[TRADERMIKE 2012]

I have 3.23 gears. In overdrive, I get the less than 1:1 ratio that one gets in third gear of the TH400 transmission. I think Gear Vendors allows the overdrive in the .75 range, but don't quote me. I am at 80 mph in overdrive tops at 3000 rpm now. I have heard of the Rhoads lifters and going to 1.6 rockers, not sure if i need all that but in the future maybe if someone can explain why i should go that way.

As for today, I have a timing gear and chain from Comp Cams installed 8 crank degrees advanced and that is 4 degrees advanced at the cam, but I have not run the engine yet this way. If I understand anything I have read over the years, I will be bringing the power range toward the starting line as a race car would like. Question is, before i start the engine with this advanced setting, am I safe and will not hurt the engine at all? Once I feel safe to run the car in this advanced condition, then I will test and tune and curve the distributor to match the advanced cam.

I originally installed this cam straight up per Mellings advice, but after running it for a few years I found the power range is higher than it needs to be. So, I want to bring the power range toward the launch of the vehicle off the line for street purposes only. By advancing the the cam 4 degrees, am I doing the correct thing or not? If I like the way the vehicle moves off the line for street use, then I will have the distributor advance re-curved.