[69NovaSS]

Well here is a problem I have been stewing over for a while. The car when done, some freaking day when ever the hell that will be, will be about a 95% street driven with a few jaunts to the track yearly. Anyway I was wondering should a person just run what I have, the 041 heads which could be argued are fairly decent factory heads (hey!!!!! anything can be argued....just ask my wife ), should I invest in vortecs, or would something else be a better choice? Remember that this car will largely be street driven so I would rather sacrifice some all out 1/4 mile performance for an impressive midrange punch. (if ya know what I mean)

Anyway guys what do you think? BTW not sure if this will effect your opinion but the car will be fairly high compression when done...well over 11:1 when all is said and done..so I guess that should be taken into account.

thanks in advance

 

[DriveWFO]

You know my vote will be for the Vortecs You'll have to run race gas with 11:1, no matter how good the quench is. FWIW, my next combo will be 11:1.

 

[69NovaSS]

You know my vote will be for the Vortecs You'll have to run race gas with 11:1, no matter how good the quench is. FWIW, my next combo will be 11:1.

cool...what specs are ya thinking of running??? Hopefully your not like that guy from the "other" nova site with the same name cause he must think he is a doube knot secret agent and that everything is secret squirrel stuff

But seriously have you heard how well the vortecs like compression?

 

[DriveWFO]

cool...what specs are ya thinking of running??? Hopefully your not like that guy from the "other" nova site with the same name cause he must think he is a doube knot secret agent and that everything is secret squirrel stuff

But seriously have you heard how well the vortecs like compression?

Oh, that's my cousin yer thinking of...he's a little strange. There's nothing magical about the Vortecs. They'll react to compression just like any other iron head. I'm not sure what fuel I'll have to run yet though. I doubt I'll be able to run Sunoco 100, so it will probably be one of the VP fuels.

 

[69NovaSS]

Oh, that's my cousin yer thinking of...he's a little strange. There's nothing magical about the Vortecs. They'll react to compression just like any other iron head. I'm not sure what fuel I'll have to run yet though. I doubt I'll be able to run Sunoco 100, so it will probably be one of the VP fuels.

well I havent tried it or anything but I have read a few buildups with the vortecs/and other heads in the mags where they had an actual cr of 10.5:1cr and better and they were still good with 92 so I would think the sunoco 100 should be good to go...BUT hey there seems to be no easy way to know what gas will run what CR without doing some trial and error testing first...what runs in one car might ping like hell in another...

 

[DriveWFO]

well I havent tried it or anything but I have read a few buildups with the vortecs/and other heads in the mags where they had an actual cr of 10.5:1cr and better and they were still good with 92 so I would think the sunoco 100 should be good to go...BUT hey there seems to be no easy way to know what gas will run what CR without doing some trial and error testing first...what runs in one car might ping like hell in another...

Exactly. You may be able to run pump gas if you pull some timing out of it, but I'm just speculating.

 

[69NovaSS]

Exactly. You may be able to run pump gas if you pull some timing out of it, but I'm just speculating.

arent we all I just wish there was some way to figure out what octain a specific combo will require without having to build it first and then figuring it out....crap by the time you know exactly what it needs its really too late to change things (due to cost) if the motor will only run on 5 buck a gallon racing fuel......that will limit your cruising time somewhat

 

[SS 396]

I run a 11.1 Engine on 93.Gotta watch the Tuning.Not saying you should do it.
Joe

 

[SS 396]

I skipped the Original Question.Shortly I am doing a 406.I am Using 041 Heads on it.Mainly because I have them.
Joe

 

[69NovaSS]

I run a 11.1 Engine on 93.Gotta watch the Tuning.Not saying you should do it.
Joe

Kewl Joe...thats with a BB right? BTW whats your piston or bore clearance and your deck height (j/k man)

 

[Repointer]

Did you say what size motor these are going on? 11:1 is pretty steep for iron heads on pump gas.

 

[69NovaSS]

Did you say what size motor these are going on? 11:1 is pretty steep for iron heads on pump gas.

well at the moment its a 355 but that is subject to change(like most things in life) Ya she may have a problem or two with pump gas...or at least easy to get pump gas...I bet the stuff from sunoco(100 octain) would run it fine....(of course there isnt a sunoco nearby that sells it)

 

[SS 396]

What Pistons is are the 355?

 

[69NovaSS]

What Pistons is are the 355?

Currently???

Nothing as its disassembled

In the future some forged slugs with a tiny little bump on them

 

[SS 396]

If you are afraid of the Comp,Cut the Bump of.

 

[69NovaSS]

If you are afraid of the Comp,Cut the Bump of.

well not really afraid per say just hoping like hell when its all said and done I dont need 5 buck a gallon fuel to run the thing.....I'm not too worried however...I still have to CC some parts so I will know the real compression and go from there...if the CR is a little high with my current heads (64cc chambers) I can always get a set with bigger chambers...time will tell untill then its all good...oh ya...BTW your right I can always have the dome milled down a bit to sort out the CR if it ends up a little to high for my pocket book

 

[SS 396]

If they are solid Dome Pistons.

 

[SS 396]

You could also Bleed off some of that Comp.

 

[69NovaSS]

If they are solid Dome Pistons.

Ya they are solid that part is cool...

You could also Bleed off some of that Comp.

ya a later closing intake valve would help lower the cylinder pressure so thats a good option too...Hopefully when its all together I will be close enough with the cam that I can just advance the cam (I believe that the direction) if I need to lower the cylinder pressure a bit and not have to buy a new cam...but even that is cheaper than running race gas all the time...

 

[DriveWFO]

IMO, if yer gonna have a 90% street car, I'd make darn sure it would run a 92-94 octane at the most.

My $.02