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 a backfiring problem on a 427 big block Chevy. Q: I have a 1974 Olds Omega with a 427 cubic-inch big block Chevy. The engine has an Erson cam (292-degree duration,
Since the GM LS is such a popular engine series, LS-compatible parts are common and easy to find. Which means, if you’re using 1992-97 LT1-style heads on your engine, you may find more spring options if you look for valve springs designed for the LS. Those different spring types however, are not compatible. Fortunately, the
Q: I’m going to drop a GM LT4 Hot Cam into my Gen I small block Chevy. What valve springs do you recommend for the best match? A: Summit Racing put together a COMP Cams valve spring chart to help you choose the right components for your camshaft. The LT4 Hot Cam is a hydraulic roller with
When the gang at COMP Cams decided to swap the camshaft in a 454-cubic-inch V8 L29 L.4-liter Gen. VI motor with an aggressive profile, they were also forced to upgrade the engine’s valve springs to accommodate it. You can see that cam swap video here. There are three important considerations when choosing valve springs: Matching
I’ve got a 454 H.O. crate engine and we installed a small ProCharger centrifugal on the engine to bump the power. I thought this would work well with the engine’s 8.75:1 compression ratio. I then took the combination to the chassis dyno but ran into all kinds of problems. The engine just lays down at
I have a small block Chevy in a ’66 Chevy II that seems to run pretty good but now I’m not so sure. It’s a 383 small block with a set of no-name aluminum heads, a Lunati hydraulic flat tappet Voodoo cam (227/233 degrees at 0.050 inches with 0.489/0.504-inch lift), a Performer RPM intake, and
Watch this video from COMP Cams and learn the proper way to set up and install your valve springs. In this video, you’ll learn how to find your spring’s installed height, how to measure valve seal clearances and spring loads, and proper valve break-in procedure. For more information about valve springs, be sure to read our
In this video, Billy Godbold, chief cam designer and astrophysicist at COMP Cams, explains how COMP Cams’ conical valve springs help control heat and friction by dampening spring vibrations and provide much longer spring life than cylindrical or even beehive designs. The conical springs are perfect for the racer wanting to run a more-aggressive camshaft, COMP
Editor’s Note: The year 2013 gave us the C7 Chevrolet Corvette and took from us performance legends like Dean Jeffries and Stu Hilborn. We had a light-hearted look at the half-dozen Fast and Furious movies and got serious with dozens and dozens of new tech articles and how-tos. We even put a hot rodder’s spin on March
Got questions? We’ve got the answers—the Summit Racing tech department tackles your automotive-related conundrums. This week, we examine the signs of fatigued valve springs. S.H. Akron, OH Q: I recently built a 427-cubic-inch big block Chevy for my 1937 street rod. The tall block engine has the following parts: 4-bolt tall block, steel crank, 9.0:1 pistons
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