Off the deep end, for fun

[Atilla the Fun]

Well, once again I've run out of saw blades, so this is as far as I got:

[Atilla the Fun]

My plans are a lot like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=fv ... 8NnJPi6138
But I should be able to do this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXXd_ffIpog
and this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Weny9ttEh9I
and this IF I was stupid:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-GRN_ow1r4
but probably nothing like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiJYWkMAPzk

[Series8217]

What about this? http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xjg3b9 ... -fail_auto

[Atilla the Fun]

What about this? http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xjg3b9 ... -fail_auto

Betcha he wasn't using any sway-control, nor any WD. He needed both.

Today I PayPal'd a guy for his used 3.54:1 gears for my Dana 60 axle. $30 plus shipping. Great investment considering the fuel savings. Now to sell my 4.10:1 gears and get my $30 back....

[Atilla the Fun]

I'm still waffling on what engine to use in this car. The LSx-family is on hold pending winning a million-dollar lottery, the 454 is likewise on hold, the 305 isn't even on my list, so I'm down to 4.
1) Chevy 350. 25 MPG, maybe. 308 HP @ 5000 RPM, 365 ft-lbs @ 3500 RPM.
2) Chevy 4.3, can expect 28 MPG. 200 HP @ 4600 RPM, 260 ft-lbs @ 2800 RPM until add turbo boost.
3) Olds diesel 350. 35 MPG EZ, 105 HP @ 3200 RPM, 200 ft-lbs @ 1600 RPM.
4) Olds diesel 4.3, 40 MPG EZ, 85 HP @ 3200 RPM, 165 ft-lbs @ 1600 RPM until add turbo boost.

[The Dark Side of Will]

331... 305 block with 383 crank. The small bore and long stroke give a better surface area/volume ratio for the cylinder than a 327. This means (slightly) less waste heat, slightly better gas mileage.

[Atilla the Fun]

331... 305 block with 383 crank. The small bore and long stroke give a better surface area/volume ratio for the cylinder than a 327. This means (slightly) less waste heat, slightly better gas mileage.

The stroker crank, plus the K-B pistons, plus buying a 305, plus gaskets, plus balancing...
This is a very very very very very costly proposal.
I'm not investing a grand in the engine. Maybe half that, at most.

[Atilla the Fun]

I sold my 350, to remove that temptation. I really don't need that much power.
I'm leaning toward the gasoline 4.3L V6
Partly because I know it's adequate and efficient
My black 4.3 S-10 did 28 MPG at 70 MPH, with 700R-4, 3.42:1 & 26" tires.
So my T/A with 4.3 / 700R-4 / 3.54:1 / 27" tires should be capable of 30 MPG at 60 MPH.
Of course, I'll have to run synthetic lube in the axle this time, to make up for this axle being so much beefier.
Also, I do have my Sierra for reference, if necessary.

[CincinnatiFiero]

Do an early GM diesel, I'd be interested to see you prove will and I wrong. If you think you can get adequate power and mpg out of the 4.3 diesel. I've never seen anyone try to make one work I've only ever seen them end in tears. If you can really get 40mpg out of a $75 motor id be impressed. I wouldn't mind being proved wrong, however "in theory" isn't adequate.

[Atilla the Fun]

Do an early GM diesel, I'd be interested to see you prove will and I wrong. If you think you can get adequate power and mpg out of the 4.3 diesel. I've never seen anyone try to make one work I've only ever seen them end in tears. If you can really get 40mpg out of a $75 motor id be impressed. I wouldn't mind being proved wrong, however "in theory" isn't adequate.

Talk to a man called dieselolds on www.dieselplace.com
He has Olds 350s swapped into both of his work trucks, at least one of them running mild boost.
The Olds diesel 350 doing 40 MPG is NOT theory. It IS historical FACT. It doing 40 MPG in my car is theory, I'd expect 35 considering the 3.54:1 axle ratio, even with 27" tires. Legend has it that there were some 3.31:1 gear sets, but I haven't found one, at any price. I have the UPs tracking number for the 3.54:1 set I ordered. Pics when it arrives. Anyway, the diesel 4.3 I'd expect 40 MPG from. With my 700R-4, it works out to 1850 RPM at 60 MPH. Not ideal, especially for the 350 diesel. Not so bad for the 4.3 diesel.
As for adequate power, you not specifying any better than that leaves it wide open. The limit for the injection pump is 25 HP per cylinder. The Olds 4.3 diesel V6 has more head bolts per cylinder and slightly lower static compression than the Olds 350 diesel, so the Olds 4.3 diesel can take more boost.
So, is 150 HP adequate? Sure it is. Same HP as my T/A was factory-assembled with.
Can the Olds 350 do 200 HP with Victor-Reinz head gaskets and ARP Pro-series head studs? I'd like that.
I'm not going engine shopping in February, I have too much work I MUST do. When I do go, there's no guarantees of what will be in any of the yards.
Today I'm pulling the 440 / 727 from the D250 Ram so I can get it's FF D60 for this project.

[Atilla the Fun]

Failed to finish removing the Dana axle yesterday, though I made obvious progress.

[CincinnatiFiero]

Like I said, I'll believe it when it runs, now go build it.

[Atilla the Fun]

[Atilla the Fun]

The 3.54:1 gears arrived, and there's virtually no wear! I'm very happy.

[Atilla the Fun]

What the heck is this world coming to when a new limited slip differential assembly costs less than a conversion locker that replaces the spider gears? Looks like I'll be calling Reider for a Trac-Loc.

[Atilla the Fun]

I had a thought: Doing the 200 HP 4.3 swap, just because it's ultra-low-emissions, is sort of stupid: If I want a boosted gasoline V6, why not just get the '96-'02 Camaro with the 3.8L?
The only thing my '84 can have that the later cars can't is the Olds diesel.
I asked Mr. dieselolds for more input on the 150 HP 4.3 vs the 200 HP 350, but not can't read his reply, if he has replied yet, because I tried to go to www.dieselplace.com and got a warning that it is a reported attack page. It wasn't doing that last night, dammit!

[Atilla the Fun]

I'm not sure I can be okay with 150 HP, even if it does get the best MPG. And it's nowhere near as common. So plans are for the Olds 350 diesel. Then I can get the ARP Pro-series head stud kit, 184-4003, $147.46 and the Victor-Reinz head gaskets. 2 choices here; the somewhat proven 3736, which is 0.010" thicker than spec, and intended for a +0.030" over-bore, at $ 33.79. Or there's the ( new? ) solid-core 3685SCR for $37.79
With the sealing solved, a TCI 230001 will let me bolt it to my 700R-4, $59.95
Non-turbo, the output is 105 HP @ 3200, 200 TQ @ 1600, so that's 52 MPH for my best MPG.
Then I just need one turbo. Didn't the Mitsu Eclipse make 210 HP? There's me a decent turbo, if I can find one.

[The Dark Side of Will]

You'll need to massage the main bolts and a bunch of other crap to make that engine *reliable*.

[Atilla the Fun]

The broken cranks and the main bolts being too short was only in the early years. The '82-'85 versions had better cranks and better main bolts. And for emissions-legality, I can only use '84-'85 versions anyway. But determining build dates from cast-in codes on these is fairly easy.

[CincinnatiFiero]

You're going to put a single 14G on a 350ci?