Thread: BBC 402 looking for advice on head work, cam and stall

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My modified front cover didn't manage to maintain the .006 clearance. WTF happened or why is unknown. It was replaced with a Cloyes quick-button two piece cover just because I was ready to be finished with the cam thrust worries.

The engine is assembled now and the headers installed!!! No header clearance issues with the frame, engine stands, starter, tranny, oil filter, etc... I did have to relocate the starter lead from the battery though and I'll need to heat shield the tranny lockup wiring but... I'm happy with it.

Just gotta finish up wiring the dual fan harness, install the radiator-n-fans, heat shield the transmission lockup wiring from the header flange and do some other odd stuff before first fire up!

Then I'll drive it open headers to the exhaust shop across town, over the hill and down the valley... where they'll install the 02 bung near the flange and attach the headers to my existing exhaust. After that, I hope to make it to the Goodguys event next week at TMS! We shall see eh

-weq

Fired it up today!!

This is open headers, no O2 sensor at all to feed good data to the MSD EFI unit so it's running rich and bad, hunting for idle because I replaced the IAC while on the bench. Gotta get it to the exhaust shop to get the headers finished to my pipes with the 02 sensor, but... it's runnin' !!

See the link...

https://youtu.be/7W148nXt60A

-weq

So after having some time to drive it around... throttle response is much improved, low end torque is up and overall low end and mid range torque and power feels to have been increased by a large margin with the roller cam retrofit and the head work. I have yet to do any tuning with the timing or EFI so there are some ponies left to acquire for sure!

This cam, the comp xr270hr, is looking to have been a great choice for this big block. As for the stall... the jury is still out. My guess is that I'll be visiting this again soon.

-weq

Well, considering you haven't tried to help by tuning / timing... why are you undecided on the stall?
Just curious on this end.. Since the cam and the stall / torque convertor need to work together, you seem to like the cam well enough, so I'm curious why you seem undecided on the stall you chose.

No disrespect meant, just curious as to your "feeling" or diagnoses.

The stall... I didn't change/replace it. It is purple and it works, that's all I really know about the converter that's in there right now. It seems pretty tight though so I'm thinking it's stockish maybe 1800-2200.

After some testing and tuning I figure a bigger stall might be in my future. I'm just having some fun with it right now while I work out the kinks in the cooling system and A/C ( oh and the burnt plug boots lol ). Kinda treating it like the cruiser it used to be.. hehe.


-weq

Okay, I get it now.
If you are just going for a cruiser, perhaps consider keeping the tighter converter, turning revs to make horsepower in a range you can't use on the street is really not very effective (imho)..

Now the real question. Are you having fun with it?? 'Cause that's what it is really all about! 8-)