my Nova getting after it with a junkyard 5.3
05-19-2014, 08:13 PM
#1
my Nova getting after it with a junkyard 5.3 Im finally beginning to understand to the full extent the allure of these throwaway engines(the 5.3 to be exact)
my 5.7 developed low oil pressure and as it was being stored at my buddy's house we had no idea what the problem could be. assuming the worst I went to my source and picked up a $150 5.3 shortblock. actually, I picked up 2 for $300 just to have a backup lol.
it turned out that the 5.7 just spun two rod bearings and just needed a new crank and a couple of rods. by that time I already had the 5.3s so I put one in the car.
I sold the 24x/24x cam and put a different, smaller cam in it that is still about 10 degrees too big. I sold the 799 heads( Im not a fan), and put back the cheap, untouched 862 heads
so, my Nova GAINED 110lbs,
lost 1 full point of compression,
and lost about 30 cfm of head flow.
this little 5.3 did not get the memo. at the same exact boost level, it went a full 5 mph faster than the 5.7. at 8.8 psi the 5.7 went 116.92, the 5.3 went 121.8. I turned up the boost to 12.0 psi and the little engine that could surprised me with two new bests in the e.t department. I cant wait to see what it can do at 20 psi.
btw, to add a little fuel to the fire, hehe, Im running 1.875 primaries with 3" piping all the way to the turbo (1.32 s400 - the cheap one) at only 7.5% converter slip you can see it doesnt take very long at all to build launch boost and still be very efficient on the top end.
my 5.7 developed low oil pressure and as it was being stored at my buddy's house we had no idea what the problem could be. assuming the worst I went to my source and picked up a $150 5.3 shortblock. actually, I picked up 2 for $300 just to have a backup lol.
it turned out that the 5.7 just spun two rod bearings and just needed a new crank and a couple of rods. by that time I already had the 5.3s so I put one in the car.
I sold the 24x/24x cam and put a different, smaller cam in it that is still about 10 degrees too big. I sold the 799 heads( Im not a fan), and put back the cheap, untouched 862 heads
so, my Nova GAINED 110lbs,
lost 1 full point of compression,
and lost about 30 cfm of head flow.
this little 5.3 did not get the memo. at the same exact boost level, it went a full 5 mph faster than the 5.7. at 8.8 psi the 5.7 went 116.92, the 5.3 went 121.8. I turned up the boost to 12.0 psi and the little engine that could surprised me with two new bests in the e.t department. I cant wait to see what it can do at 20 psi.
btw, to add a little fuel to the fire, hehe, Im running 1.875 primaries with 3" piping all the way to the turbo (1.32 s400 - the cheap one) at only 7.5% converter slip you can see it doesnt take very long at all to build launch boost and still be very efficient on the top end.
Last edited by 71 chevy; 05-19-2014 at 10:01 PM.
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05-19-2014, 09:40 PM
#8
THANK YOU !!! 
thanks. I have seen a boost gauge thats off before, like 10 psi lol, but I also have a fuel pressure gauge on the car and it rises 1:1 with boost so I know its not off. I wish my car was a super lightweight lol
I think because Im running methanol for my fuel and timing that would make anyone cringe is the reason for awesome times. the 4.86 gears help too.
I think because Im running methanol for my fuel and timing that would make anyone cringe is the reason for awesome times. the 4.86 gears help too.
05-19-2014, 09:46 PM
#9
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THANK YOU !!!
thanks. I have seen a boost gauge thats off before, like 10 psi lol, but I also have a fuel pressure gauge on the car and it rises 1:1 with boost so I know its not off. I wish my car was a super lightweight lol
I think because Im running methanol for my fuel and timing that would make anyone cringe is the reason for awesome times. the 4.86 gears help too.
thanks. I have seen a boost gauge thats off before, like 10 psi lol, but I also have a fuel pressure gauge on the car and it rises 1:1 with boost so I know its not off. I wish my car was a super lightweight lol
I think because Im running methanol for my fuel and timing that would make anyone cringe is the reason for awesome times. the 4.86 gears help too.
05-19-2014, 11:13 PM
#16
hey now, methanol has only 8% the exhaust volume of gas but 3" piping has 225% the area of 2" piping
