The Silver Buick's 1969 Firebird OHC six project.

[STINEY]

Is this a stock pump, or a boosted high volume/high pressure deal?

Might be on the verge of sucking the pan dry at higher rpms? Even a stock pump can suck a pan dry at higher than stock rpms.

Maybe add pan capacity with a bump-out somewhere? Should be room on one side or the other....an extra quart or three goes a long ways.

I run what is called a "deep-sump" on the stroker vw engines I build, adds an additional 4 quarts. With 2.5 quart stock capacity its nearly a necessity, but the theory still applies - the OEMs didn't design in an overabundance of pan capacity.

[TheSilverBuick]

It's a stock pump, with a different relief spring to push more pressure. Stock pressure spring is ~30psi, I'm running ~55psi, but the gears, etc are stock. I just can't see it sucking the pan dry before hitting the top of first gear. If it were in third, maybe even top of second, okay with the time, but first? That's a lot of volume in a real short time.

I'm not opposed to increasing the sump capacity, but I'm fairly certain there is a happy medium between aeration and sucking the pan dry that is achievable. I just have to re-find it as I've had this issue before and it just takes the right amount of oil to cure.

[STINEY]

I've had this issue before and it just takes the right amount of oil to cure.

Yep. Different approaches to the same problem. I was just taking the easy way out, lol.

Improved drain-back would be another possible solution.....but you have that covered with OHC version 2.0 Many ways to skin a cat.

[DanStokes]

Yep. Different approaches to the same problem. I was just taking the easy way out, lol.

Improved drain-back would be another possible solution.....but you have that covered with OHC version 2.0 Many ways to skin a cat.

But why would you want a skinless cat? Tastes like chicken? And I hear they suck at catching mice.

Dan

[TheSilverBuick]

Wouldn't changing the oil to the proper level be easier than customizing an oil pan?!?!

Not saying drain back isn't a possible issue, but the opening of the tube I installed into the head is only like 3/16"ID in diameter and there are three 9/16" drain back holes (have the fourth one blocked). The oiling going to the top is further restricted by the actual cam passages that are even smaller than 3/16". And no windage should be going up to the head since the crank case evac is on the side of the block, opposite the drain backs and at the front of the engine.

[TheSilverBuick]

Since I'm getting ready to go to the track tomorrow and test for any improvements, I thought I'd review the data gathered from last year passes for review. The answer is it doesn't look promising for an improvement from my intake.....yet! I've plotted the rpm acceleration rates in first and second gear from my tests two days ago against the drag strip passes from last year. The soild white line is with the new intake and the shadowed white line is from last year's passes. The caveat is where I'm really expecting the improvements to be is in the 5,500+rpm range. It's the rpm range I built the runner lengths around. The engine before started to nose over around 5,500rpm and really choked around 5,800rpm, so it will be interesting to see if I've overcome that. I still have some oil pressure flutter as of this morning, so I'm going to pull more oil out of it tonight and hopefully be able to sneak up on the right amount (if I don't get it right tonight) tomorrow by adding a little at a time. I know there is a happy medium, I had it at last year's event.




I also finally got the Raspberry Pi 2 running the dash setup on boot up. It's roughed in right now as final shaping and arraigning of the gauges will be done on the small screen in the car. Boot time is down to ~45 seconds which is down from a minute and twenty seconds before.

[Deaf Bob]

Is there a sensor you can put in your oil pan to know how much volume you have?
Be a way to know if you are pumping your pan dry..
From my experiences with bikes, sight glass with a camera on it will likely not work..

[Russell]

My mustang and my mark 8 have / had low oil indicators. The old lincoln leaked so it was nice that it would let you know when it was low if I forgot to add some.

[TheSilverBuick]

No easy way to add a sensor. I could probably do something slick with some clear tubing and a holed oil drain plug, but it would just be some free rev'ing tests, not seen while driving.

[TheSilverBuick]

Due to weather running the track was a bust. The wife and I did drive 90 miles out there only to find the guy who owns the timing equipment had cancelled the night before. A few of the organizers were there and still tech'd some cars in and did some flag drop 1/8 mile grudge racing and whatnot until the rain started, which was about 30 minutes afterwards.

I made one pass and the car pulled cleanly to a data logged 5700rpm, oil pressure was good but still had some issues with vacuum leaks and the rains came as I was going for a second pass.

All dressed up and ready to go.


Put 190 miles on it in one day and drove cleanly out and back. The air temps hung around 55-58ºF and some rain.


The Firebird is parked over on the right and the engine drew plenty of attention from the 10am gate opening to the 11am run time.


My wife took this picture of me reviewing the datalog after my first pass. Rain drops were just starting to fall.


So we went into town for lunch before heading home. We walked the main street looking at the various cars out. Got in just before it started to rain again.



I'm going to put the 4bbl EFI intake back on, and start work on the new intake. One of the local hardware stores is closing down and I bought all their sheet metal for 50% off so I have the materials ready to go, just need to find the time.

[hauen]

I never knew Eureka had a drag strip, pretty cool. Battle Mountain had an unofficial one at the airport because the guy who did the maintenance there was an old timer who must have known where the bodies were buried or something.

[TheSilverBuick]

This is also at their airport. Someone either in town or from somewhere relatively near-by has the timing equipment. Last year I ran at their make-up day in June because it rained out in May. So they may schedule another one in June. If so, I'm likely to take the Skylark that day.

[Russell]

Sounds like a fun trip. Too bad on the numbers. Can you estimate ET and MPH from the data log?

Is there a way to add GPS to the data log?

[TheSilverBuick]

I don't have a vehicle speed sensor installed on the car, though it's on my to-do list. I can estimate MPH and then distance based on RPM and gear, but would be just that, my estimation. It's how I figured my 0-60 times a while back. I could see where RPM started to climb from the stalled converter (~1,700rpm) and knew what RPM the engine needed to be turning to be at 60mph and added 400rpm for torque converter slippage (estimate!) and used the datalog time to see 0-60 time. I can overlay datalogs and look for improvement in rpm acceleration rates, which I haven't done yet with my only run, mostly because it was running very rich above 4500rpm, where last year I had the AFR's fairly well dialed in.

[TheSilverBuick]

Went and picked up the mother load of "stuff" this last weekend. There is so much I'm not even sure what direction I'll go first, but I'm leaning towards staying the course with the block I'm working on, but possibly using the pistons on the rods and crank I have. Then get one of the heads ported and set up, or may continue on with my current head project and save ALL the good stuff (except the forged pistons) for when I have the turbo R&D completed. To say I am excited is to under state it!

Got a u-haul trailer of stuff! Including 6 blocks, a couple heads, some cams, two '69 Firebird core supports and lots of miscellaneous parts.


Used a ramp, and some help to get the engines in, but didn't have too much trouble with a sheet of plywood and the engine hoist.


A snap shot of most the stuff. The engine stand came with the engine! There are accessory drives, starters, pulleys, tubing, misc. hardware, couple oil pans, etc.


A couple of cams. They may or may not be high-performance, but will check them out later. I already have my turbo cam for my main engine goal.


Cleaned up 250 head. Basically the same head that is in my Firebird now except it has nice new seats. I did get some valves so have to decide how I want to proceed from here.


This head has beehive springs on it. The stems measure ~.100" above spec, so would need to be cut down. I am considering just shaving them ~.050" and with my turbo cam needing ~0.050" taller stems, would put them right in spec. I'd have to come up with 0.050" shims for under the lash adjusters to keep the geometry good. There is probably some wiggle room on the lash adjuster side though.


This is the beehive head, I believe it's a 230 1bbl head. Pretty high compression on a 250 engine, but I think if the chambers are modified the compression with a felpro gasket may be right where I'd want it for the turbo engine. I've been working with a 1bbl 230 head already, so I have something to test with first.


A fully machined block and crank. A set of pistons and rings for it as well. I have a good set of OE rods with arp bolts already. I may confiscate these pistons for the block I've been modifying.


An engine just waiting for a good head... This is just going back into it's wrapping (and maybe more wrapping) and will sit in the corner until I'm pretty much done with all my turbo R&D work. Not sense in risking it on stupid tuning or other mistakes. It has a nice set of forged rods in it, and may even be a stroker engine (off set ground journals with longer rods).



Three of the engines, including the machined bare block, have all the cross bolt bosses cast in. It would likely take a TON of rpm and boost to require cross bolting, but if I ever reach that level of eccentricity I could have main caps made to take cross bolts. 7 mains is already pretty hefty though.