High Performance Old Wives Tales

[Brian Lohnes]

Ok, so me and Chad were talking today and as ususal we started telling each other stories and BS'ing.

One of the stories came about about a kid I knew who swore up and down that crushing up moth balls and putting them in the gas tank was akin to supercharging the engine. Yeah, I know.

There's lots of these out there.

Share the best ones you've heard!

[oldsman71]

Re: High Performance Old Wives Tales

my buddy put a squirt of his rc car "nitro" in his truck and said it would give it 2 seconds in the quarter :P

[milner351]

Re: High Performance Old Wives Tales

NO other single DIY performance enhancement can touch this for bang for the buck factor.

FLIP THE STOCK AIR CLEANER LID OVER!

[oldsman71]

Re: High Performance Old Wives Tales

another guy told me "if ya tighten down the rockers intill it lopes its just like having a big cam"

one dude claimed to run everclear in his tank (a stock monte carlo) :P

[Thumpin455]

Re: High Performance Old Wives Tales

Have had more than a few people tell me they put jet fuel in their car. Apparently they dont know its pretty much the same as kerosene.

Lots of guys with stock small blocks and 4 speeds saying they can pull the front tires on radials.

One of my favorites is ethanol will destroy your engine, it burns hotter, and a bunch of other nonsense. It seems not many people know much about ethanol, so they take whatever negative thing they hear/read and spout if as truth.

RC fuel is methanol and sometimes nitromethane, so the 40% nitro stuff might give you a bit more kick. You will still be running a bit lean on the methanol, and methanol likes to eat things like rubber and fuel systems. No 2 seconds though, not even close.

[ethelkilledfred]

Re: High Performance Old Wives Tales

Every small block that is in a car show came out of a corvette and it usually has a 3/4 cam in it.

[Matt Cramer]

Re: High Performance Old Wives Tales

Ok, so me and Chad were talking today and as ususal we started telling each other stories and BS'ing.

One of the stories came about about a kid I knew who swore up and down that crushing up moth balls and putting them in the gas tank was akin to supercharging the engine. Yeah, I know.

One of the fuel system cleaners out there really IS moth balls dissolved in kerosene. STP, I think.

Here's one of the biggest myths: An open slip differential is one wheel drive. They're actually a 50-50 torque split.

[oldsman71]

Re: High Performance Old Wives Tales

yep!!!! every 350 or 327 came out of a corvette :D

[milkovich]

Re: High Performance Old Wives Tales

Every small block that is in a car show came out of a corvette and it usually has a 3/4 cam in it.

:D :D :D

And every oldsmobile is a "rocket motor." Beware the rocket roller 307.

I've also heard people say that stock BBC rectangle ports were too big for a street car. The only recorded incident of a guy crazy enough to run rectangle ports on the street involved a $20 bill on the dashboard that no one could grab due to the acceleration.

[Lon_H]

Re: High Performance Old Wives Tales

EVERY Small Block Chevy is a 350. Bought a V-8 S-10 Blazer and the guy swore it had a 350, even after I told him the casting numbers (it was a a 283) he still thought it was a 350 and every project truck I have looked at has a 350 no matter what the casting number says.

[BBR]

Re: High Performance Old Wives Tales

Torqueflites do not need the 'kickdown' lever hooked up.

[ethelkilledfred]

Re: High Performance Old Wives Tales

EVERY Small Block Chevy is a 350. Bought a V-8 S-10 Blazer and the guy swore it had a 350, even after I told him the casting numbers (it was a a 283) he still thought it was a 350 and every project truck I have looked at has a 350 no matter what the casting number says.

That or it's a 383 hipo motor. The last one I looked at was also a 283. He said "did I say 383 in the add, I meant 283".

[Monk]

Re: High Performance Old Wives Tales

Every small block that is in a car show came out of a corvette and it usually has a 3/4 cam in it.

Only to be superseded by the 'full race' cam

[Barry Donovan]

Re: High Performance Old Wives Tales

I can't think of any, at all. I must be a rockhead.

claiming "seafoam" engine cleaner actually does something is rather silly...

better off soaking with starter fluid. :

or "EGR is a cylinder cooler"

I've got an idea for EGR... for the inventors. It is real friendly like.. uhhh.. suicide. >

"injection is quicker than carburators."

now when you exceed the speed of sound with your injector and ECU, let me know. That will be interesting. Original carbs put that speed in atomization of a real kind, in realtime non stop flow...jets went faster than the speed of sound to maximize efficiency.

"13 inch tires are safe for the highway"

their biggest baddest weight rating is tto small for a yugo.. and you think 75 american mph is ok with them?


"less exhaust restriction makes a bigger engine."

back in the carb days, mostly true, but even then, a dwell of left behind helps the next rotation. Injection needs it tighter and more open than ever simultaenous (why yes that is an oxymoron impossible)


"24.5 inch truck wheels are for a reason."

very true.. and it is science after all.


There is other stories.. it makes todays stuff disappointing however.

[ethelkilledfred]

Re: High Performance Old Wives Tales

Every small block that is in a car show came out of a corvette and it usually has a 3/4 cam in it.

:D :D :D

And every oldsmobile is a "rocket motor." Beware the rocket roller 307.

I've also heard people say that stock BBC rectangle ports were too big for a street car. The only recorded incident of a guy crazy enough to run rectangle ports on the street involved a $20 bill on the dashboard that no one could grab due to the acceleration.

Had my share of "it's an LS7 454" also. When the pan was removed it was a cast crank low comp truck motor. One even had rectangle port manifold on peanut plug heads-lol