One other thing I should mention is the only real change I made to the cooling system between last year when the temp went to 243 and I overheated in Reno is the change from a stock shroud and a 7 blade fan to the Taurus 15" elect fan and shroud. The outside temp was probably 5-10 degrees hotter last year as well but it's a pretty good testament to the ability of this elect fan to keep temps under control, at least in my case. Say what you will but it does seem to work better than the factory setup for my situation. I probably have $200 tied up in parts and that includes $150 for a 140a powermaster alt. To power everything.
Once the best initial and mechanical advance has been determined and set, one method of testing and calibrating a distributor for optimum vacuum advance at cruise, with a carburetor equipped engine, is to use a good vacuum gauge and a vacuum pump. One connects the vacuum gauge to the manifold port on the carburetor and runs the hose into the cabin so it can be read while the car is being driven on the test section of highway. Next a vacuum pump, with an accurate gauge attached, is connected to the distributor vacuum advance can and that hose is also run into the cabin. A driver and a recorder is needed, along with a five to ten mile stretch of flat highway.
The car is driven at the desired cruise speed, 50, 60, 70 MPH whatever the owner determines the car would normally cruise at. The recorder then slowly activates the vacuum pump until the vacuum advance is activated and the car starts to speed up. The manifold vacuum and the reading of the gauge on the pump is recorded. To keep the car at the test speed the throttle will have to be closed somewhat which in turn will result in a higher manifold vacuum. Once the test speed is re-established the recorder adds an inch of vacuum to the pump, the driver keeps the car at the test speed and the manifold vacuum is recorded. The pump and manifold vacuum is recorded for every step applied to the advance with the pump. As the advance builds the throttle is closed more resulting in more vacuum and less fuel air charge going through the carburetor, resulting in a more economical cruise, all the while maintaining the desired test speed. After the maximum manifold vacuum is reached the car is taken back to the garage and with the use of a timing light and the vacuum pump the actual timing numbers are recorded for every point of vacuum that was supplied by the pump during the test.
The vacuum advance can then be calibrated to give the amount of advance that was obtained which resulted in the highest manifold vacuum at the test rpm.
That test would take almost no time if one had a way to adjust the timing while driving like Firebob does with his fuel injection system. One could also adjust the timing on the fly to a point that gives the best air/fuel ratio if an A/F gauge was installed in the car.
Do those Sniper systems even have a throttle blade or is it port injected?
It's a throttle body injection so, yes, it has blades. And the AFR is also adjusted by the ECU to whatever values you have entered into the program. I think I have it at 14@idle/13.5@cruise/12.5@ WOT. Another nice thing is it will adjust to changes in air pressure too. So now when I go from sea level over Donner Pass( 7300 ft) and 5500ft in downtown Reno I don't notice that lack of hp I did when running my old qjet.
I'm not saying everybody should get one but it does making adjustments much more convenient. Gas mileage still sucks but what're you going to do?
Well I had a brain malfunction and put in a TKO 600. Big overdrive and get about 26 MPG. I get 14 driving around the island. Could buy a lot of gas with the money I spent on that swap. Oh well, business was good back then and I thought I could afford it. OK not really but I talked myself into it.
I had conversations with my tranny builder in regards to over drive. Here is a copy of the email thread. Some of you may understand it better than I.
Brian 283
Wed, May 9, 2018, 2:22 PM
Hi Steve,
If I wanted to have overdrive on my 65 Pontiac, should I buy a new tranny with overdrive or rebuild my TH400 and add new overdrive unit to existing tranny?
Brian
283 steve@
Wed, May 9, 2018, 6:17 PM
to me
Far superior to go with a 700R4 then doing a TH400 with OD. The problem is overheating and terrible fuel economy, because you do not have a lock up with OD. I’ve seen a lot of people that are angry going the TH400 & OD route.
Do you want to do a TH700R4?
Thanks,
Steve Brian <283>
Wed, May 9, 2018, 6:26 PM
to Steve It's my driver so it would make sense to get overdrive. I have a 3.08 rear end on her. Should we get a core and rebuild one so you can beef it up and put in shift kit and stall? How should we go?
Brian 283
steve@
Thu, May 10, 2018, 1:21 PM
to me
Brian 3.08 x OD gives you a ratio 2.15 which is too low unless you drive at 100mph all the time. A 350 lock up would give you a better combo. How tall are your tires in inches? Brian <283>
Thu, May 10, 2018, 1:32 PM
to Steve Not sure I understand. That normally would have a stock 2.56 or 2.73 rear end diff. 3.08 will have higher rpm at 70mph than 2.56. Idea is to reduce the rpm when we go into OD correct?
15" rims, have not decided on what tire size is. It's a wagon so it won't be too tall.
Brian
283 Brian <283>
Fri, Jan 18, 9:13 AM
to Steve Hi Steve, I would like to figure out weather to go the OD route for my Catalina. My brother-in-law purchased a 65 Pariseenen /wo a tranny. He could take my TH004 and rebuild it. I could get you to rebuild a OD tranny for my Catalina. What would I need to purchase? What is a 350 lockup?
Brian 283 steve@
Mon, Jan 21, 8:46 AM
to me
With 3.08 :: 1 gears in the diff you can’t use OD at all. Your engine rpm at 60 mph would be 1600 rpm. Most gas engines barely make power down that low. You could use the 700 R4 if you change your gears to 3.42, 3.73, 4.11, 4.56, 4.88, 5.12 or 5.30. TH350C are very hard to find. Brian <283>
Mon, Jan 21, 6:58 PM
to Steve Ok, I think I have it now. I have a TriPwr battleship so we go with 200-4R? The 700R4 is for engines /w computer correct? Think I will go with 3.42 or 3.73 gears in the diff. We can use the TH400 you have now for my son-in-law's 65 Pontiac Paris.
Does his make sense?
Brian 283 steve@
Tue, Jan 22, 7:59 AM
to me
No, 700 R4 & 200 4R have almost no computer control. The computer control was for the lock up (TCC) on some models 1985 and up for both transmissions. The 700 R4 has bigger planetaries and can take more abuse.
700 R4 gear ratios:
1st à 3.06 to 1
2nd à 1.62 to 1
3rd à 1 to 1
4th à .69 to 1
200 4R gear ratios:
1st à 2.74 to 1
2nd à 1.57 to 1
3rd à 1 to 1
4th à .71 to 1
If you drive fast, 70 mph & faster, than I would do the 700 R4 & change your gears, other wise stick with the TH400.
Brian 283
to steve
Steve, Let's take the easy route. Rebuild it like the 68 Firebird TH004 you did. Shift kit again. Is there an extra cost to enable the tranny to have a 2400 stall? I realize I need 2400 torque converter but is there anything to add to the tranny rebuild side? Cost? I will let you start anytime you ready. Take your time
Engine Test Stand Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwoxyUwptUcdqEb-o2ArqyiUaHW0G_C88 restoring my 1968 Firebird 400 HO convertible (Firedawg) 1965 Pontiac Catalina Safari Wagon 389 TriPower (Catwagon) 1999 JD AWS LX Lawn tractor 17hp (my daily driver) 2006 Sequoia 2017 Murano (wife's car) 202? Electric car 203? 68 Firebird /w electric engine 2007 Bayliner 175 runabout /w 3.0L Mercuiser__________________________________________________________
What about your water pump pulley? The post by Ramair68 reminded me of the change I made.
My 428 had a pulley from a six cylinder when I bought it. I looked good with the long snout and polished stainless bolts with no fan, but I couldn't get it to quite line up with the other pulleys. It had a fan spacer between the pump and the pulley, i tried a few different spacers but no luck. I found the correct pulley but it is 8" dia. I searched for a smaller and found one about 5" dia. The smaller pulley spins at 1.6 times the rpm of the larger pulley which, theoretically, moves more water. The stock 68 water pump pulleys for a standard car and power steering car is 8". The stock water pump pulley for AC equipped cars is 5-11/16". That alone would result in an increase in water pump rpm from 914 to 1286 at an idle of 1000rpm. But the AC equipped cars also had the crank pulley increased from 7-5/16" dia. to 8" dia. That increases the rpm of the water pump to 1407 rpm at the same engine idle rpm of 1000, theoretically, with no belt slippage. A 40% increase in water movement could help with cooling when sitting at a red light.
Last edited by Bluebird428; 07/17/1906:09 PM. Reason: brain malfunction