On the 'mildly' Cheap SS Monte Carlo chasing a 9.0____(oil pan woes)

64nailhead

Goat Herder
Dec 1, 2014
5,708
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Upstate NY
Something else I should mention, that hopefully come into play once the trans stands up and the suspension gets working - I installed a 3 port Mac valve for controlling the boost, and I'm not using it yet. The reason being, I believe, is my stupidly designed hot side. The idea of a 3 port Mac valve is that it can double the output (boost) that the wastegate(WG) spring generates. The sloppy guys (Denmah) uses a 4 port Mac that can almost quadruple the spring pressure allowing for much more control.

The issue I have is that my hot side entering the turbo is giant for a motor this small. I'm using a T6 1.32 AR which creates almost no back pressure. I thought this would be a great thing. And in the end it might be, but I'm not sure yet because I can't build boost fast enough presently. Most systems rely on dinky *ss turbos to make a HP number and the system is limited by the hot side that generates enough back pressure into the exhaust valve to choke the motor. So I thought I'd do the opposite ** (note **.) I have a very inefficient WG design - rather than running two pipes, one from each head into the divided turbo flange I merged them into a a piece of 4" pipe that I ovaled via a vice and welded onto the turbo flange. I then put the WG on the piece of 4" pipe. The result is that I have a WG spring that opens between 4-5psi of pressure (tested this several times). But because there is no back pressure to push on the WG, the WG doesn't open enough to have an effect until I reach 22 lbs of boost. Sounds almost impossible but we watched it on the dyno - between 21 and 22 lbs it will start dumping exhaust from the WG. I initially thought this would be disastrous, but my friend that owns the local dyno, talked me into leaving it as long as I'm running E85 for fuel. And he was correct. The only issue is getting up on boost at the line.

The solution, I think ;) , is one of two things, the 3rd gear spool mod to act as a transbrake or using my last Terminator X output for a shot of nitrous off the line to get it spooled. Or perhaps a combination of both.

**I'll try to get some pics of my hotside that show off my poor fab skills with the 4" hotside going into the turbo while I'm waiting for the trans Dr. The following is my opinion from too much reading and what I've seen : backpressure in the turbo world is the enemy of top end power production. The idea that 'your turbo is too big' I disagree with in most normal builds. The current solution to reducing backpressure is high priced ball bearing custom turbo ($1800-3500). The budget program is Chinesium journal bearing stuff that generate too much back pressure on the top end or what I've got - a US made truck journal bearing unit for 12 liters of diesel displacement - a genuine Borg Warner 171702 made for a Series 60 Detroit that was mass produced for over a decade (less than $600). The issue I have to overcome is the initial lag, hence the transbrake and/or nitrous.


You can see in the vid the slow 60 ft and if you look close you can see I'm on the brakes before the 1/4 mile line - 11.7 at 105mph with a terrible 60' of 2.0. I believe that if I can get the 60' to anything reasonable such as 1.6-1.7 this will make 10's seem slow with a sub $600 turbo and dinky 294-325 cube motor in a 3700lb chassis. Time will tell, and I expect to have fun trying.



Please don't take any of my guessing as gospel - all my opinion and I could be wrong and will gladly accept that (but hope that I'm not wrong).
 

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bracketchev1221

Royal Smart Person
Jan 18, 2018
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Yeah island is not the place to try for big speeds running it past the traps. Like I said my dad did it in the 80’s but his car was 2800 lbs and he learned real quick after the first run to not screw around stopping. Actually on weekend brackets, the super pro cars run 1000’.
 
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lilbowtie

Comic Book Super Hero
Jan 7, 2006
3,460
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Canton Mi
My understanding is the 80e is a take-off of the TH400 and suppose to be a stout trans(never been in one). I kinda question the guy going through your trans. I've be a fan of the TH400 and gone threw a few of them. They are a very simple trans and one you would have no problem going through. I have even built 4 w/ trans brakes and happy to say have never had an incident. Also if you go back to the response buy McGuyver on the 26th he had some pic's of set-ups and why your body raised up - 4 link set up

 
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64nailhead

Goat Herder
Dec 1, 2014
5,708
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Upstate NY
Still awaiting all of the transmission and related parts to return. But I could use some advice. From the factory, the area in front of the front tires below the inner fender was an unused space. But I have stuff there and it gets covered in road slime from the front tires. Any suggestions to cover these areas to protect them from front wheel road slime?
IMG_2728.jpg IMG_2729.jpg
 
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motorheadmike

Geezer
Nov 18, 2009
8,976
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Saskatchewan, Truckistan
Still awaiting all of the transmission and related parts to return. But I could use some advice. From the factory, the area in front of the front tires below the inner fender was an unused space. But I have stuff there and it gets covered in road slime from the front tires. Any suggestions to cover these areas to protect them from front wheel road slime?
View attachment 153651 View attachment 153652

 
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64nailhead

Goat Herder
Dec 1, 2014
5,708
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Upstate NY
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64nailhead

Goat Herder
Dec 1, 2014
5,708
1
12,215
113
Upstate NY
Trans is back (in). Heavy shout out to Michael at Freakshow Performance - cleaned and shipped the converter back for NO, repeat NO, charge. He wouldn't take any money. Stand up guy and I greatly appreciate it!!! Also have to thank the trans D.r (Steve Smith) for his efforts - another committed guy.

Was hoping to get out this past weekend, but just didn't have the time from Thurs' midnite install until Sunday morning to get it all sorted out. And unfortuantely, for racing, and fortunately for me, I won't be anywhere this coming weekend due to a prior engagement that started about 32 years ago and will be officially 27 years on Friday :):) (Anniversary plans for the weekend)

The following weekend though, I'm thinking of attempting the trifecta : Empire Dragway in Rochester Friday night, Lebanon Valley Saturday outside Albany Saturday night, and Esta Raceway just north of Syracuse on Sunday. I should be ready by then and have 500+ miles on it by then as well. Of course weather dependent. FWIW, this has been one of the hottest Summers in recent memory - hopefully it holds out for a couple of weeks.
 
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Northernregal

Sloppy McRodbender
Oct 24, 2017
3,359
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Red Deer, Northern Montana territory
Have you air tested your wastegate? Just to see where it opens and where is gets buoyant?

I set up a little 30psi gauge and checked mine to test the spring before I even ran it. Not that it really matters because my system is inefficient on the other side of the spectrum. 60mm wastegate on route due to bad boost creep.
 
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64nailhead

Goat Herder
Dec 1, 2014
5,708
1
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Upstate NY
Have you air tested your wastegate? Just to see where it opens and where is gets buoyant?

I set up a little 30psi gauge and checked mine to test the spring before I even ran it. Not that it really matters because my system is inefficient on the other side of the spectrum. 60mm wastegate on route due to bad boost creep.

Yes, opens a 5 psi of air pressure at the port below the diaphragm. I have a terrible design for the hot side. But it is making the wastegate tuning to get to 30 psi lot easier lol.
 
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64nailhead

Goat Herder
Dec 1, 2014
5,708
1
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Upstate NY
Present situation : the 4.8 developed a pretty consistent tick. Started out only when hot, but had progressively gotten worse. So put in a spare LH6 5.3. Had to DOD delete, new oil pump, lifters, SS2 cam, 1218 springs, BTR lifter trays, timing set and ARP head bolts. As always took longer than I’d hoped. But there’s been no rush since Drag Week got cancelled due to COVID politics (extremely easy to social distance at a drag strip, but I’m confident HR couldn’t handle the bad publicity being a Cali based company and all.)

Learned a couple of things when swapping from a 24x to 58x engine. The 58x crank sensor is a different plug and the the cam sensor has to have the A and C pins swapped (guess GM wanted to create a challenge). One setting change in the Holley Terminator and voila - running. Of course my laptop decided to give up the ghost, so I’m on a base tune that I don’t dare lean on hard. All I’ll say is the S475 is much better sized to the 5.3. Lights off quick on the street and have already ordered new tires, because this turn them to smoke.
Hopefully the laptop issue is resolved by Tuesday or Wednesday and I can get to the track soon. I just want to make a clean hit in this off the line.

Should also mention that Snake Eater Performance sent me another set of injectors that seem to not be misfiring when hot. I’m running a topend lube as well.


4.8 is apart and found the noise.
 
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