351c should i keep 2v

hey guys i have had this worry in my head on what i should do with my motor. my 73 mach is undergoing a restoration which will be awhile. I rebuilt the 351c 2v awhile ago with a tight budget. since then i have picked up a nice set of 4v cc and a standard bore block. At first i was going to run the 2v if i wanted more power i would build the 4v to swap in. here are the basic specs off the top of my head on the 2v

bored .040 over

crank turned .010

line bored

heads planed .010

flat top pistons

3 angle valve job, port matched, new valves, springs, seats

full msd

holly 650 dp

2v street dominator

crane cam .524 lift cant remember the duration was a popular cam non-split

my issue i guess is i would like to be in the 400hp at the crank range but i don't know how close this combo would be. I will be going back into the engine to change a few things i didn't do because of money. while I'm there should i put the 4v heads on it and buy a intake or should i leave it be a run it as is. I'm not looking for a high hp motor i just want it to be respectable and not be wimpy. tell me what you think i should do and what mods should i do to the motor while im in it. (oil flow mods, arp goodies, roller rockers, double roller chain, aftermarket water pump) thanks in advance guys i have never drove my car before so i have nothing to go off from.

Go for it. The extra compression will help. Slip in a higher speed torque converter.

Someone will tell you .40 overbore is too much. I have the same setup and no issues (cooling or otherwise) at all. Not all of the blocks were good for .40 but if your engine guy checked it out and he knows what he is doing you should be fine.

Without knowing what your compression is now. I'm not sure you want to go the closed chamber route with what you already have. Any idea what it may be?

we did not calculate compression on the engine my engine guy who chose the pistons for me said with the heads being cleaned up .010 he said i would be right around 10:1 - 10.5:1 . these are flat tops the block was not decked. I have heard most guys run flat tops with the closed chambered 4v heads. That is the main thing i was questioning if i could run the same pistons if i were to swap heads. does anyone have any issues with header clearance with the 4v with power steering?

Your compression ratio will probably go up to between 11:1 and 11.5:1. My other concern is the valve reliefs in the pistons and valve clearance.

I'd leave the 2V block alone, and build a 4V engine with the standard bore block over time as budget permits. Run the 2V, have some fun, then swap in the 4V down the road at some point. Swapping the 4V heads onto the 2V engine might mess up the mix of what you have now... and I'm not entirely sure, but I think pushing much past 10.5:1 compression will move you out of pump-gas territory.

Just a thought.

+1 to what Eric said.

You will need a different intake... the 2v intake will not work with 4v heads.

thanks guys for the advice. I know i would need to pick up a different intake for the 4v heads plus headers. I think I'm going to stick with the 2v and do what eric mentioned build a 4v over time then if i want i can swap it in. As far as the 2v motor is there anything you guys would do as far as upgrades to the oiling system, valve train. I know a lot of guys put in restrictors and lines to the mains. Is it needed on a mild motor? anyone have a guess of what hp this 2v setup would be around? thanks ryan

You don't need to do any oiling upgrades to a 2v (and most 4v) if you don't spin them too high.

thanks guys for the advice. I know i would need to pick up a different intake for the 4v heads plus headers. I think I'm going to stick with the 2v and do what eric mentioned build a 4v over time then if i want i can swap it in. As far as the 2v motor is there anything you guys would do as far as upgrades to the oiling system, valve train. I know a lot of guys put in restrictors and lines to the mains. Is it needed on a mild motor? anyone have a guess of what hp this 2v setup would be around? thanks ryan

Click to expand...

If the engine is not yet assembled I would put the restrictors in all 5 cam journal oiling channels. If you are running hydraulic lifters I would also use restrictor push rods (or thick walled pushrods that effectively do the same thing). The front to rear external oil line can do no harm that I know of and may help with evening out the pressure from front to rear (I've used them on several engines without problems). Take care in setting the depth of the number 1 cam bearing. As it get deeper set it exposes more of the angle drilled second oil hole on number 1 journal causing more oil to be bled off than is needed. The factory spec is .001-.003 (.002-.005 is fine from what I can tell) between the cam retainer and the front edge of the bearing. DO NOT use a high volume oil pump without a high capacity oil pan (7 quart minimum). If you use a standard pump and pan add an extra quart of oil. As far as valve train goes use springs matched to the cam specs and use proper retainers and locks. Getting the hydraulic lifter preload set correctly may require custom length push rods or thin shims (assuming bolt down non-adjustable rocker arms) as well. Chuck

the engine is together. i did forget to add i installed a high pressure oil pump with a 7 qt flat bottom pan. it has stud style rockers i had to get a custom push rod made since one was shorter than the others. i never replaced them all checked out fine. the engine had been built before me getting it. had pop up pistons and bunch of other goodies. but i needed to go back through it.

thanks guys for the advice. I know i would need to pick up a different intake for the 4v heads plus headers. I think I'm going to stick with the 2v and do what eric mentioned build a 4v over time then if i want i can swap it in. As far as the 2v motor is there anything you guys would do as far as upgrades to the oiling system, valve train. I know a lot of guys put in restrictors and lines to the mains. Is it needed on a mild motor? anyone have a guess of what hp this 2v setup would be around? thanks ryan

Click to expand...

If the engine is not yet assembled I would put the restrictors in all 5 cam journal oiling channels. If you are running hydraulic lifters I would also use restrictor push rods (or thick walled pushrods that effectively do the same thing). The front to rear external oil line can do no harm that I know of and may help with evening out the pressure from front to rear (I've used them on several engines without problems). Take care in setting the depth of the number 1 cam bearing. As it get deeper set it exposes more of the angle drilled second oil hole on number 1 journal causing more oil to be bled off than is needed. The factory spec is .001-.003 (.002-.005 is fine from what I can tell) between the cam retainer and the front edge of the bearing. DO NOT use a high volume oil pump without a high capacity oil pan (7 quart minimum). If you use a standard pump and pan add an extra quart of oil. As far as valve train goes use springs matched to the cam specs and use proper retainers and locks. Getting the hydraulic lifter preload set correctly may require custom length push rods or thin shims (assuming bolt down non-adjustable rocker arms) as well. Chuck

Click to expand...

Chuck,

How do you feel about just off setting the cam bearings 30-50%?

thanks guys for the advice. I know i would need to pick up a different intake for the 4v heads plus headers. I think I'm going to stick with the 2v and do what eric mentioned build a 4v over time then if i want i can swap it in. As far as the 2v motor is there anything you guys would do as far as upgrades to the oiling system, valve train. I know a lot of guys put in restrictors and lines to the mains. Is it needed on a mild motor? anyone have a guess of what hp this 2v setup would be around? thanks ryan

Click to expand...

If the engine is not yet assembled I would put the restrictors in all 5 cam journal oiling channels. If you are running hydraulic lifters I would also use restrictor push rods (or thick walled pushrods that effectively do the same thing). The front to rear external oil line can do no harm that I know of and may help with evening out the pressure from front to rear (I've used them on several engines without problems). Take care in setting the depth of the number 1 cam bearing. As it get deeper set it exposes more of the angle drilled second oil hole on number 1 journal causing more oil to be bled off than is needed. The factory spec is .001-.003 (.002-.005 is fine from what I can tell) between the cam retainer and the front edge of the bearing. DO NOT use a high volume oil pump without a high capacity oil pan (7 quart minimum). If you use a standard pump and pan add an extra quart of oil. As far as valve train goes use springs matched to the cam specs and use proper retainers and locks. Getting the hydraulic lifter preload set correctly may require custom length push rods or thin shims (assuming bolt down non-adjustable rocker arms) as well. Chuck

Click to expand...

Chuck,

How do you feel about just off setting the cam bearings 30-50%?

Click to expand...

In theory it could work but getting right 5 times could be a problem. This link is a better option in my opinion. http://www.tmeyerinc.com/exclusiveproducts.html

Chuck

the engine is together. i did forget to add i installed a high pressure oil pump with a 7 qt flat bottom pan. it has stud style rockers i had to get a custom push rod made since one was shorter than the others. i never replaced them all checked out fine. the engine had been built before me getting it. had pop up pistons and bunch of other goodies. but i needed to go back through it.

Click to expand...

I'd figure out why ONE pushrod was too short. Something is wrong with the valve train on that cylinder. Perhaps mismatched keeper, retainer, or high seat. If it ran OK it is likely not the cam. Chuck

If the engine is not yet assembled I would put the restrictors in all 5 cam journal oiling channels. If you are running hydraulic lifters I would also use restrictor push rods (or thick walled pushrods that effectively do the same thing). The front to rear external oil line can do no harm that I know of and may help with evening out the pressure from front to rear (I've used them on several engines without problems). Take care in setting the depth of the number 1 cam bearing. As it get deeper set it exposes more of the angle drilled second oil hole on number 1 journal causing more oil to be bled off than is needed. The factory spec is .001-.003 (.002-.005 is fine from what I can tell) between the cam retainer and the front edge of the bearing. DO NOT use a high volume oil pump without a high capacity oil pan (7 quart minimum). If you use a standard pump and pan add an extra quart of oil. As far as valve train goes use springs matched to the cam specs and use proper retainers and locks. Getting the hydraulic lifter preload set correctly may require custom length push rods or thin shims (assuming bolt down non-adjustable rocker arms) as well. Chuck

Click to expand...

Chuck,

How do you feel about just off setting the cam bearings 30-50%?

Click to expand...

In theory it could work but getting right 5 times could be a problem. This link is a better option in my opinion. http://www.tmeyerinc.com/exclusiveproducts.html

Chuck

the engine is together. i did forget to add i installed a high pressure oil pump with a 7 qt flat bottom pan. it has stud style rockers i had to get a custom push rod made since one was shorter than the others. i never replaced them all checked out fine. the engine had been built before me getting it. had pop up pistons and bunch of other goodies. but i needed to go back through it.

Click to expand...

I'd figure out why ONE pushrod was too short. Something is wrong with the valve train on that cylinder. Perhaps mismatched keeper, retainer, or high seat. If it ran OK it is likely not the cam. Chuck

Click to expand...

Great info! Thanks Chuck. (It's a thankless job but you do it so well)

it has a new cam in it complete rebuild. they had one odd push rod which they had shims to make up for it. wasn't to much shorter but i didnt want to have one odd one in the engine. I did the engine like 6 years ago so my memory on all the details isn't quite there anymore lol.

it has a new cam in it complete rebuild. they had one odd push rod which they had shims to make up for it. wasn't to much shorter but i didnt want to have one odd one in the engine. I did the engine like 6 years ago so my memory on all the details isn't quite there anymore lol.

Click to expand...

Sorry I mis-understood. I thought you meant all pushrods were the same length but that one wasn't long enough. It sounds like one was actually shorter than the other 15. Chuck

no biggie. I'm going to go back through it again and recheck everything to make sure its all good to go.