Finish my engine for Kirkham

Keithc8 · #1 (**permalink**) 07-19-2005, 11:41 PM

I just finished my personal engine for my new Kirkham that I have had in the garage for about a month. I decided to build a 526C.I. engine with Shelby aluminum 4.375 bore block, Scat billet 4.375 crankshaft, Lunati billet rods, JE pistons, Comp Cams solid roller, Shelby front cover, Armondo oil pan, Jesel roller dog bone lifters, Comp Cams pushrods, our Edelbrock CNC stage 3 heads with 2.25/1.75 valves, Dove Tunnel Wedge medium riser intake with 2 Pro System 600 Holleys, T&D roller rockers, MSD distrubutor and wires.
I will try to post some pictures tomorrow with some dyno sheets. The engine was built with 11 to 1 compression and a smooth solid roller camshaft but I solved the solid roller lifter problem by using the Jesel .903 dog bone style roller lifters. These are extremely good lifters but a little pricey at 2200.00 but so is the rest of the car. These are the lifters that the Busch, NHRA Pro-Stockers and anyone using high spring pressure or wanting longevity use.
The engine idles at 800 HP nicely and I was very happy with the job Pro Systems did on the carburetors, just had to richen up the jets a little. I guess it was a little over kill but it made 685ft/lbs torque and 760HP with a average of 710HP from 4800 to 7100rpms and an average of 636 ft/lb torque in the same rpm range. It was still a little lean when I finished but I know when I install the air cleaner and exhaust system it will richen up the carburetors. I wanted something a little over kill I guess.
Hope to have installed and running so I can go to run and gun. I have never been and it sounds like fun. Keith

HotRodJoe · #2 (**permalink**) 07-20-2005, 05:12 AM

Not bad.

blykins · #3 (**permalink**) 07-20-2005, 06:00 AM

Were you holding back on the horspower Keith? I know a couple of big cube FE (high 400's) KC engines that made this much horsepower (or so was said) with the same head package, roller cam, etc. Basically the same combo of parts...just a smaller displacement.

Cracker · #4 (**permalink**) 07-20-2005, 07:36 AM

Yeah - ya holding back Kieth? My little 427 you built made 660 hp...

Excaliber · #5 (**permalink**) 07-20-2005, 08:00 AM

A little pricey for the rollers?? Dam, I guess!

Ah but it beats the heck out of replacing them down the road to early.

SO you got yourself a "square motor", interesting.

Feder · #6 (**permalink**) 07-20-2005, 08:33 AM

Kieth, can You tell Us what makes the dog bone lifters so much better to justify the price? and what about the shubeck rollers?
Having no pin for the roller seems like a good thing.
Dont squared motors have a longer torque curve?
Damn that motor sound bad -- YOU THE MAN !!!
Darryl

bret a ewing · #7 (**permalink**) 07-20-2005, 01:07 PM

Keith, do you know what that motor weighs?

Bret.

(BTW my motor is still not in the car that is why I haven't called you).

Power Surge · #8 (**permalink**) 07-20-2005, 01:15 PM

Dang, and all I'm trying to do is get me a basic 390 to get my car up and running

.

Nice job Keith. I can't wait to see some pics! Of the motor AND the car.

I guess you really like the Edlebrock heads that much better then the Blue Thunders?

RedCSX1 · #9 (**permalink**) 07-20-2005, 04:49 PM

What kind of distributor gear are you running. What about wear?
What lift cam is it? Sound just awesome. I can't wait to see pictures.

Morgan

maurice19 · #10 (**permalink**) 07-20-2005, 08:50 PM

Keith,

Good choice on the tunnel wedge, ha.

Great sounding engine.

Maurice Lawrence

Keithc8 · #11 (**permalink**) 07-21-2005, 01:08 AM

SZome of the other FE engines that we have done with smaller cubic inches that made more power had about 15 to 1 compression, much larger camshaft, better intake and carburetion. I could have picked up about 15 to 20 HP with 2 inch spacers under each carburetor but I can not run them in the car so I did not run them on the dyno. The camshaft that I used is very smooth with about .660 lift at the valve. The reason the Jesel lifters are so expensive is that the material used in them is more money. They have a very large wheel with large axle and bearings. I have not tried the Shubeck roller style lifter but I need to do that and see how they work. The distributor has a bronze gear on it right now, but may install a steel gear for longevity. We use the bronze gears on our circle track engine and put about 300 laps on them with no problem and this is with running as high as 9000rpms.
The square engine combination will usually make more torquw because of the stroke. The thing about this engine is that it made 700HP at about 5500 and still making 750 at 7100 with peak power at 6700rpms. I was trying to build a real drivable engine with a broad power band. The carburetors are fairly small to give real good drivability and response.
I will try and weigh the engine as well as get some picturs posted. I have to have the wife help with the pictures since I am not good with the computer.
The reason I did not use the Blue Thunder heads were the exhaust were raised a little to high for the headers Kirkham supplied which are for standard exhaust location. Thanks, Keith

Ant · #12 (**permalink**) 07-21-2005, 02:49 AM

Hey Keith,

Hey that motor is making some serious power,
the transmission and rear end are not going to know what hit-em!

blykins · #13 (**permalink**) 07-21-2005, 05:05 AM

Sounds like a thumper....I hope to see it at the run and gun this year...

Power Surge · #14 (**permalink**) 07-21-2005, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Keithc8

The reason I did not use the Blue Thunder heads were the exhaust were raised a little to high for the headers Kirkham supplied which are for standard exhaust location. Thanks, Keith

Keith, was this the MR BT heads? I thought they were dimensionally the same as the OE MR heads. Will I have the same header issue with my Kirkham if I use them?

Keithc8 · #15 (**permalink**) 07-21-2005, 02:20 PM

These are pictures of Keith's engine. The darn thing rattled the windows around here. I know I won't be riding with him. In fact, I'm thinking of upping his life insurance policy.

Shelly

Keithc8 · #16 (**permalink**) 07-21-2005, 02:23 PM

another picture

Keithc8 · #17 (**permalink**) 07-21-2005, 02:27 PM

valve cover close-up

bret a ewing · #18 (**permalink**) 07-21-2005, 04:35 PM

"..................In fact, I'm thinking of upping his life insurance policy.

Shelly"

Shelly,
thats funny, that's what MY wife said when I told her the horsepower numbers !!

Regards, Bret Ewing

David Kirkham · #19 (**permalink**) 07-21-2005, 06:40 PM

Keith,

Cool motor!

Wow! Where did you get that cool water pump pulley and harmonic balancer pulley!

David

ps. come Run and Gun, I know I will have to go and hide.

Lew Ledyard · #20 (**permalink**) 07-21-2005, 07:30 PM

Keith:

Very nice. Is there any performance/driveability advantage with a dual carb set up? I would think that it would allow you to run the original-type S&H air cleaners with less choking of the engine since the each filter needs to only pass have as much as it does with a single carb set up. Is that offset by any of the downsides?



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