water gets in your oil and needs to be transformed into gas form so it can be sucked out and burnt by the pcv valve. The entire point of the article I was reading is that an engine needs to be warmed up and the oil warm enough to boil off the excess water that forms in the crank case.

OK, that makes sense. So you want your oil temp around 215-220. That will allow your condensation to flash off and if your PCV is working properly there isn't any pressure to overcome. Cool.

 

[Mr Clean]

Good Job Jason, looks nice....

 

[Irishman999]

Good Job Jason, looks nice....

Thanks man.