Getting More Power Out Of A 5.0L Small Block Ford

(ANNOUNCER)>> TODAY IT'S STAGE TWO ON OUR

STREET/STRIP 347 SMALL BLOCK FORD. LET'S SEE WHAT MORE COMPRESSION, INDUCTION, AND RPM CAN DO.

(MIKE)>> ENGINE POWER'S BACK WITH A FAMILIAR AND SURPRISINGLY POTENT LITTLE SMALL BLOCK FORD WE DUBBED LITTLE BLACK AND BLUE. NOW ITS PARTS RECIPE WAS CHOSEN USING SOUND ENGINE LOGIC AND PART SELECTION. NOW IT LAID DOWN SOME PRETTY GOOD NUMBERS ON THE DYNO FOR SUCH A SMALL PACKAGE ON PUMP GAS. AND TODAY IT GRADUATES TO STAGE TWO WHERE WE EXPECT TO PULL EVEN MORE POWER OUT OF IT. NOW HERE'S A QUICK LOOK AT HOW IT WENT TOGETHER AND PERFORMED ON THE DYNO LAST TIME. WE STARTED WITH A SUMMIT RACING FULLY MACHINED AND PREPPED LATE MODEL OEM BLOCK. THEN ADDED OFF THE SHELF PARTS LIKE AN EAGLE ESP ARMOR FORGED CRANK, HBEAM RODS, AND MAHLE PISTONS. A LUNATI HYDRAULIC ROLLER CAM CONTROLLED

ALL THEIR VALVETRAIN. A MOROSO SEVEN QUART FRONT SUMP PAN SEALED UP THE BOTTOM END AND UP TOP A SET OF AIR FLOW RESEARCH 205cc RENEGADE CYLINDER HEADS RESTED ON THE DECKS. DIRECTING THE AIR AND FUEL CHARGE TO THEM WAS AN EDELBROCK VICTOR JUNIOR INTAKE MANIFOLD TOPPED OFF

WITH AN EXCEPTIONAL QUICK FUEL BLACK DIAMOND 750 CFM CARB. WITH 35 DEGREES OF TIMING THE ENGINE LOADED THE DYNO AND MADE A 4,000 TO 6,800 RPM SWEEP AND CRANKED OUT 507 HORSEPOWER AND 447 POUND FEET OF TORQUE.

(PAT)>> THE PARTS FOR STAGE TWO WILL ALLOW THIS ENGINE TO HAVE A HIGHER OPERATING POWER BAND, A MORE STABLE VALVETRAIN, AND BETTER BREATHING, AND THAT'S ALL A RECIPE FOR MORE POWER. AND THAT INCLUDES A NEW SET OF LUNATI VALVE SPRINGS, ONE OF THEIR BIG SOLID ROLLER CAM SHAFTS, A SET OF 10 DEGREE TOOL STEEL RETAINERS, AND A SET OF MACHINED KEEPERS.

(MIKE)>> FOR EXTRA AIR FLOW WE'RE STEPPING UP TO AN EDELBROCK SUPER VICTOR INTAKE MANIFOLD THAT'S

GONNA BE TOPPED OFF WITH A QUICK FUEL BLACK DIAMOND 950 CFM CARB. NOW TO LET ALL THAT INCOMING AIR ESCAPE IS A SET OF INCH AND THREE QUARTERS HOOKER SUPER COMP HEADERS. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, COMEDIC 27 THOUSANDTHS THICK MLS HEAD GASKETS WILL ALLOW US TO RAISE THE COMPRESSION OVER THREE QUARTERS OF A POINT.

(PAT)>> WHEN ALL THE PARTS FOR STAGE TWO ARRIVED IT GAVE US AN IDEA. WE WANTED TO FIND OUT WHAT THE BIGGER CARB AND BIGGER HEADERS WOULD DO ON THIS COMBINATION.

AND WE'RE DOING IT MORE FOR YOU SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO SPEND YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT

IF BIGGER IS BETTER BECAUSE SOME TIMES IT'S NOT THE CASE. THESE ONE AND FIVEEIGHTHS HEADERS DID A GREAT JOB WITH THIS COMBO, AND JUST GOES TO SHOW SMALL PRIMARIES ARE NOT GIVEN ENOUGH CREDIT. ONE AND THREE QUARTER INCH PRIMARY LONG TUBES ARE

GOING ON AND SHARE THE SAME SIZE COLLECTOR AS THE

ONE AND FIVEEIGHTHS. THESE ARE HOOKER SUPER COMPS THAT FIT A FOX BODY MUSTANG. NOTHING IS CHANGING EXCEPT THE PRIMARY SIZE. SAME LENGTH FLOW TUBES AND SAME SIZE FLEX PIPE IS BEING USED. THE PULL WILL BE IN THE SAME RPM BAND AS BEFORE FROM 4,000 TO 6,800 RPM. SO WHAT'S 125 THOUSANDTHS OR EIGHTH INCH OF TUBE DIAMETER WORTH?

(MIKE)>> HOLY CRAP, 527, 451 FOOT POUNDS.

(PAT)>> HOW ABOUT THAT.

(MIKE)>> IT'S A LIMITATION.

(PAT)>> I THINK WE JUST PROVED THAT.

(MIKE)>> 527, 451, NOW OUR MAX WAS 507 BEFORE,

SO IT PICKED UP 20 NUMBERS ON POWER.

(PAT)>> ON HEADERS ALONE.

(MIKE)>> ALRIGHT, HERE'S THE BIG KEY FOR THE ENGINE BUILDERS WATCHING.

ONE POINT FIVETWO!

(PAT)>> I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT.

(MIKE)>> ONE POINT FIVETWO HORSEPOWER PER CUBS ON THIS LITTLE 347.

(PAT)>> I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT ON PUMP GAS.

(MIKE)>> WE'RE HERE, BEFORE WE TEAR THIS THING APART, LET'S PUT THAT 950 ON THIS THING WITH THIS BIGGER HEADER.

(PAT)>> JUST TO SEE WHAT IT DOES.

(MIKE)>> THIS WILL BE AN INTERESTING TEST THAT CAN GO EITHER WAY. NOW SWAPPING FROM A 750 TO A 950 CFM CARB IS NOT JUST ABOUT BEING BIGGER. IT'S ABOUT HOW THE CARB WAS SET UP INITIALLY

FOR THE APPLICATION.

(PAT)>> MIGHT HAVE SNUCK A LITTLE BIT MORE INTO IT.

(MIKE)>> 532, 452.

(PAT)>> OKAY, WELL THAT'S ENCOURAGING.

(MIKE)>> SO THAT RIGHT THERE SHOWS US THE HEADERS WERE A RESTRICTION, A 950 CARB ISN'T TOO BIG FOR THIS COMBINATION, AND WE'RE STOPPING HERE AND GOING TO REAL STAGE TWO. AND WE'RE GONNA MAKE SOME SNOT.

(PAT)>> WELL THAT'S IT FOR OUR TEST AND TUNE ON STAGE ONE. NOW IN STAGE TWO WE ARE GONNA TRY AND MAXIMIZE THE POWER POTENTIAL FOR THIS ENGINE, AND THAT RESTS WITH THE CYLINDER HEAD. AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS THE CYLINDER HEAD IS CAPABLE OF MAKING OVER 600 HORSEPOWER DUE TO ITS FLOW NUMBERS. A RULE OF THUMB IS YOU CAN MAKE TWO HORSEPOWER PER CFM OF AIR FLOW, AND WE'RE GONNA SEE HOW CLOSE

WE CAN COME TO THAT IN STAKE TWO AFTER THE BREAK.

(ANNOUNCER)>> NEXT ANOTHER TEAR DOWN TO MAKE WAY FOR SOME POTENT POWER ADDERS.

(PAT)>> WE'RE BACK, AND LITTLE BLACK AND BLUE IS COMING OFF THE DYNO FOR ITS STAGE TWO UPGRADE. WE'LL LEAVE IT ON THE DYNO CART TO DO THE ACTUAL SWAP OUT IN THE ASSEMBLY AREA. WE'RE TEARING THE ENGINE ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE SHORT BLOCK. SO THE CARB COMES OFF FIRST ALONG WITH THE DISTRIBUTOR. NOW THE VICTOR JUNIOR MANIFOLD IS REMOVED, AND THE SCRIPTED VALVE COVERS ARE NEXT, FOLLOWED BY THE ROCKERS AND PUSH RODS. WITH A LITTLE BICEP GRUNT APPLIED WE CAN REMOVE THE TORQUED ARP HEAD BOLTS AND LIFT THE AFR HEADS OFF THE DECK, FOLLOWED BY THE 41 THOUSANDTHS THICK HEAD GASKETS.

(MIKE)>> NOW THE LIFTER SPIDER, DOG BONES, AND HYDRAULIC LIFTERS CAN BE REMOVED. UP FRONT OUR DYNO PUMP CAN COME OFF. USING A REMOVAL TOOL, THE BALANCER IS PULLED OFF THE CRANK SNOUT. AND UNDERNEATH WE'LL LOOSEN THE PAN SO WE DON'T

DAMAGE THE PAN GASKET REMOVING THE TIMING COVER. AND FINALLY THE TIMING COVER CAN REVEAL THE BILLET TIMING SET, WHICH ALSO COMES OFF. WITH THE CAM RETAINING PLATE REMOVED, SAY GOODBYE TO THE HYDRAULIC ROLLER. HYDRAULIC ROLLERS ARE GREAT FOR LOW MAINTENANCE

STREET/STRIP ENGINES, BUT IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR VALVETRAIN STABILITY, HIGHER RPM'S, AND MORE POWER, A SOLID ROLLER LIKE THIS IS THE WAY TO GO. NOW THERE'S MORE TO IT THAN JUST CHANGING THE CAM SHAFT. EVERYTHING ASSOCIATED WITH IT ALSO HAS TO CHANGE,

LIKE SPRINGS, LIFTERS, RETAINERS, AND LOCKS.

(PAT)>> A SOLID ROLLER LIFTER CAN FOLLOW AN AGGRESSIVE CAMSHAFT PROFILE MORE ACCURATELY FOR A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT REASONS.

ONE, THE SOLID ASSEMBLIES ARE WAY LIGHTER THAN THE TWO HYDRAULICS, EVEN WITH THE LINK BAR ATTACHED AT 263 GRAMS, COMPARED TO THE HYDRAULICS, WHICH ARE NINE

GRAMS HEAVIER, AND THAT'S HUGE IN TERMS OF VALVETRAIN DYNAMICS. THERE'S NO PLUNGER ACTUATION LIKE THERE IS ON THESE HYDRAULICS, AND THAT ACTUATION KEEPS THE VALVETRAIN QUIET BUT DIRECTLY EFFECTS LIFT AND DURATION. SO USING A SOLID ROLLER WILL MAINTAIN ACCURATE GEOMETRY THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE RPM RANGE. AND THAT ALLOWS THE ENGINE TO MAKE POWER HIGHER IN THE BAND DUE TO ITS DESIGN. THE CAM IS MORE AGGRESSIVE ACROSS THE BOARD BUT STILL WITHIN THE RANGE OF OUR COMBINATION. IT SPORTS 249 DEGREES OF DURATION ON THE INTAKE AND 255 DEGREES ON THE EXHAUST. WE KEPT THE LOAD SEPARATION AT 110. AND AS FAR AS LIFT GOES WE'LL TOUCH ON THAT IN A FEW. KEEPING IT IN PLACE IS THE SAME RETAINING PLATE TORQUED TO 110 INCH POUNDS. HERE'S A DECISION WE HAVE TO MAKE AT THIS POINT. WHERE DO WE WANT THIS ENGINE TO MAKE PEAK POWER

WITH OUR STAGE TWO PARTS? THE INSTALL POSITION OF THE CAM'S INTAKE CENTER

LINE WILL DICTATE THE ENGINE'S TORQUE AND HORSEPOWER PEAK NUMBERS DEPENDING ON THE LOCATION

RELATIVE TO ITS LOBE SEPARATION.

SO RETARDING THE CAM WILL MAKE PEAK POWER HIGHER IN THE RPM RANGE, WHILE ADVANCING THE CAM WILL MAKE THE PEAK LOWER IN THE RANGE AND ALSO ALLOW PEAK TORQUE TO HAPPEN SOONER. WE DEGREE EVERY CAM IN EVERY ENGINE THAT WE BUILD, AND HERE'S WHY. WE'RE FINDING THAT THE DEGREE MARKS ON THE CRANK GEAR ARE NOT JIVING WITH WHAT WE'RE FINDING.

(MIKE)>> THERE ARE SEVERAL VARIABLES THAT CAUSE THIS, LIKE THE LOCATION OF THE DOWEL IN THE CAM AND THE

KEY WAY IN THE CRANKSHAFT ARE JUST A COUPLE. IT'S CALLED STACKED TOLERANCES, AND IT HAPPENS IN EVERY ASPECT OF ENGINE BUILDING.

(PAT)>> ACCORDING TO OUR NUMBERS WE HAVE TO USE THE STRAIGHT UP KEYWAY ON THE CRANK TO POSITION OUR CAM AT 105.5 DEGREES OF INTAKE CENTER LINE.

OUR LOBE SEPARATION IS 110 DEGREES. THEREFORE THE CAM IS INSTALLED FOUR AND A HALF DEGREES ADVANCED. THAT'S THE POSITION THAT PROVIDED US OPTIMAL PISTON TO VALVE CLEARANCE FOR THIS BIG CAM. THE TIMING COVER GOES BACK ON NOW FOLLOWED BY THE TIMING POINTER, WHICH HAS TO BE SETUP

AGAIN FOR TRUE TDC. THEN THE BALANCER IS PRESSED BACK ON.

(MIKE)>> NOW IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT TIMING POINTER YOU'RE USING, THIS IS A STEP THAT HAS TO BE DONE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE MARKS ON THE BALANCER COINCIDE WITH EXACTLY WHERE THE NUMBER ONE PISTON IS IN THE CYLINDER. SETTING TDC WITH A PISTON STOP LIKE THIS INSURES DWELL IS TAKEN INTO EFFECT. DWELL IS THE AMOUNT OF TIME THE PISTON IS AT TDC WHEN THE ENGINE IS RUNNING, AND IT IS SEVERAL DEGREES. IT ATTACHES TO THE DECK AND HAS A SET SCREW THAT LETS THE PISTON STOP SOLID AGAINST IT. NOW WE'LL ROTATE THE ENGINE TO BRING THE PISTON TO A STOP. THE NEXT STEP IS TO TAKE A READING ON THE BALANCER. THIS SHOWS 40 DEGREES BEFORE TDC. NOW ROTATE THE ENGINE THE OPPOSITE WAY AND EASE THE PISTON UP AGAINST THE STOP. DON'T SLAM IT. NOW REMEMBER, WE'RE COUNTING THE DEGREES AFTER TDC, NOT THE ACTUAL NUMBER YOU'RE SEEING. IT READS 320, WHICH IS 40 DEGREES AFTER TDC. THAT VERIFIES WHEN THE POINTER IS ALIGNED WITH ZERO ON THE BALANCER THE NUMBER ONE PISTON IS EXACTLY AT TRUE TOP DEAD CENTER.

(ANNOUNCER)>> COMING UP LITTLE BLACK AND BLUE GETS READY FOR STAGE TWO!

(PAT)>> LITTLE BLACK AND BLUE IS IN THE MIDDLE OF STAGE TWO, AND THE SHORT BLOCK IS WRAPPING UP WITH THESE LUNATI VERTICAL BAR SOLID LIFTERS THAT ARE FILLING THE LIFTER BORES. THEY USE A LINK BAR TO KEEP THE ROLLER IN LINE WITH THE CAM LOBE.

(MIKE)>> SOLID ROLLER CAM SHAFTS REQUIRE MORE SPRING PRESSURE TO STABILIZE THE VALVETRAIN MOTION AT

HIGHER RPM'S. NOW THAT USUALLY MEANS A LARGER DIAMETER VALVE SPRING.

HERE'S A LOOK AT AN OLD VERSUS NEW COMPARO. THE HYDRAULIC ROLLER SPRING HAS AN INCH-280 DIAMETER COMPARED TO THE INCH-550 DIAMETER OF THE SOLID ONE. THEY'RE BOTH DUAL SPRINGS. AT OUR INCH-800 INSTALLED HEIGHT, THE SEAT PRESSURE ON THE OLD SPRING IS 160 POUNDS, WHILE ON THE SOLID ROLLER SPRING IT'S 227 POUNDS FOR A 67 POUND INCREASE. NOW USING THE NEW COMPONENTS WE'LL ASSEMBLE THE HEADS. NOW SELECTING THESE PARTS CAN BE A LITTLE TRICKY. SO A CALL INTO COMP CAM'S TECH LINE CAN BE VERY HELPFUL.

(PAT)>> FOR THIS STAGE WE'RE RAISING THE COMPRESSION FROM 10.4 TO 11.2 AND ALL IT'S GOING TO TAKE IS A HEAD GASKET WITH A THINNER COMPRESSED THICKNESS. THE OLD GASKETS WE TOSSED OUT WERE ZERO-41 THICK AND THIS NEW MLS FROM COMEDIC IS 27 THOUSANDTHS THICK. THAT'S A REDUCTION OF 14 THOUSANDTHS, WHICH EQUALS

RIGHT AT THREE CC'S. SO THAT'S WHERE THE INCREASE IN COMPRESSION COMES FROM. THE HEADS ARE READY TO GO BACK ON NOW IN THEIR NEW CONFIGURATION. ARP BOLTS ARE TORQUED TO 65 FOOT POUNDS.

(MIKE)>> HERE'S WHERE ANOTHER PARTS CHANGE IS HAPPENING. WE'RE SWAPPING OUT THE CONVENTIONAL STUD MOUNT ROCKERS FOR A SHAFT SYSTEM LIKE THIS. NOW THAT'S BECAUSE WE'RE GONNA TURN THIS ENGINE UNTIL IT STOPS MAKING POWER, WHICH COULD BE AS HIGH AS 8,000 RPM. SO WE GAVE JESEL A CALL. THE ONE PIECE ROCKER SHAFT STAND FASTENS TO THE ORIGINAL STUD'S LOCATIONS, AND THEY GET TORQUED TO 60 FOOT POUNDS. THESE PARTS EFFECTED OUR PUSH ROD LENGTH, SO ANOTHER MEASUREMENT IS NEEDED. NOW THEY'RE LONGER DUE TO THE STAND'S HEIGHT.

SIX-850 LONG IS WHAT WE NEED. WE ALSO WANTED THE ADDED HOOP STRENGTH OF A LARGER DIAMETER PUSH ROD BECAUSE OUR OPEN SPRING PRESSURE IS APPROACHING 600 POUNDS. SO THESE THREEEIGHTHS ONES WILL HAVE LESS DEFLECTION THAN A FIVESIXTEENTHS WE RAN BEFORE. JESEL SENT THESE SPORTSMAN SERIES SHAFT ROCKERS THAT HAVE SEVERAL ADVANTAGES OVER STUD MOUNT ROCKERS, LIKE REDUCED FRICTION IN ALL AREAS, CORRECTS ROCKER GEOMETRY, AND MAINTAINS LASH SETTINGS LONGER FOR LESS ENGINE MAINTENANCE.

PLUS THE MOST IMPORTANT IN OUR EYES IS IT STABILIZES THE VALVETRAIN AT ANY RPM DUE TO THEIR EXTENSIVE ENGINEERING.

(PAT)>> WE ALSO INCREASED THE ROCKER ARM RATIO FROM ONE POINT SIX TO ONE POINT SEVEN ON THE INTAKE SIDE FOR MORE LIFT. AND THE REASON WE PUT THE CAM IN AT 105.5 DEGREES OF

INTAKE CENTER LINE IS SO WE DIDN'T RUN INTO ANY VALVE CLEARANCE ISSUES.

(MIKE)>> WE JUST GOT OUR NEW SUPER VICTOR INTAKE MANIFOLD BACK FROM JOHN AND DON AT BAKER AUTO MACHINE IN FRANKLIN, TENNESSEE. NOW THEY SPECIALIZE IN AUTO MACHINING, HYDRAULIC HOSE ASSEMBLIES, AND STARTER AND ALTERNATOR REPAIRS. NOW WE SOURCED THEM TO CUT 60 THOUSANDTHS OFF THE INTAKE FLANGE SO IT MATCHES UP BETTER WITH OUR AFR CNC PORTS. THIS ALSO REQUIRED THEM TO CUT 80 THOUSANDTHS OFF THE CHINA RAIL SO IT DOESN'T BOTTOM OUT ON THE BLOCK. WAS IT WORTH IT? YEP, THIS IS AS GOOD AS YOU CAN GET WITHOUT PORT MATCHING. THE REST OF THE PARTS TO GET IT BACK TOGETHER ARE THE SAME AS YOU SAW EARLIER WHEN WE MADE 532 HORSEPOWER.

(MIKE)>> THE MOMENT WE'VE BEEN WAITING ON IS HERE. IT'S DYNO TIME! JUST LISTEN TO THIS THING IDLE. IT'S GOT THAT SUPER STOCK SOUND, AND JUST LIKE IN STAGE ONE, WE'LL STEP THE RPM SWEEP UP AS WE PROGRESS TO 8,000 RPM. WHEN WE'RE DONE, WE'LL SHOW YOU HOW THE BIG POWER PULLS FROM BOTH STAGES COMPARE. BEGINNING AT 30 DEGREES OF TIMING AND A SWEEP FROM 3,500 TO 5,800 RPM. NOW WE'RE STARTING OFF ON 93 OCTANE PUMP GAS JUST LIKE BEFORE TO SEE JUST HOW FAR WE CAN PUSH THE LIMITS. NOW WE KNOW IT'LL NEED BETTER FUEL ONCE WE GET TO A CERTAIN POINT, AND WE HAVE THAT COVERED. 497 WITH 450 FOOT POUNDS. 457 WAS OUR STAGE ONE RUN, SO WE'RE UP 40 HORSEPOWER. APPLES TO APPLES!

(PAT)>> THAT'S PRETTY GOOD. WHAT I WANT TO DO, I'M GONNA GO IN THERE AND CHECK A PLUG BECAUSE WE'RE TO THE POINT NOW WHERE OCTANE IS GONNA BE AN ISSUE.

(MIKE)>> SO FAR WE'RE GOOD. SO WE'LL DO ANOTHER AT 32 DEGREES. 497, 450, REPEATED ITSELF, BUT THE PLUGS TELL A DIFFERENT STORY.

(PAT)>> WHEN YOU START TO GET A LITTLE SPECKLE, JUST A TINY BIT OF SPECKLE, IT'S CALLED THE BLACK DEATH RIGHT?

AND THAT'S WHEN YOU START TO INCREASE YOUR OCTANE BECAUSE AS AN OXIDIZER IT'S SUPPOSED TO DO AIR AND FUEL, NOT AIR, FUEL, AND ALUMINUM.

(MIKE)>> THE HIGHER THE OCTANE RATING THE MORE RESISTANT THE FUEL IS TO DETONATION. WITH THE CYLINDER PRESSURE WE'RE GENERATING, WE'VE REACHED THAT LIMIT. SO WE'LL DRAIN THE FUEL CELL AND LINES TO MAKE WAY FOR SOME STOUTER GAS. NORMALLY AT THIS POINT WE'D HAVE TO GO SPEND BIG MONEY ON DISTILLED RACING FUEL, BUT WE FOUND AN ALTERNATIVE THAT COST WAY LESS AND WE TRUST IT BECAUSE WE'VE USED IT BEFORE. IT'S CALLED RACE GAS, AND IT'S A RACE FUEL CONCENTRATE THAT ADDS OCTANE TO PUMP GAS. NOW IT'LL GO UP TO 105 DEPENDING ON HOW YOU MIX IT.

(PAT)>> THE FORMULA IS SIMPLE. IF YOU WANT ONE GALLON OF 100 OCTANE, MIX FOUR OUNCES OF RACE GAS WITH ONE GALLON OF 93 OCTANE PUMP GAS. TWO OUNCES PER GALLON INCREASE THE OCTANE FOUR FULL NUMBERS. WE HAVE THREE GALLONS OF FUEL, SO 12 OUNCES ARE

NEEDED TO MAKE 100. JUST REMEMBER, THE MORE OCTANE YOU PUT IN DOESN'T MEANS YOU'RE GONNA MAKE MORE POWER. YOU NEED THE MINIMUM AMOUNT OF OCTANE TO KEEP YOUR ENGINE AWAY FROM DETONATION AT YOUR POWER LEVEL. SOMETIMES YOU CAN PUT TOO MUCH OCTANE IN AND IT'LL ACTUALLY KILL HORSEPOWER BECAUSE IT SLOWS THE BURN RATE OF THE FUEL DOWN.

(MIKE)>> LET'S LEAVE THE TIMING WHERE IT'S AT AND TAKE IT TO 6,500.

(PAT)>> I AGREE! NO SIGNS OF DETONATION, AND FROM THE HP GAUGE ON THE CONSOLE, IT'S GONNA REPORT A GOOD NUMBER.

(MIKE)>> 537, 454, NOW IT'S MAKING SOME SNEEZE.

(PAT)>> OKAY, GOOD, GOOD, GOOD! OUR NEXT STEP IS TO ADD TWO DEGREES OF TIMING FOR A TOTAL OF 34. ALL THE REPORTED NUMBERS ARE PEAKS AT THE RPM

WE'RE TAKING THE ENGINE TO AT THIS POINT.

(MIKE)>> 541, 456.

(PAT)>> KEEP PICKING UP! SO WE'LL LEAVE IT AT 34 DEGREES BUT PUSH IT FROM 4,500 TO 7,000 RPM.

(MIKE)>> 556, 455, AND STILL CLIMBING.

(PAT)>> IT'S STILL CLIMBING. HAVING AN ENGINE WITH GREAT VALVETRAIN AND A

SOLID BOTTOM END ALLOWS US THE CONFIDENCE TO BUMP THE TIMING TO 35 DEGREES AND GO FOR THE GOLD.

(MIKE)>> HERE COMES 8,000! [ engine revving ]

(MIKE)>> 566, 455, IT HOLDS IT TO 8,000 RPM.

(PAT)>> THIS IS NOT MEANT FOR AN ENGINE THAT WAS ORIGINALLY DESIGNED TO MAKE WHAT, 225 HORSE.

(MIKE)>> AND WE'RE DOING THIS ON A STOCK BLOCK, OFF THE SHELF PARTS, AND LIKE YOU SAID, IT'S JUST A

FORMULA, THAT'S ALL IT IS. IT'S A MATH EQUATION AND A FORMULA OF PARTS, AND WE NAILED IT. PEAK HORSEPOWER WAS AT 7,200 RPM WITH THIS COMBINATION WHILE PEAK TORQUE WAS AT 5,800. NOW THIS ENGINE WAS STILL MAKING 534 HORSEPOWER AT 8,000. SO JUST IMAGE WHAT ALL THIS FEELS LIKE GOING THROUGH THE TRAPS AT THE DRAG STRIP.

(PAT)>> AND YOU CAN DO JUST THAT IF YOU FOLLOWED THIS BUILD. ALTHOUGH THIS WASN'T A BUDGET PROJECT, IT DOES PROVE YOU CAN MAKE BIG POWER WITHOUT CUSTOM PARTS OR ANY ENGINE WITCHCRAFT. BUT WE'RE APPROACHING THE LIMITS OF OUR BLOCK AT THIS POINT BUT NOT THE INTERNALS. SO FOR US IT WAS A HANDS DOWN DECISION TO DO A STAGE THREE TO THIS BUILD, AND LET'S JUST SAY THAT WILL INVOLVE AN AFTERMARKET BLOCK AND SOME FORCED INDUCTION. BUT BEFORE WE GO, TAKE A LOOK AT HOW THE TWO STAGES COMPARE.

(MIKE)>> STAGE ONE'S PACKAGE PROVES YOU CAN MAKE GREAT POWER WITH THE HYDRAULIC ROLLER. THIS TYPE OF VALVETRAIN IS LIMITED BY RPM. THE SOLID ROLLER MADE PEAK POWER HIGHER IN THE RPM RANGE AND IT ALSO CARRIED THAT A LOT FARTHER FOR A HIGHER RPM AVERAGE. AND HERE'S WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE OVERLAYING EACH OTHER. THIS POTENT SETUP GOES TO SHOW YOU CAN'T JUDGE AN ENGINE BY ITS VALVE COVERS.