New K30 CUCV member

[Buck69]

Here's my cam using a Jasper Built Marine engine, circa 1994 GM Cast Iron Block, High Compression Forged Pistons, cast GM Performance Crank, Short Block with Vortec Heads and a 7116 intake and stock TBI, (for now)... 670-680 cfm TBI sooner or later...
Comp 12-304-4 Flat Tappet... .406 / .406 252 / 252 13.0 ATDC
Comp Extreme Energy Lifters... .015" stainless head gaskets, Pistons were .020" from the top deck. AFR non-stretch head bolts.

I wanted to go roller but it was several thousand dollars more for quality parts...

The forged pistons cover you in case of detonation... and allow you to go carb, TBI, EFI, (nitrous if your greedy)... whatever... it will be built to last with Moly rings... no early cracking from lube issues... No need for a forged crank or forged rods.... Skirted pistons...

Keep the lift within reason, and it will outlast any low compression engine and gain efficiency. You'll have to run zinc and high octane (no ethanol ever) with a boost additive every tank full 91-93 octane. The results should outlast your low compression engine on pump gas with corn...
The idea is to over protect for detonation at any point in the engine's life. It happens due to sensor failure, engine wear, improper timing... etc... Moly rings will last a very long time without the giggle juice on these specs... 300-400,000 miles or more... The high compression makes the most of the lower quality fuel injection's capabilities. My heads are 64cc, stainless valves, ported mildly to the gasket shapes on both sides of the heads. 1-5/8" primaries to 2-1/2" collectors using Sanderson Stainless Shorty headers.

If you do not defend for ping and detonation during the engine's life cycle it will kill your low compression engine when it happens by accident or improper tuning issues. Unfortunately, these can and will occur with a TBI engine, when the knock sensor fails or the engine is using poor quality fuel.

It's not bullet proof, just much better at handling the inevitable... Strong internals and low to moderate cam = long life engine.
I used a Melling high volume oil pump, not high pressure... you can probably get by with a regular volume pump as well.
The best solution is buying a Dart Block with primary oiling... this is probably the next best solution, in my opinion.

Hope this clears up the logic and handles the safety limits: spending the least, to achieve the most... without breaking anything.
Compression can be your friend... just don't push it with a huge cam or 1.6:1 rockers... you do not ever need them.
Start with the camshaft... then build outwards... Not the other way around...

Interesting and I appreciate the time you spent writing this all out. Thanks.
I think you missed my vague point though. I live in northern BC and the price of premium fuel here over $2/liter. It is also not always available in some of the remote areas I travel to.
How do you come up with several thousand more for a roller cam block?
I am a diesel mechanic by trade but don't mind tinkering on my own gassers. The engine I was planning on putting in this truck was for the temporary purpose of only trying a 5.7 with this truck. It was a build I did for my ocean boat last spring. All in including machine work was $2000 at best with a 10243880 4 bolt roller cam block. It was out of a '97 TBI suburban in the junkyard. I had it bored .020 over with 1/2 dished hypereutectic pistons with ARP head and main cap screws. Nothing fancy. It is rated at 300hp @ 4800 with an Edelbrock carb, Mercruiser cam and Thunderbolt V ignition system. The cam is just a modified GM performance cam that is somewhat mild to avoid water reversion through the exhaust. Can swap it out to whatever and stay with 87 at the pumps.
Not looking to get into an engine build debate here, just sharing my plans.

 

[Buck69]

good eye John, upper fraser valley, just outside of hope. but i'm a northerner at heart, was born and raised in dawson click, but down here is the only place i can work my job yr round....planning on moving back up north in the next 3-5 yrs (kid, college costs....) but wifey don't want to move that far. in fact she wants to move to either quesnel or terrace area (she can get a transfer for her job). personally i'm leaning more to anahim lake area, buddy has some property he is willing to sell.
wouldn't worry to much about using a small block. with a T400 and 4:56's, it won't be a dog. ya i run a big block in my truck, but it will JUMP off the line. i've surprised a few mustangs, camaro's and a hopped up honda. i attribute most of it to them four five sixes. although the detroit, close to 3 feet of rubber and almost 600 pounds of torque help too...
and crewy sheet metal down herte is no better, looked for almost 3 yrs till i found this one, and it was in prince george of all places....body was pretty solid, but it did need some massaging, like you i hate body work too...lol

Right on! I spent my early days in Smithers and finished high school in Maple Ridge in the 80's. Back when it was still farm country. Haven't been to Anahim but did spend a lot of time running up to the Caribou country whenever I could back then. Have been back up in the north here for the last 30 years and raised the family.

 

[RanchWelder]

Your pictures look like my neck of the woods...
I did not realize you were in the Great White North... Your build sounds great... At altitude, you could be better served with a TBI, in my opinion... Hypers are good, dished for low octane... Gotcha. I was thinking you had not built it yet... pardon me.
I'de still boost the octane, if you can afford to. There's an engineering team who sells high quality booster for around $350.00 per year's worth.
It has a lubrication additive which provides beyond excellent lubrication to the entire fuel system. If anyone needs it, it's you guys in the outer bound with who know's what in the fuel tanks...
If you want his name and company contact me by email.

The roller cam cost was because so few cheapo roller lifters are worth the money, in my opinion. A set of quality Howards 3" link-bar lifters starts at $800.00-900.00... It's the same mentality for using forged pistons, when you are able to do so... Hyper's are way better than stockers... so I'm not dogging them... they just over hype them because they use sintered technology to make them... a lot of marketing hyp... Pink rods and such... rumors sell car parts The cam is $400 on average. Springs are $180-250 with retainers lock and shims, depending on what you select.


Look at the price of Chevrolet Performance Stock Style Roller lifters compared to everything else... why are they so much more money and why don't they fail as often as standard roller lifters? Spending that much money and yet, still using a spider seems off putting to me...
Most aftermarket lifters come from the same manufacturer's... the quality is strictly driven by the price... So... the more you spend, the better quality you have in your engine. 5 zero's vs 6 zero's on the mill... bearing quality... how close the tolerances are before they throw away a dud... $$$$

If you search for the Dart Roller Block, it is another $1000 over a standard roller block... I was speaking about the top end being an additional $2000... not the block...

Your mileage may vary...

Your engine looks great!

Good luck...

 

[Buck69]

It is my understanding that octane actually reduces the BTU's (ponies) in fuel. It is used to prevent detonation in the higher compression engines which is where the horsepower is gained.
I haven't decided on a build yet but really hoping for this one to work great. It would be nice if I could have the spare engine for the ocean boat working rather than on a stand in the shop. It would work both ways. Maybe the spare for the truck is sitting in the boat.

 

[RanchWelder]

It is my understanding that octane actually reduces the BTU's (ponies) in fuel. It is used to prevent detonation in the higher compression engines which is where the horsepower is gained.
I haven't decided on a build yet but really hoping for this one to work great. It would be nice if I could have the spare engine for the ocean boat working rather than on a stand in the shop. It would work both ways. Maybe the spare for the truck is sitting in the boat.

It controls the burn rate... mostly by using jet fuel... slower burn rate increases efficiency at compression. The event happens in a very short time, so slowing things down creates less timing issues and more Horse Power, under compression.

Pump gas is very inefficient and the cheapest fuel at the pump is speculative at best, regarding octane...
You get what you pay for with gasoline too, just like engine parts machine quality...

If you plan for the worst and hope for the best, you'll be ahead of the game... Adding quality rarely let's you down, in the long run...

If you design to the minimum standards and the Husky's let you down, your screwed.
If you plan on adding octane and end up at 87 because of crap you cannot control... your OK...
Do you think your gas station knows or guarantees every drop of fuel meets the stated standards, way out in the boonies?
I use Heet like it's going out of style here in MT... the truck comes through the mountains half full, for safety driving in the mountains, and gets water condensation in the gas, before they dump it in the tanks... I know it's not normal thinking to design high octane, but you, especially... should not rely on the pump sticker octane rating, for what you are actually putting into your tank, sir.

2% smarter than what is trying to kill your engine, is all you need be... it might just be your gas station... lying about octane...
Never use ethanol, if you can avoid it. It is a scam to ruin your engine... consumerism... planned obsolescence.

The standards bureau confirms a liter, not what is in it... if you accept the sticker telling you octane, you may be ruined...

I hope you are not upset by my logic... I love helping people to realize the actual stress our system can cause... so they defeat it proactively, with confidence... Please do not believe what the pump tells you regarding octane.

 

[Buck69]

It controls the burn rate... mostly by using jet fuel... slower burn rate increases efficiency at compression. The event happens in a very short time, so slowing things down creates less timing issues and more Horse Power, under compression.

Pump gas is very inefficient and the cheapest fuel at the pump is speculative at best, regarding octane...
You get what you pay for with gasoline too, just like engine parts machine quality...

If you plan for the worst and hope for the best, you'll be ahead of the game... Adding quality rarely let's you down, in the long run...

If you design to the minimum standards and the Husky's let you down, your screwed.
If you plan on adding octane and end up at 87 because of crap you cannot control... your OK...
Do you think your gas station knows or guarantees every drop of fuel meets the stated standards, way out in the boonies?
I use Heet like it's going out of style here in MT... the truck comes through the mountains half full, for safety driving in the mountains, and gets water condensation in the gas, before they dump it in the tanks... I know it's not normal thinking to design high octane, but you, especially... should not rely on the pump sticker octane rating, for what you are actually putting into your tank, sir.

2% smarter than what is trying to kill your engine, is all you need be... it might just be your gas station... lying about octane...
Never use ethanol, if you can avoid it. It is a scam to ruin your engine... consumerism... planned obsolescence.

The standards bureau confirms a liter, not what is in it... if you accept the sticker telling you octane, you may be ruined...

I hope you are not upset by my logic... I love helping people to realize the actual stress our system can cause... so they defeat it proactively, with confidence... Please do not believe what the pump tells you regarding octane.

Not at all and thank you! Sorry if my responses came across that way.
Will be doing a different build for this truck likely next winter.
I won't be using the marine stuff on that one.
The Mercruiser V ignition system with knock control gives full timing advance at about 1800 rpm. It looks for knock and retards slightly. It is designed for 87 and up with no mechanical advance. Hoping it will work well for temporary use. Although ridiculously overpriced, I do have a complete system available. Will be looking into other options for the truck build from the pistons and up.

You must be registered for see images attach

Thanks again!

 

[Mr Clean]