Ask Away! with Jeff Smith: Can I Put a Blower on a 383 with 10:1 Compression?
Can I put a blower on my balanced and blueprinted 383 c.i.d. stocker motor that has 10:1 compression? I just want it for looks, not to race. – G.H. … Jeff Smith: At first, my gut feeling was to answer no—it’s not a good idea. The only way this will really work is to set
Ask Away! with Jeff Smith: Does 40% Leakdown Test Results Require New Piston Rings?
I just bought a used 5.3L LS engine out of the junkyard and after we got the engine back to the shop and mounted it on an engine stand, we decided to do a leakdown test. We checked all eight cylinders and the average was close to 40 percent. We removed the oil filler cap
Ask Away! with Jeff Smith: Diagnosing Ticking Noises and White Smoke in a Supercharged ’93 Ford Mustang GT
I’ve been looking online for help to figure out what is happening to my car and I thought your expertise may help. I have a supercharged ‘93 Mustang GT with a cam and aluminum heads. I noticed a slight ticking noise the other day when parked near another car. It’s not bad, but speeds up
Ask Away! with Jeff Smith: What’s the Best Rotor Tip and Terminal Spacing for my Ignition System?
I have a question about the optimum distributor rotor tip and terminal gap. Modern replacement parts for our classics are all over the place, either in terms of length, cap eccentricity, or quality control in general. Rotors listed as ‘correct’ for the application differ markedly in length. So my question would be: All things being
Ask Away! with Jeff Smith: How Camshafts Relate to Exhaust Smell
I have a ’68 383 Road Runner, I bought it as a non-running car and it had a considerable cam in it when I got it—I think it is the Purple cam with 0.509-inch lift. The engine idles with only about 8-9 inches of vacuum. I have a 5-speed Tremec TKO 600 in the car. I
Ask Away! with Jeff Smith: How to Install a Bypass Fuel Pressure Regulator on an EFI System
I’m building an LS engine to put into an early Chevy pickup and I’ve got a fuel delivery system question. I’m running one of those new Holley Sniper aluminum fabricated manifolds and we’re not sure how to use the fuel pressure regulator. The regulator has a small nipple on the top that’s for a vacuum
Ask Away! with Jeff Smith: Can I Mix Zinc Additive with Off-the-Shelf Motor Oil to Save Money?
Why can’t I just add a bottle of zinc additive to my oil and then just use regular off-the-shelf oil? Won’t that work just as well as those more expensive hot rod oils that have higher zinc levels? GM used to sell an additive called Engine Oil Supplement and we used to add that to
Ask Away! with Jeff Smith: Transmission Recommendations for a ’64 Chevelle
I have a 1964 Chevelle convertible. Several years ago I put a 700-R4 in it, which has never shifted correctly. It slips, doesn’t work right with the carburetor, etc. I just want to switch it out. What would you recommend as a good replacement—a TH400 / TH350, GM 4L80E, or what? — D.E. Jeff
Ask Away! with Jeff Smith: Best Performance Upgrades for a 283 Chevy Small Block Engine
Here’s a question you probably haven’t got before in your Ask Away! segments. I have a 0.060-over 283 that is now at 292 cubic inches. I just finished the short block and all my friends are telling me to put a big set of heads on this to help it make power. I can get
Ask Away! with Jeff Smith: Building a Performance Intake Manifold for a 5.3L LS
I’ve heard there is a really good factory LS intake manifold out there for cathedral port intakes but the friend who mentioned it didn’t know anything more than that. He said it was from a truck or an SUV but he wasn’t sure. Do you know what he’s talking about? I have a ’69 Chevelle




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