I have a line lock but only use it durning the burn out... I Figured if I got the converter first it would tell me how much more gear I need
Whatever you do, only change one thing at a time and do some evaluation before going to the next change. I have seen too many people change 2/3/4 things at a time, then try and make decisssions based that information...........................myself included. Personally I think you need to figure out which gear will get through the traps with your current configuration, then have someone built a converter that will match that. If you were closer I'd lend you my 4:56's to show you that it would improve your times without doing anything else. You have a 3spd and you need to take advantage of that. My Maverick pulls a 2spd and I am geared to shift around 660' and go through the traps at 6500rpm with my 4:56's. My motor has been together for some 7/8 years and I don't want to scatter it all over the track constantly hanging it out at 7500rpm. After I refreshen the motor this winter I will change back to the 4.89's and then try and get the car certified for sub 10's. IMHO
I am surprised that not one person has said anything about flashing the converter from a lower RPM. This is the way I always run my cars. It works for some and not for others. It also makes the power hit the tires harder and you get a few other benefits out of flashing it. Before you change anything try flashing the converter off the line. I see you are a foot brake racer so if you want to try this. 1) If you are running slicks just haze them in the box and pull to the line, don't do any dry hops its counter productive. 2) Pre-stage and wait for the other car to pre-stage. 3) Stage the car and take it up to about 1500 to 1800 RPM. 4) When the lights come down stab the gas and let off the brakes at what ever light you deem correct for your car. Have someone stand on the starting line with a video camera and focus on the rear tire so you can asses if you have wheel spin off the line. If you do you can fix that later. 5) Check the 60' time to see if it has improved any. Like I said before, this works for some cars and not others. Depends on how your converter will respond to it. No harm in trying something new
Is it just me or is that cam is waaay too big? In a motor your size, that cam should just be kicking in around 5000 or so and you should be turning it up to at least 8000. If you're bent on keeping it, I'd go for Cal-tracs, 5.12 gears with a 28" tire (will trap 8000 @ 130), and a stall speed of 5500. That should get your 60ft time down in the 1.40 range. That combo, seriously applied, should be running mid 10's @ 125 minimum...
I am going to go for a 5500-5700 stall converter from tci but first i need to save the cash its like 1100 for it. and for the current converter I can get away with a 5.00 rear but that means I can't spray it with out running out of rpms. the most I have ever taken the car to 7500. 8000no thanks lol yea i want to keep the cam so I have that top end power. I had a .609 solid flat tap cam but I figured with the compression the bigger cam would be better I am also using a 1.72 rocker the cams are 6.49 with these rockers. But yes I figured I should be in 10's easy too
I'd call TCI, or whoever, and have them build you a converter based on your combo. Won't cost any more to do it that way. They will ask you several questions...weight, cam, heads, gear, etc...and get you exactly what you need for your particular combination. Buying an off-the-shelf converter isn't the best deal if you're looking to optimize your combination.
I run a 308 with 11 1/2-1. Edelbrock heads and a Holley 750 HP. I tried the 650 but the 750 really woke it up. I shift at 5800. and go through the traps at about 7000. 9" rear with 4.33's and a 26" tall M/T 10" ET Drag tire. I think I can get it to go a lot quicker by playing around but the class I run in has a 12:00 limit.
Edelbrock performer and Isky solid lifter cam. About .555 lift. Not sure of the duration w/o looking at the card.
Should be an easy 11-oh/high 10 car once it's sorted out. There's 3-4 tenths to be found in the 60'. A good converter should get you on down there. Flashing the converter was mentioned, this is the way I always got my best 60' times, it's free so i'd be worth a try. Get it sorted out & post some pics!
new time this weekend with problems spuddering out of the hole 60' 1.900 330 5.163 1/8 7.789 mph 94.18 1000' 10.055 1/4 11.982 mph 116.78
. i agree that the cam is way to big for a 308 motor unless your willing to spin the crap outta it.and as you have stated the converter needs to be higher also. just my two cents.
Well you "could" do like a lot of guys-dig out the credit cards and pay someone to make it go faster. Unfortunately, that takes a LOT of learning out of it. The cam will work...probably....but we also don't know the LSA and timing events either. It's got enough compression to make it work. Converter needs work obviously. IMO, should be an 8" C stator converter set up to stall around 4800-5000. Obviously that is for the NA application. The "C" stator is slightly more aggressive and works pretty good on a small cubic inch engine where they need all the help they can get to get moving. The super street fighters aren't bad converters but they're exactly what they're called-STREET fighters (meaning they're a street converter). If you want a race converter, call a custom converter company. TCI, PTC, BTE, Coan, Hughes, Bill Dowdy, and a ton of others. Bill is local to us and he knows Ford and Mopar engine characteristics very well. That, IMO, is worth the call BUT he don't sell junk and the prices reflect. One thing to consider is selling your old converter when you get the new one. They tend to bring pretty good money used so check the sites for used values and figure on getting that much back after getting a GOOD converter. I have had to do this in the past too in order to afford decent parts. If you want to race with the juice, you're going to have to change some things. You can't have a nitrous race car AND an NA car-at least one (or both) ways it will be less than optimal unless it's all built to work with or without the juice. 300 shot? If ya get the motor to run like it should, you won't need any nitrous What kind of camshaft is it? Who ground it? Unless the LSA is way up there (112+) it should work. Generally speaking wider LSA makes a wider power curve but also tends to let the engine "wind up" more. Shorter LSA makes more torque over a shorter RPM band-GENERALLY speaking. All depends on the valve timing events. Intake is fine. Carb CFM is fine-I'd actually like to see an 830 annular on it, but that's just me (the annulars do a better job of metering at lower air speed which works GREAT on smaller inch engines as compared to a downleg booster). What is the exhaust system? What timing? Timing should be in the 32-34° and not much more (NA). Our cars, once over 33-34 deg timing, they slow down considerably especially mine (438"). At 36° it loses .35 (3 1/2 tenths) ET and about 5 mph 1/8 mile. Haven't run 1/4 mi but I imagine it's even more ET and MPH loss. It's got a good short block no doubt-but I agree there should be more in it.
I don't think the cam is too big If anything i think my heads are too small 185 AFR. and yes I wind my motor up to 7200rpm where it is rated.its a Lunati duration@50 248 in 256 ex rpm range 3500-7200 Lobe sep. 108... Since I got the compression this cam works fine even with the small converter this car runs dead on it's number over and over I run Open headers. I have the juice on my car as a back up incase of like tire spin or something my timing is at 36 that is were it seams to run its best at
I have a similiar combo but a 331. 750 hp carb will do fine, should work at about 7000-7500 rpm, try launching around 2000-2200, need more gear maybe 4.86's, shorter tire 28x9's should hook it easily, convertor stall speed around 5500, I run an ATI 8" treemaster for about $825.00, my cam is a bit unusual it's in the 260 at .50" range for duration and around 630 lift, i run 73 jets in the front with a 5/0 power valve and 85 in the rear. I don't have much compression with only 10.3:1. I 60' in the high 1.30's, 6.60's in the 1/8th and 10.70's in the 1/4. I ran a 306 previously with victor jr heads and intake, 750 hp, 5200 convertor, 4.86 gears, solid roller cam at 600 lift, it ran ok at 11.30's in the 1/4, it was really lazy though. and by the way, my car is faster with mufflers.
