How hard is it to switch out a crank, cam and lower compression?

Pokageek

Active Member
Jun 10, 2005
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If I wanted to throw boost at my car, I would have to go forged crank, and lower compression. I am at 10:45:1 right now. How do you lower it? Is it a lot of work changing out a crank?
 
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Hey Keith

I remember a thread where Don 95Vert was talking about using boost
with high compression :eek:

He pointed out the obvious :D

You would not want to go crazy with the amount of boost :nono:

I remember him using examples of factory cars ( IIRC, it was GM )
with high values of compression and running around 6 lbs of boost

Just something to think about ... I know it made me think about it ;)

Grady
 
Realistically you have to take the whole engine apart to lower the compression. It has to do with the pistons more than anything. You can lower it by running larger combustion chamber heads, or by running head shims, which is a bad idea. Either one will make very little difference. Realistically you're going to have to pull the engine and put pistons in with a huge dish. While you're doing that you can put a shorter stroke crankshaft in there which will make it easier to lower compression.

Kurt
 
I am going to ask Rick_91GT as well. he built my engine. If I had an automated bottle opener I might be more ok with nitrous. I have to find out exactly how much HP and TQ my crank will handle. I think it is roughly 650 total HP and not sure TQ...thats roughly 525rwhp I think.. I am already putting out close to 450rwtq IIRC..that doesn't leave me much room though. If I am hitting 525rwhp I will be hitting prolly...560rwtq..I dont want to blow it up.
 
You can run boost with that compression heck look at all the lsx's cars running 10.5:1 with boost and the new z06 10.5:1 with a blower.

Just make sure the tune is spot on and you have enough fuel because what it really comes down to is keeping it from detenation. I had friend run 10.5:1 with 9lbs from an s-trim
 
You can run boost with that compression heck look at all the lsx's cars running 10.5:1 with boost and the new z06 10.5:1 with a blower.

LSX cars have a smaller bore, better combustion chamber design, and an aluminum block. Most of those blowers only put out like 6lbs of boost too. It's a totally different setup. It's totally different from a stroked Ford motor.

Kurt
 
I've done some research on this subject over the summer. I even had a thread here about a while back. You might be able to run 4-6 pounds with pump fuel and an awesome tune. You could definitely do it with race fuel. I did some math, and 5# on my engine should get me close to 580-600rwhp. :eek: Unfortunately I haven't won the lottery yet, so no sc for me.


To answer your original question, you basically need to replace all the internals in the engine. Dished pistons and maybe a shorter stroke crank are needed to lower compression. The cam also affects compression. If you're running a semi wild n/a cam, you probably wouldn't have a problem with boost right now, but you won't make near as much power as you would with a blower cam.

Look up Parchisi (sp?) on here. He has a blown 408 IIRC.
 
I'm running about 8 lbs of boost with a 10:1 compression ratio and I have run into some problems with blown headgaskets and "blowed up" pistons. After the most recent catastrophe I finally went with some head studs rather than bolts and some of those fel-pro 1011 lockwire headgaskets, got the timing right, and it seems to be reliable now. With your higher compression, it may be tougher. If you have the time and money, I'd definitely say go ahead and swap in some pistons with a good amount of dish. Otherwise, nitrous loves high compression!
 
Nitrous works well with compression somewhere in the middle. It's all relative to the fuel and stuff. Generally speaking you can run higher compression with an N/A setup than you can with a nitrous setup.

Kurt
 
I think if I went blower..I would just sell my shortblock and buy another one made for it. Then I could make my money back. When you guys say shorter stroke, are you saying go 383c.i. or something?

Also, after calculating it, I think I could go 100 shot just fine. On my smaller 302 it netted 60rwhp and 70rwtq. I would prolly want to stop there for safety to keep me under 650 whp. I rather not go nitrous though.