Mailbag: Aluminum vs. Steel Roller Rocker Arms in High-Mileage Fleet Vehicles
You’ve got questions. We’ve got answers. We work with the Summit Racing tech department to tackle your automotive-related conundrums. This week, we’re talking about aluminum vs. steel roller rockers and rocker ratio in daily-driven, high-mileage fleet vehicles. Q: I have some questions concerning the use of aluminum roller rockers on a street engine with a stock-type
Ask Away! with Jeff Smith: Explaining 6-, 8-, and 10-Speed Automatic Transmission Gearing
I see where Summit Racing lists a TCI transmission that was originally a 4L80E – but they list it as a six-speed transmission. I’ve heard a little about this—did they add two more gears to the transmission? How is this different from the GM 6L80E transmission that is used in the Corvette or in the
Mailbag: Camshaft, Torque Converter & Gear Ratio Recommendations for an ’86 Mustang Race Car
You’ve got questions. We’ve got answers. We work with the Summit Racing tech department to tackle your automotive-related conundrums. This week, we’re recommending a camshaft, torque converter, and rear-axle gear ratio for a race-only ’86 Ford Mustang. Q: I have a 1986 Mustang project car with a 351 Cleveland engine. The four-bolt main block has been
Mailbag: Diagnosing a Misfiring Mopar 440 Hi-Po Engine
You’ve got questions. We’ve got answers—the Summit Racing tech department tackles your automotive-related conundrums. This week, we’re helping a reader troubleshoot a misfiring Mopar 440 in a ’69 Dodge Charger. Q: I have a 1969 Dodge Charger that is giving me fits. It has a 440 high performance engine that is basically stock except for stainless valves,
Ask Away! with Jeff Smith: Talking HP, Boost & Compression in an E85 427 c.i.d. Engine
I have a question. I am building a 427 cubic inch Dart motor with LS3 heads and a Kenne Bell 4.2L blower. I am looking for maximum horsepower out of this motor. What compression would you recommend? The blower is capable of 32 pounds of boost and it will run on E85. Thanks. – T.B. Wow,
Ask Away! with Jeff Smith: Why Does My Performance Engine Knock?
I recently bought a really awesome street Camaro with a 355ci small-block, a Super T-10 4-speed, and a 12-bolt with 4.10 gears. The engine runs really great and pulls hard all the way to 6,500 rpm but it has this really bad knock when the engine’s cold. When I first took the car on a
Mailbag: Supercharging a Small Block in a 1959 Chevy 4×4 Truck
You’ve got questions. We’ve got answers—the Summit Racing tech department tackles your automotive-related conundrums. This week, we’re suggesting upgrades for a supercharged 1959 Chevy Pickup with a 400 small block motor. Q: I want to build a 400 small block Chevy to put into a 1959 Chevy pickup with four-wheel drive. The truck will not be a
Mailbag: Solving Cold-Starting Problems and a Rich-Running Carb on a Chevy 305
You’ve got questions, we’ve got answers. We work with the Summit Racing tech department to help you tackle your auto-related conundrums. In this week’s Mailbag, we’re troubleshooting carb issues in a 305-powered 1985 Chevy van. Q: My friend and I put a rebuilt 305 Chevy motor in my 1985 Chevy van. Since we did this, we’ve been having
Mailbag: Recommending a Carburetor and Gearing Combo to Fix 700R-4 Shifting Problem
You’ve got questions, we’ve got answers. We work with the Summit Racing tech department to help you tackle your auto-related conundrums. In this week’s Mailbag, we’re recommending a carburetor and gearing combo to combat an improperly shifting 700R-4 automatic transmission. Q: I have a 1986 ½-ton Chevrolet pickup with full time four-wheel drive. It has a 350 crate
Mailbag: Troubleshooting a Backfiring 350 Small Block in a ’73 El Camino
Q: I have a 1973 Chevy El Camino with a 350 engine, a TH-350 transmission, and a 10-bolt rear axle with 2.73 gears. All of the parts inside the engine, trans, and axle are stock. The car is a daily driver. I have made some modifications that I hope will not only increase horsepower, but




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