[camerjeff]

Well I figured I would post some update Pic's of Lilbird's Stroker rebuild

Well the bottom end is back together (has been for about a month) We were waiting on the head work that actually took almost 10 months to complete, but the new valve guides and Valves are in, LS valve springs installed, and were are getting ready to degree the New H-cam (last 1 I have) Most of the engine is ready, But we had an Emergancy with our Old 15 year Old Greyhound just after I took these shots yesturday, and did not make any more progress yesturday. Looks like Lilbird will not be going to the Dream Cruise either, after missing Norwalk because of the late arriving head Work. But it looks like the Former terror of 5.0 Mustangs in Ann Arbor Mi witll be back on the road by the end of August! Yea!!!

You can see the HEI, but cannot see the SBC Harmonic Balancer that caused all the accessories to have to mounted 3/4" farther forward. Those issues are resolved, and the slightly modified SBC lower pulley should correct the lower pulley issues I had, I had been running 2 single pulleys with a spacer between them that was difficult to assemble, and the belt spacing was not correct.

[PMD1969]

What kind of numbers do you expect?

[Cammer-6]

Jeff what crank are you using?forged, cast,early,late?
also pistons? I know a while back you said Supra rods...

[camerjeff]

The Engine has a Nodular Cast GMC 292 Crank, Eagle H-Beam Rods for a Supra, and custom made Hypereutectic pistons that were reverse engineered from a stock Sprint Piston but made to fit the Eagle rods so they have Ford Wrist pins and 9.2 to 1 Comp ratio.

The rebuild was caused by my old head porter's machine work on the Valve Guides and seals. The Guide work was very poor, and the parts he chose to use were not the best. He retired shortly after doing my head 10 years ago. The Valve guides wore badly after only 3000 miles. and they took out the valve seals and the engine was burning oil badly under load last year. I also had to replace all 12 Valves due to wear. Hopfully this nw work will be of better quality!!!!!!

As for HP Numbers I am looking for around 270 Net. The engine with the so so Head work pushed my 3500lb 69 Firebird down the track at 14.2 at 98 mph, but the torque was amazing, I could pull the front wheels off the ground both at launch and the 1-2 shift!!!
The car does have a 4.10 12 bolt and a T-5 from an 86 Firebird so the combination of 1st gear and the rear axle is very Low. My 60 foot times went fro, 2.2 seconds to 1.78 seconds. No one would believe it had a 6 cylinder in it until they looked under the hood.

The engine does not like to rev though, I am used to shiftng a 230 sprint at 7000 rpm and a 250 sprint around 6200 RPM. This 301 is all done around 5300 rpm. And so would actually make a better 1/8 mile car than 1/4 mile car. My ET did not actually change much 14.2 compared to 14.5 for the modified 250 that came out. and the MPH is almost the same 98 from 97.2. But stop light to stop light it is was a killer. 5.0 Mustangs driven by future lawers used to avoid Lilbird around the university of Michigan in the late 90's.

[robscar]

I will be interested to hear about the final results.
Tell us a little about the head work you had done. I believe you mentioned ls valve springs, that caught my eye.

[Cammer-6]

Jeff Ive been looking at doing the same but using more LS parts(springs and pistons)
what do you think the limiting RPM factor is?valve springs? heavy rotating assembly?
or just running out of breath due to longer stroke.

[sprintbird]

It will run out of breath due to cam size. Are you planning to dyno the engine? I do not think you will get close to 270 SAE net HP with a H cam. You need something bigger in my opinion.

[PMD1969]

Originally Posted by sprintbird

It will run out of breath due to cam size. Are you planning to dyno the engine? I do not think you will get close to 270 SAE net HP with a H cam. You need something bigger in my opinion.

I would agree so Jeff should donate that cam to me before he wastes anymore time with it.

[Cammer-6]

Hummm I have a MUCH bigger cam than the "H"
maybe I need to try that combo.

[camerjeff]

Originally Posted by Cammer-6

Jeff Ive been looking at doing the same but using more LS parts(springs and pistons)
what do you think the limiting RPM factor is?valve springs? heavy rotating assembly?
or just running out of breath due to longer stroke.

The 1st edition with an "E" ran out of Breath at 5200 rpm, I was aware that this was not enough camshaft, but what I thought to be the difinative camshaft was not back from the regrinder. (the reground cam failed with only 3500 miles on it, with 2 lobes going flat, a signifigant wear on almost all other lobes leading to the reinstallation of the E-cam) I beleive the cam was not surface hardened properly, and the grinder has sense gone out of buisness.

With the reground cam the engine would rev to 5800rpm. I believe 5800-6000 is the limit due to the longer stroke. I am hoping the H-cam will let it breath up to 5500 RPM. The Eagle rods and the custome Piston assemblies are actually 10 grams lighter than the stock 250 piston and rod assemblies they replaced. I beleive this is mostly due to the lighter wrist pins.

When I get back in the country I hope to be able to speak with the Machinest that redid the head. He ended up finding different Valves to use with LS Springs as the OHC-6 valve retainer groove was aprox 1/16" to low to use with the LS Springs. When I have more info I will Post it. I agree that 270 net may be out of reach with the Cam installed.

Gary, what "larger" cam do you have in Storage????????

And I say again that with all the mods nessissary with this stroker engine, I would not recomend this to anyone!!!!!!!!

[TheSilverBuick]

What method are you using to degree the cam? I have the sprintbird directions but haven't read them in a long while. I have a re-ground cam and would be interested in degreeing it properly rather than assume it's spot on spec.

BTW, nice build. I getting closer to getting back on track with mine. Everytime I go out into the garage and see it sitting there I want to work on it, but I have a race to attend to next month with the Buick and a few more things to wrap up on it before then.

[Cammer-6]

Jeff,
320 Crane Compucam,IIRC its .540 lift,as big as the journal will allow with 1.5 cam follower ratio,its one lumpy cam ;^)
I have a few more lesser ones
290 Crane,and a couple Crowers

SB
I hacked up an old cam housing to put a dial indicator on the front 2 lobes and index off this.
just need to make sure the lash adjuster is pumped up or dummied up with spacers internally,
and the cover is not cut,OEM gasket installed.

[sprintbird]

Jeff,
I would see if you could talk Gary out of one of his "bigger" cams. You could spin that engine with your "H", but it won't make any horsepower beyond 4500. The "H" in my 255 made power to 5000 rpm and nosed over quickly after that.(on the dyno) So in a 301, the power will obviously peak much sooner. (good low end torque though)
Rob

[PMD1969]

Originally Posted by Cammer-6

Jeff,
320 Crane Compucam,IIRC its .540 lift,as big as the journal will allow with 1.5 cam follower ratio,its one lumpy cam ;^)
I have a few more lesser ones
290 Crane,and a couple Crowers

SB
I hacked up an old cam housing to put a dial indicator on the front 2 lobes and index off this.
just need to make sure the lash adjuster is pumped up or dummied up with spacers internally,
and the cover is not cut,OEM gasket installed.

If someone were to create another run of OHC cams with the mfg in Turkey would you be willing to let them use those cams to reproduce them?

[TheSilverBuick]

Originally Posted by Cammer-6

Jeff,
320 Crane Compucam,IIRC its .540 lift,as big as the journal will allow with 1.5 cam follower ratio,its one lumpy cam ;^)
I have a few more lesser ones
290 Crane,and a couple Crowers

SB
I hacked up an old cam housing to put a dial indicator on the front 2 lobes and index off this.
just need to make sure the lash adjuster is pumped up or dummied up with spacers internally,
and the cover is not cut,OEM gasket installed.

DAMN those are some big cam spec's! Mine is only like .460" or so lift and 260'ish duration iirc. Trade ya!


I do have a spare cam housing I could look at windowing. Thanks.

[Cammer-6]

Originally Posted by TheSilverBuick

DAMN those are some big cam spec's! Mine is only like .460" or so lift and 260'ish duration iirc. Trade ya!


I do have a spare cam housing I could look at windowing. Thanks.

dont ruin a good housing to do this
Im sure someone has a not so good one to use
just make sure it hasnt been cut
another option is to drill and tap it at a location for the extension on a dial indicator
and use pipe plugs(altho its not really thick enough in that area for my comfort)

[camerjeff]

Well the Engine is back together, cam degree'd (I sacrificed a beat up cover years ago with large cut outs above the #1 & #2 lobes) and installed in the car. But still not fired up. Have to resolve some long standing drive train issues like the T-5's rear mount plate angle (my thrown together sheet metal bracket always sucked, and its time to do something more permenent.)
In these pic's you can see the HEI, Headers, the new PCV Hard Line, the Chrome Fuel Line and Vacuum advance line from the old GM Display Engine from the Old GM Buildings Lobby, The SBC Harmonic Balancer, the new lower Pulley, and some of the Spacers needed for the Power steering pump. Hope to get it fired up and actually running this weekend!!!!!

Gary I will know soon if you may have to part with 1 of those "big" cams you have stashed away!!!!!

[TheSilverBuick]

Looks sharp! I never thought of using bent steel line for the PCV valve and run it down and between the intake and headers. Or ziptying the hood hinges for that matter.

Only three more weeks until I can get back to my OHC project. It's killing me everytime I walk into my shop.

[Cammer-6]

Jeff have you done any work on baffling and relocation of the PCV and oil fill?

[TheSilverBuick]

Relocation of the oil fill?