Tech / General Engine Is your car making a strange sound or won't start? Thinking of adding power with a new combination? Need other technical information or engine specific advice? Don't see another board for your problem? Post it here!

Compression Question

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 07-22-2009, 12:40 PM
  #1  
Supreme Member

Thread Starter
 
mmadden55's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Houson
Posts: 1,146
Received 6 Likes on 5 Posts
Car: 86 Firebird
Engine: 305 SBC
Transmission: 700 R4 TCI
Axle/Gears: 3.42
Compression Question

Blew up my 355 and I am going with a Dart SHP 400 4.125 bore 3.75 stroke on 350 mains. I have several options on pistons. So the question is.. Is 11.4 to 1 too much compression for premium pump gas and or should I go down to 10.5 to 1 ? Anybody have any experience with this?
Old 07-22-2009, 01:49 PM
  #2  
Member
 
csmith3's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Central OH.
Posts: 111
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Car: 70T/A, 87Formula, 02Hawk, 06 GTO
Engine: 400, 350, LS1, LS2
Transmission: M21, 700r4, T56, 4L65-E
Axle/Gears: 3:55, 2:77, 3:45, 3:46
Re: Compression Question

Is this a daily driver, or a weekend warrior? Too bad you don't have Sunoco stations in TX. They carry Sunoco 94 and there is no methanol in it. Stuff's great man! You could always dump in a can of outlaw octane booster every tankful.
Old 07-22-2009, 04:13 PM
  #3  
Supreme Member

 
skinny z's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Alberta
Posts: 9,179
Received 639 Likes on 539 Posts
Re: Compression Question

The amount of static compression ratio you can run largely depends on the cam you select. Long duration cams require a higher SCR so as to maintain adequate cylinder pressure. Consider to the volume of the combustion chamber when selecting pistons. Conventional thinking says that a smaller chamber combined with a flat top piston will yield better results overall than a large chamber that requires a domed piston to achieve the desired compression ratio.
11.4:1 may be more than enough in some application or not enough in others.
Of course there are other factors as mentioned by the previous poster.
Old 07-22-2009, 06:19 PM
  #4  
Supreme Member

Thread Starter
 
mmadden55's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Houson
Posts: 1,146
Received 6 Likes on 5 Posts
Car: 86 Firebird
Engine: 305 SBC
Transmission: 700 R4 TCI
Axle/Gears: 3.42
Re: Compression Question

I'm running a TPI MAF Siamesed runners. Haven't picked a cam for this motor yet will be fairly long duration high lift cam, this is a weekend warrior street car. And yeah we got 10 % ethanol in the gas here too, smog city.
Old 07-22-2009, 10:19 PM
  #5  
Senior Member

 
F-body-fan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Green Bay, WI
Posts: 917
Received 19 Likes on 18 Posts
Re: Compression Question

I would agree with skinny Z. If you run a fairly agressive cam with a lot of overlap,
The dynamic compression starts to drop off & a higher static numnber is ok. If you are going to stay tame, you might need to stay closer to 9.5? Depends on how efficient the cylinder heads are too.
Old 07-27-2009, 12:33 PM
  #6  
Supreme Member

Thread Starter
 
mmadden55's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Houson
Posts: 1,146
Received 6 Likes on 5 Posts
Car: 86 Firebird
Engine: 305 SBC
Transmission: 700 R4 TCI
Axle/Gears: 3.42
Re: Compression Question

I have Trick Flow Twisted Flow aluminum heads.
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
beastin91rs
Tech / General Engine
18
10-09-2015 07:38 AM
gixxer92
Engine/Drivetrain/Suspension Parts for Sale
5
09-01-2015 04:32 PM
NinjaNife
Tech / General Engine
27
08-23-2015 11:49 AM
redmaroz
LTX and LSX
7
08-16-2015 11:40 PM
BBSDesigns
Power Adders
10
08-11-2015 07:39 PM



Quick Reply: Compression Question



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:12 AM.