292 Question

[NixxiN]

So I finally got my 65 on the road but it is sloooow. I can get it up to 55 but I have to rev the engine To where it sounds like it will blow. It's got a new clutch so I don't think the clutch is slipping. I put a Holley 5200 on it and plugs read good. It's got 120ish on compression. I like driving my truck but it sounds like it it's overevving and it is loud.

Is hat just the way it is and I should dumb the inline as scrap and put a 350 in it or is there anything I can do?

[jonzcustomshop]

what kind of rear gear? maybe that is the issue?

[AcampoDave]

Sounds like you got a high (numerically) rear end ratio. I'd check that first. I have found 4:11's in c10s before. Count the teeth on the ring gear and devide that number by the pinion teeth. I have found the ratio stamped on the side of the ring gear too. If you got a crazy gear ratio any motor you choose will scream equally.

[NixxiN]

I'm gonna check that Monday. But I forgot another symptom or reason. Because my engine is reving so fast I can't even get into my carb secondary. Would my gearing make my motor over rev on 1/2 a carb?

[AcampoDave]

Maybe an inexpensive tach would be handy for putting some r.p.m. to your m.p.h.. Then we'd have some data to work with here.

[Sharps40]

If the holly 5200 is a progressive two barrel, its running on the main to about 2500 rpm and then its progressively opening the secondary.....if your linkage is correctly adjusted to open the secondary all the way to WOT.

If you have 3.73 rear and the peanut trans, yer prolly taching 2700 to 2900 rpm at 60 to 65 mph. At those speeds you are most likely running up on the main and in the bottom of the secondary with correct throttle adjustments.

Untill you change the final gear in the diff and/or put in an overdrive trans, the truck will rev high. But as for fast? It should tack 4500+ rpm with the holly and push 80 mph easy even with the peanut trans when the holly is correctly set up.

[ncoonen]

The answers are all here. Job one is to find out the RPM your engine is turning when it sounds scary. Hopefully you have a old-school dwell-tach meter you could hook up with some extension wires. Run run the wires out the back of the hood through the door seal and set the thing on the dash for your test.

I think what you'll find is this: 1. mechanical engine fans make a lot of noise; 2. old trucks have 0 sound insulation so you hear everything; and 3. you have 3.73 or 4.11 gears in the rearend.

You can swap in a 350 or some other V8 but they make plenty of noise too. The 292 is a nice motor (wish I had one). You may be happy with a fan clutch to quiet things down when it's revved.

Enjoy...ned.

[gmcdeadhead]

i have a 292 in my 66 truck, 4:11 rear gears, 16"tires, regular 4 speed trans. when my tach reads 3000, it sound like the motor is screaming also. i learn to live with the sound.

[66Submarine]

From the sound of it, you are probably not used to old trucks with no overdrive. Here's what my current truck sounds like @ 55 FWIW

'65 Chevy C-30 rolling down the road @ 55MPH -...

Put a tach in it and see what you are actually turning @55, then you can go from there.

"Because my engine is reving so fast I can't even get into my carb secondary. Would my gearing make my motor over rev on 1/2 a carb?" To make power you have to wind it up a little. There is no such thing as spinning too fast to use all the carb.

[C10 - C90 Bill]

Yeah, I wouldn't change engines because of a revving problem. I sure do like the 292. As mentioned above, check your Rear End Ratio. Also, you didn't mentioned what kind of truck you have it in but if it's a Pick-up, and for a quick fix, try Taller Tires in the rear. I put 265/75R/15's on the back of my '72 C-10 that had the same type of problem and it made somewhat of a difference.

Bill

[NixxiN]

I ordered a dwell/tach and tomorrow I'm gonna check the rear gearing. I'll update when I have some info.

Thanks for the reply's so far.

[TJ's Chevy]

Okey for starters like everyone else has said...check the gear ratio...I own a 292 and have done MANY experiments with it. I have reved it to 4,500 rpm....and that was in third gear.....Remember that an inline 6 is gonna sound like it is reving higher cause of the low duration and smooth idle....before I got a tach for mine I used to think I was doing 4,000 rpm when I was doing 3,000 to 3,300 rpm. Gear ratio will tell you everything....the 292 peaks torque at about 2,000-2,500, and drops it from there.

[kieth]

SEND ME THE DIAMETER (GROUND TO TOP OF REAR TIRE IN INCHES) OF YOUR TIRES, WHICH TRANSMISSION, AND i WILL SEND YOU A TORQUE WITHIN A USABLE SPEED EXCELL SPREAD SHEET THAT WILL SHOW YOUR SPEED WITH ALL AVAILABLE REAR AXLE RATIOS, AT DIFFERING RPM'S THEN MAYBE WE CAN MAKE MORE SENSE OUT OF IT ALL. JUST PM ME HERE AND GIVE ME YOU EMAIL ADDRESS--