Q: I was wondering if you could answer a few questions for me: Could low oil pressure (15-20 psi) spin a main bearing or otherwise ruin an engine? How can you avoid low oil pressure? How long would it take for low oil pressure to spin a bearing? A: Here are the answers to your questions in
Q: I own a 1966 Chevy Biscayne with a 468-cubic-inch big block Chevy engine. It has 12:1 compression, Crane 298-degree duration cam, oval port cylinder heads, 926 cfm Holley double pumper on a Holley Strip Dominator intake, and an HEI distributor with an MSD ignition. The transmission is a Turbo 400 with a 3,500 stall TCI
Q: I have a 355-cubic-inch small block Chevy. The carburetor is a Holley 1850, 600 cfm with manual choke and vacuum secondaries. My problem is, the secondaries won’t open at any speed or rpm. When I hit the accelerator, I actually get a bog and have to let up. I can accelerate the car fairly well
Q: I’m putting together a disc brake system for a custom build. What can you tell me about setting up brake pedal ratio for optimum performance? Also, what can you tell me about master cylinders? Specifically, what do I need to know about the bore size of the master cylinder? A: On average, brake pedal ratio should range from
Q: I’ve purchased a new harmonic balancer for the small block in my 1965 Mustang. There are three separate sets of degree marks on the balancer. Which should I use to set my ignition timing? A: Ford used three different Top Dead Center (TDC) locations on its small block engines. So, some harmonic balancers have three sets
Q: I’m changing the valve seals on my 1973 Camaro. The cylinder heads are on the engine, and the engine is in the car. I’m using compressed air to hold the valves closed. Also, the Camaro has an automatic transmission. How do I keep the engine from rotating? A: This can be done by using an engine-rotating tool and
Q: I recently installed a shift light tachometer into my 1969 Chevy C10 2WD pickup with a 250-cubic-inch 6-cylinder engine. The engine has an HEI distributor. Even though I followed the installation instructions carefully, I can’t seem to figure out this nagging problem. When driving, the tach registers anywhere from 5,000-7,000 rpm while cruising, even
Q: I have a mild 383-cubic-inch small block with 9.5:1 compression, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, and 750 cfm Holley double pumper carburetor. It also has a mild hydraulic roller cam and roller rockers. My question is in regards to gas fouling on some of the spark plugs. Specifically, I’ve noticed the fouling only occurs on a couple of plugs on the
Q: I have a 1955 Chevy with a 383 motor, a four-speed transmission, and a 3.73-geared 12-bolt rear axle. The engine is a four-bolt with nodular iron crank, 9.5:1 compression forged pistons, Airflow Research heads, and Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, a 750 cfm Holley double pumper carburetor, 1 5/8-inch Hooker headers, a hydraulic roller cam
Q: I’m in the process of building a street/strip Camaro. My goal is to run high 12s in the quarter, with a few restrictions. I am going to use a 454 engine with oval port heads and 9:1 compression pistons, a stock TH-400, and 3.73 rear axle gears. What carb/intake combo, camshaft (preferably solid), headers, and
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