I am looking to build an engine that will fly under the radar on the California smog test. I need a lot of torque down as low in the RPM range as possible. This isn't 3000-or-so low, I'm talking heavy boat on a steep launch-ramp low.

I have read a lot of excellent threads going back as far as ten or more years, but the goal in those threads either didn't seem to be to stay smoggable, or wasn't aiming quite as low in the RPM range.

Here's my setup:
1992 7.5 F350 CC SRW
4:10 gears
Very sturdy built E4OD that will soon sport a Gear Vendors OD (already sitting in a box in the back seat).

I know that I can get away with swapping in the newer EFI heads and a bit of port-matching and cleanup work is in order. I also suspect that I can get the cam timed straight up and advance the timing (retarding it for the test).

I am willing to spring for a stroker kit, but have no idea which other mods I should do to keep the tailpipe portion of the test passable while still adding low-end torque.

Can I get away with the compression boost that will come from this? I think the dish-piston 557 kit still boosts the ratio to something in the 9.5:1 range.

I'm planning to keep this truck for a long time, so I want to do it right.

What say the experts?

 

You already have alot of torque under 2000 RPM. I'm talking about pulling a 20,000 lb skidloader trailer combo through a plowed field.

If you really want to mod up, i'll add my .02. Your cam is already straight up. I'm not that familiar with what it takes to pass CA smog. Doing a MAF/SEFI swap will get you a long way there. Any higher than 9.5:1 and 87 octane won't work well, but the higher compression along with the F3TE heads will help with the smog. Also having a programmable chip that you can mod in the truck without removing it, such as a Moates quarterhorse, or a Tweecer RT. This way you can have a regular performance tune, and a tune for passing smog. These chips are easy to make the change to, just hook up the laptop, upload it, and drive.

Sent from my iPad using IB AutoGroup

 

I'll start researching the tuneable chips.

 

For another good boost for low end fuel economy, look into a quality set of long tube headers. About the best off-the-shelf set you can buy are the Banks long tube headers. Since you have California's emissions tests to pass, you might want to look into Banks full power pack which includes air box, headers, y pipe, and catback exhaust which paired with a good, low restriction CA compliant catalytic converter will reduce exhaust back pressure greatly while giving a small boost to your low end torque.

Also, if you're looking into adding the GV, 4.10 gearing with OD and the GV enabled nets the same highway RPMs as the E4OD with 3.31 gearing. Are you happy with your current highway fuel economy? If you're willing to sacrifice some potential to future highway fuel economy, you could regear to keep RPMs with double OD somewhere between your current 4.10 levels and stock E4OD and 3.55 gearing level by regearing to either 4.56 (close to 3.55 equivalent), 4.88 (close to 3.73 equivalent), or 5.13 (close to 4.10 equivalent). Regearing to 5.13 to keep the same highway RPMs would net 25% increase in to-the-ground torque in first gear.

Obviously it's a long shot with the current availability, but a Vortech supercharger, while adding more power up top, does add a fair amount of torque output as well, and it was CA legal at the time of manufacture.

 

I reserved a slot with Scotty Johnson at RHP to get a standard stroke EFI 460 built and optimized for MAF. I'll be taking my core up to him in a couple of weeks.

 

hi.... i just bought a used set of rods and pistons in ebay for my big block, but one of the rods needs to be replaced, the problem is that the seller did not post much information about it, i want to buy a new single rod but i dont know the brand i just know that they are :
6.700
0.990
2.323 ( without the bearings )
ill appreciate some help

this is what they look like

 

I would try contacting the person you bought them from...otherwise you'll need to weigh them and find a rod that matches the average weight.

 

Got a call from Scotty today. The dyno run yielded some pleasant sueprises. I didn't write down the numbers, but remember 410 HP at something like 5200 RPM and somewhere in the neighborhood of 525 ft/lb at 3400 RPM. I'll start a new thread with the dyno sheet and a link to the video as soon as he posts it for me.

 

Let me freface this by saying I do not condone this or recommend it to anybody as well as I don't promote bypassing smog testing apparatus

VW in big trubba for that !!!

But in the very rare case of a friend in need and want of making his street race car more environmentally friendly, I have helped 1 or 2 of them reduce their emissions to the environment by preparing the proper mix of methanol and pump gas as not to pollute mother earth as much. It usually takes about a 50:50 mix to get things right on a decent race engine.

If you are carbureted, it is much easer to just run straight Meth for your days purposes and then go back to standard setting when u deem appropriate. Not sure about California but I have helped a couple racer friends from as many as half the states and it worked out.

It helps to be at a shop with a chassis dyno so you can do some test runs and see how she runs as well as hooking to obd's to see what they 02's say.

Pretty recent had a BBC car that made close to 1000 rwhp on C16 @ 15:1 compression and she liked running on straight e-85 (no need for go-kart methanol any more). The emissions sniffer showed almost no signs of anything coming out of the pipes. Emissions dude was flipping out.

If you do this u need to get some help from somebody that knows what they are doing so ur engine does not get burned up running too lean. It takes almost double the volume of alcohol to make the same BTU output as gas and low compression engines dont like it a lot...(less than 12:1). They will run but too much lugging around will foul plugs and cylinders.

I am fixing to start a stroker project for my dually and I think I will try for 700" - 8.5:1 just cause most folks say it can't be done for the street. I don't think the truck or the street knows what size engine is in the truck so I think I should be OK. If I had a better souce of E85 and more stations around I would build it 15:1, but even with a 100-150 gallon toolbox in the back if you go on a trip and can't find the alky u b screwed.

JMHO