2015cc, re-boot

What cam does the paperwork say is in it? Those are big heads for a that size engine, a mild cam and mild compression...

 

PS- The reason I asked about the cam is that the best compression for the combo is dependant on what components are in the engine and those heads (with that displacement) suggest that it might be happier with a little more compression than you're planning. The valve sizes in the heads lead me to believe that the engine may be set up to run to 6500 (or more) with power, and if this is the case, you may find that dropping the compression a 1/4 or 1/2 point will result in a happier running beast. I've never seen it myself, but guys on other forums report engines running poorly with the compression ratio too low for the "combo". With smoothed edges and no spark plug threads protruding into the combustion chambers, people have claimed using up to 10:1 (which I think is too high) in similar engines, and running too little compression producing poor running, "overheating dogs" (not my words).

 

Make sure there is enough air intake into the engine compartment (these cars respond really well to a 6 or 7" hole carved into the firewall in front of the fan intake). This often is the cure for people who have done everything else in their quest to lower engine temps. Al

Al knows what he's talking about. The kind of cam makes a huge difference in what static compression ratio is acceptable and optimal. That's because you're engine doesn't care what the static compression ratio is, what really matters is the dynamic compression ratio- the more valve overlap a cam has, the more it's going to reduce the dynamic ratio.

If your engine is running a small cam (say W110) it will probably only tolerate an 8.5:1 static ratio. If it has a bigger cam (say an FK8) it should easily tolerate 9.5:1.

A much bigger concern to me is how your builder is planning to lower the compression ratio. Raising a compression ratio is easy – you can just flycut the head to get the chamber smaller. Decreasing the compression ratio means somehow getting a bigger chamber – the easiest and most common way to do this is by increasing the deck. Increasing the deck will make the engine run quite poorly, and quite a bit hotter... but it's how almost all people lower compression ratio. A much better approach would be to dish your pistons, or have a head porter increase your combustion chamber volume.

All in all, you may want to reconsider how much you lower your static combustion ratio.

Great explanation, Stan! I wish I'd said it like that...

Just curious: what bore and stroke get you to 2015cc?

Since 78x90.5=2007cc's, I'm guessing 78.4x90.5?

Per the 'build sheet'…90.5 bore with 78.3 stroke = 2016 cc….Cam is an Engle 125 with 301 duration and 460 lift.  I spoke with the shop this AM and the builder agrees with you all, that the comp ratio should be closer to 9 : 1 

Engine was built in July of '90 by Small Car Specialties in Anaheim, Calif,,,,don't think they're around anymore.  Dynoed @ 150 HP at 6200 RPM….WOW….

 

I will let you all know how this works out.  All the tin is Chromed, not my taste….I will powder coat it satin blk and the fan shroud light grey (ala Super 90 )

Greg- So I was close (ha ha)! If everything is right (heads with enough intake volume in the ports, large enough carbs and exhaust) an Engle W125 cammed engine (even a larger one) should rev to 6500 or a little more and produce another 10- 15 horsepower. 6200rpm is close, but it could do a little more; if the intake tracts of the heads are ported properly, maybe the manifolds are only "match- ported" (blended to about an inch up the manifold from the head mating surface) and not re-worked half way up the manifolds as they should be, the exhaust could be too small (1 1/2" instead of 1 5/8" tubing outside diameter), or the venturis in the carbs could be a little small. Does the build sheet tell you the rocker arm ratio? (will probably be 1.1:1 or 1.25).

 

My point here is, with the engine apart, if you're happy with those hp numbers and rpm range, if you stepped down to an Engle W120 cam with 1.25 rockers you'd get about the same top rpm and power but a little better/smoother/powerful bottom end and midrange. The engine as it sits is slightly over cammed and would run a little better with a one step milder cam. Al 

A W120 with 1.25s is almost perfect for a 2L engine, IMHO. I wasn't a believer until I had one ("bus engine", in the speedster for this season), but it's an amazing combination. Mine's a 2110, but it's all the same: good parts are good parts.

 

I'm running 9.5:1, have 40x37 043s, ported by AJ Sims, and am using a 1-1/2" sidewinder and 40 Dellortos. I've got no idea how much hp it makes on the dyno, and I don't care. It pulls like a freight-train in the low-mid range (WAY harder than the same heads did with an FK43), and doesn't run out of breath on top.

 

If I were a sane man, I'd just leave well enough alone and call it perfect.

 

I'm not, however, sane.

Where would the world be today if everyone was satisfied with what they had?

Ron--I can't speak for everyone and I believe you are right about what you said but I can say that I am extremely satisfied with my Speedster.  In the earlier days it underwent some great improvements and now is perfect for my use.  It is a worthy coast to coast ride, it is a multi Best Of Show Winner, a Miata eater, and as reliable as anything out there. Not to mention a joy to drive 500-600 mile days in clear weather or in driving rain. I can't imagine any other Speedster making me happier.

 

It took a lot of $$$ and time to get it to where it is but it's "there" now.  Nice to be satisfied and not always jonesing for the next "better" thing.

 

I do have a lingering lust for Ruby sometimes---just for the looks, but Al's not letting that one go anytime soon.  Just kidding, Al.

Jack, I think if you were take a poll everyone who has encountered Ruby in the flesh will admit to a subliminal 'lust' for it.

Count me in when it comes to lusting for Ruby. 

I've got to see that girl (ruby) someday

Ruby:

     My wife and I attended the very first 356 Registry promoted "gathering" of 356 owners in a White Plains NY parking lot...(I parked my '59 semi-outlaw coupe on the outer fringes of this surprisingly large turnout) and went to see what a milling crowd was obscuring in the middle of the lot.

 

     It was the magnificent spitting image, from bumper to bumper, of Ruby, but dressed in a triple black so deep you could dive into it. After a couple of minutes of oohgaling and aahgaling I casually commented "Honey, I'd trade you in on this" 

 

     After a short pause she replied  "Carl honey,...Hell, I'd trade myself in on this!"

 

     And we both meant it

 

   

FYI, Stan and Al are right on about CR, it's not the static but the dynamic that is important. I'm running 9.8:1 and could run an even 10:1 I'm sure. But I dropped it a tad(from 10.1:1) because of inaccurate ignition and some pinging. The important thing is that the intake,carbs, cam, heads, rockers, and yes, even the exhaust are all designed to work TOGETHER!

While it's true some guys get away with 10:1 (or even a little more!) compression with an engine with a W125 (or any cam with similar dur @ .050" figures), the closer you are to maximum, the more exact the combo has to be and the more on top of the tune you have to be ALL THE TIME! Even something seemingly innocuous as a slightly too small exhaust can (as well as not allowing the engine to breath all the way up to redline) prevent a combination from reaching it's true potential, holding in too much heat in the heads, which can cause an engine to ping prematurely, and will need slightly less compression to compensate.

 

With an engine just shy of the ragged edge, (as Danny said) distributor timing has to be rock solid and even point wear can cause detonation as it changes the timing ever so slightly. A plugged idle jet can bend a rod and even a bad tank of gas can destroy an engine. Danny (as well as Stan) is a little more attentive than some so he can run a little closer to the edge and get away with it, but he's experienced enough to recognize when something changes. In short, he has the ability to understand what it's trying to say when it talks to him.

 

Running a half point or so short of maximum allows a slightly less experienced person a little indiscretion occasionally while he learns to recognize when the engine is trying to tell him something, and the hp lost is not big at all. My Yoda thing for the week, this is...  

OK…finally got the long block back from the shop, and it sits in the Garage, waiting for me to put the rest together in get her IN….I had the shop add a full flow oil pump cover and now need some sound advice on the plumbing for same.  I am thinking of mounting the filter under the rear left fender????thinking the farther run could aid in cooling the oil ????  any pic's or advice will be appreciated.

new AA 90.5 mm P&C's, new SS valves (42 and 37)and 3 angle 'job', Comp Ratio appx 9:1 went through the Weber 44's…Now, I wish I could find someone to trade me my Chrome tin for black painted tin (36 hpDoghouse with heater)….. 

That's where my filter is located...tightly squeezed in under the driver's side rear fender...and a PITA to get a flexible filter wrench on.!!!

I cut the handle shorter to get more rotation.

I'd just buy new tin. For under a few hundred dollars you could have the tin of your dreams.  Or hit the chrome stuff with oven cleaner and a scotch bright pad and paint it with some high temp engine paint.

 

Ted

I had my oil filter mounted at the back of the car (by the merged header).  Henry, at IM, put the Fram filter on.  I replaced it with a WIX at my first oil change.

 

 

 

 

Greg- As Carl already pointed out, the left rear fender is where most people (in Beetles as well as Speedsters) mount the oil filter. It will remove some heat, but I don't think enough to be measurable. If you've got enough air intake into the engine compartment (a 6 or 7" hole in the firewall; through the engine lid grille alone is not nearly enough!), the back of the engine is sealed off from radiant heat from the exhaust and spent cooling air, the engine has been tuned properly (including carb jetting) and you are experiencing high oil temps, it may be time to add a cooler (with thermostat or the thing will not warm up a lot of the time, and that's not good either) to the filter lines.

 

You mentioned adding a full flow oil pump cover- is it out to the filter and back in to the cover or did your mechanic tap the case up by the oil pressure sender for a 3/8" hose fitting? You could do as Ted suggests, and buy new engine tin or do the low budget approach (also mentioned by Ted) and paint it after using oven cleaner on it. If you go this way, rinse the stuff off with paint thinner and then water, using compressed air to dry it each time. You'll get a better finish with a cleaner substrate. I worked in a friend's shop one winter and after seeing how my painted tin came out, he got me to paint all the engine tin, even after I went back to work at the regular job (I'm a house painter). Surface prep is the key here...

 

There's a reason I'm asking about how the oil gets back in the engine; I've read that all the "out and back in" covers have passages that are too small to move all the pumped oil above 6,000 rpm and can break the tang off the oil pump drive. This is by someone respected in the industry. Al

I hope he had the case tapped for full flow....

TRahn, Pictures are worth 1000's of words!

Jack,would you like the "first right of refusal" when Ruby goes on the block?

Yes, Jim Ward had Henry put together a very nice Speedster.  That is a lovely, deep red.

Hey Alan!  What about me??????  that's always been one of my favorites.

Ruby is the Jennifer Lopez of the Speedster world....there'a a long line.

Damned skippie I'd like right of first refusal!  Ruby has told me that she wants to be in my garage.  Really.

Are those wheels on Ruby proprietary to IM or are they available on market?

 

Those wheels come standard on IMs. Most take them off and put the popular 4 lug Kombi's on. Because everyone wants that vintage Karman Ghia look right? Am I right?

Heck, I thought they were Bevins.

Rusty, wow those wheels are gorgeous.

Something about the wheel and tire combo just makes that car sizzle.

 

Well played,
Ted

Ted you must be talking about this wheel and tire combo. This, being one of the most expensive wheels available for our replica cars and one of the most magnificent. I just cannot say enough about this wheel and I am certain that all of the replica manufacturers choose this particular wheel for it's magnificent beauty, elegance, style, and value. Right? Am I right? That is why most of our cars come with this wheel...

 

 

^^I just can't say enough about that wheel right up there ^^

So Rusty, are they Bevins?

I don't know Ron but we all know that the Porsche 356 originally came with 4 lug wheels. The wide 5 setup was simply a cheaper option at the time. That is why so many have the wide 5 setup - people just were not spending the money in the 50's like they do today.

Okay - setting all sarcasm aside... What I don't understand is why these replica manufacturers didn't just screw a fricken doorknob onto the doors of these cars and a standard cabinet handle for the hood. It makes no sense to me. If you are going to use a 4 lug Karman Ghia wheel on a 356 replica then why not screw the rest of it up?

 

 

Gentlemen, indeed they are Alex Bivens wheels on RUBY. On my car they are polished,on Stan's they are brushed. Both are made of billet aluminum. If you can find a set,they will set you back about 3 large! And just in case you are entertaining the idea that RUBY may be available for sale soon,"fa-getta-boutit"!! Just seeing if I could get a rise out of Jack! Although.....hum..., sealed bids will be accepted. Think BIG numbers!!! Make it worthwhile!!! Please include a 250 word, or more, essay on why you should be the new owner of this legendary speedster. Grammar counts!!