454 mild performance

[DetroitDan]

I say mild because I don't want people to talk about 900 horsepower blown alcohol motors. I'm beginning to consider warming up my bone-stock 454 a little bit, but I'd like to know what to expect. I'm leaning towards an Edelbrock Performer intake so I can keep my quadrajet. And of course Edelbrock has their Performer package where they match the cam to the intake for you, so it seems like that would be easy, BUT... how can you tell how much improvement you will see? I mean, how much better than a stock 4 bbl intake is theirs, and I dont know the specs on my stock cam, so how to compare it to theirs?

I'm almost tempted to jump up to Performer RPM, even though they say the regular Performer is better for low end torque. I don't really have a problem with low end torque now, and I think she'll pull anything I hook it to, but If I get more power at a higher rpm, well isn't that where you end up once you stand on it and start asking more of it? Would a higher output cam kill my low end? I don't think so.

I went through this years ago with a rclb k20, 350 sbc on 35s and 3.73 gears. I decided on a torquey truck and offroad type cam, and the truck was actually pretty doggy running it up from a standing start to highway speed. Made me wish I had gone with a bigger, hp type cam. I would like to be a little racier on the street, and while towing is important, I just dont see how a higher hp cam would reallly hurt my towing. Not going to bring my torque numbers down, is it? And my towing would be pretty easy except for some big big hills, at which point I'm shifting down and getting the revs up, so I'm going to be in the rpm range for the cam. I mean, who cares about how much torque you have at 1500, at 1500 youre not working it at all anyway, youre just idling along.

So, I know I'll have to do headers, even though I love how quiet my engine compartment is with iron manifolds. Aluminum spreadbore intake, bigger cam, what about roller rockers? Would they be worth anything on a truck motor?

If I didn't already mention it, it's a cclb dually with 4.10s. 90% of the time it's empty, just riding around for fun. Very little offroad, but needs to tow 11k camper a few times a year. Additionally, if I can get the wheel situation sorted out, it's going up another few inches and will be riding on 37s. So, mostly just looking for noticeably better performance, sportier power so I'm not getting beaten at stoplights by F150s or Tundras. And I want to keep the 4.10s.

[cjlinkster]

I am looking to do the same with my 454. I came across a site that has the stock cam specs, so this will give you an ideal of the stock cam along with a few recommendations on a performance cam.

http://www.tbichips.com/454ss.htm

From my research, the biggest limiting factor with the 454 is the peanut port heads that come on the truck engines. It is easily solved with money; but wow those aluminum oval port performance heads are upwards of $1800 for a pair. yikes!

If you proceed with your build up, please post it to the forum. I would like to know what you end up going with and the end results of the upgrades.

[baclay9]

For what you are wanting just find a set of 781 or 049 casting oval port heads. They are great in stock form and excellent if you have larger valves put in.

[gchemist]

The problem with a stock engine is compression. GM should have added more. Getting up to 400 HP or so should not be too hard.

[jimbonice]

Check out Team Chevelle at http://www.chevelles.com. It is a great source for all things big block. Lots of mild builds with your stock peanut ports, which are a-ok for 6600 lb trucks. They are much maligned but flow about the same or better than many performance small block heads and work well in the rpm range most of us drive our duallys in. Mine doesn't get past 3500 rpm a lot. Go with the performer, maybe one step up on the cam, keep the q-jet if its working -great carbs -, long tube headers are worth 30 hp, and get 34 degrees of total timing in. You should in in the 320 hp range and getting around 500 ft\lbs of torque, all before 4200 rpm.

[blakeduren]

Keep the tire size you have now if you want "performance" out of it. 4.10's will be great stoplight to stoplight and towing. 37 inch tires will only make it worse.

[67_SS396]

There are much better cam designs than the Performer series. Look into a Comp XE series or better yet, a Lunati VooDoo cam. The VooDoo series has some nice profiles and make good power. I've used many XE's and have been real pleased as well as the VooDoo. I'm building a stroked 454 and will be going with a solid VooDoo, but I'm looking for 650+ horses and 700+ ft lbs before juice.

For a cruiser and tow rig, you don't have to go crazy and its easy to pull 500 ftlbs and 400 horse. I'm curious to see what heads you have. Even if they are peanut ports, they will work well for what you want.
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[BigBlocksRule]

^ there are much better cams than ANY of Edelbrock's antiquated stuff.
Shoot for 9:1 or so compression, the bump from the factory's 8:1 will be significant, but you'll still be able to fill up at the pump.

[INSIDIOUS '86]

stock heads will work fine, if thes guys can make power with em so can you
http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles...ild/index.html