Engine and Transmission Tech

Hi,
I'm new to this board (great site) although I'm not new to build aluminum engines. I have a 1932 Chevy street rod powered by a 305 built by Ray Baker.. Ray is the son of the Mr Baker featured in the original Hot Rod magazine aluminum v8 article. My 32 is a great running car and the engine always draws lots of head scratching when I pop the hood and ask gear heads if they can identify the engine. Fun stuff.

Anyway, my reason for posting here is because for years I have had a hankering to build another aluminum v8. I'll figure out what car to put it in after I build the engine. (Miata? Racing lawn mower? ) I do know that I want a carbureted setup for simplicity.

Here is what I have; 1 complete 215 ; 1 complete 4.0 ; 1 set Buick 300 heads; 1 Buick 300 crank. Both engines are low mileage and good condition. Cylinder sleeves in the 4.0 show no signs of movement. Using these parts I want to install the 300 crank and heads in the 4.0. I have researched the archives and have been doing my homework but still have some questions....

What combination of pistons and rods will result in about 9.5:1 compression with the 4.0 block with the 300 heads and crank?

What cam combination will work in the 4.0 block with the 215 timing cover? I'll be running a stick shift so lumpy idle is ok

Any other unforeseen complications that I would wish Iknew about before buttoning it up?

Thanks!

Dave R

Welcome Dave. Is Phil Baker still in the business? Seems to me that he, Ray, and either Dan or Mark at D&D should be familiar with the available piston combos, though it is kinda common to get stuck on one piston if you aren't careful. Some of the guys on here should have some ideas though, and a search might turn something up. I'd suspect that a few of the boys on the other side of the pond might have come up with something good by now too.

Jim

Dave, If you still have that Hot Rod/ Phil Baker piece, it laid out all of the crank/rod and piston combos.Do these specialist make a rear main seal for 4L to 300 crank ? If not, IMHO, off-set grinding a 4.6L crank(stronger), to the desired stroke, would solve the seal problem. Using narrowed sbc rods offers more options for rod lengths and 305" sbc pistons,(ICON webbsite). Some of the pistons are still likely available. Your 4L block is same deck height as 215 V8,(8.960). Good Luck, roverman.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/25/2012 06:35PM by roverman.

Phil Baker died quite a fe wears ago and then his son Ray took over the business. Ray is a certified aircraft welder and has done some remarkable things with his talent. Somewhere in my files I have a picture of V12 he made from two Buick 215's. It is compeletely seamless to the eye. He joined the blocks, cams, heads, cranks, everything. Then to top it off built an efi for it. Truly remarkable.

This was about 10 years ago... Then Ray decided to get out of the 215 business and leave it to D&D. I haven't talked to him for years .

Which leads me back to th current discussion;

I reviewed the Phil Baker article in Hot Rod and came up with the following... Remember the Rover variants hadn't been built when the article was published.

The 4.0 has a 3.69" bore.

Bakers 289" version of the 215 calls for 3.68" bore. Close enough, I guess...

This version uses the 300 crank, 300 heads, stock 215 rods and 255 ford pistons. With a .040 gasket this yields a 10:38:1 compression

But I'd like a bit lower compression to deal with daily driving on current crappy gas. The 305 in my 32 chevy has Bakers monster high compression motor and it sure doesent like anything other than the best premium gas. So any suggestions for a piston / rod combo yielding compression in he 9.0-9.5 range?

Thx for the input!

Dave

Dave, Check out Keith Black/Silvolite catalog for pistons compared to the Ford 255. Compare bore diameter(3.68"),pin size and compression height.

Here's the piston/rod combo chart from D&D.....
[www.aluminumv8.com]

When you go to a sbc rod, you get to choose rod lengths and sbc pistons. Rover 4./4.6L bores are 94mm=3.700". Sbc 305" pistons come in many diameters and pin heights, which aids in your quest. Your cam and induction will effect the "dynamic" compression ratio and where in the rpm range, most likely to ping, with a given octane. Cheers, roverman.

Just talked to Mark at D&D. He has a cnc program to dish out the top of the 255 pistons to yield any desired compression. So there's the answer to that!