Chevy Small Block Part 9 - Weiand - Super Chevy Magazine

The rotating assembly also had to be up to the task, so we chose a complete Lunati forged kit with a 3.48-inch stroke crank and 5.7-inch rods. The Lunati pistons have four-valve reliefs and have yielded between 8.9 and 9.4:1, depending on the cylinder heads used.

The rotating assembly also had to be up to the task, so we chose a complete Lunati forged

Tests 1-4: Baseline, new intake manifold, roller-tip rockers, retard cam 2-degrees (October 2002).

Test 1: This represents what a typical 355-cid small-block would make if it had just been blueprinted but still had most of its stock components.
Max 395 tq, 308 hp
Avg 376 tq, 266 hp

From this point on, except for the changes listed, nothing else was touched.

Test 2: We installed a Weiand PN 8004 dual-plane intake manifold and leaned out the Q-jet.
Max 394 tq, 325 hp
Avg 380 tq, 270 hp

Test 3: We replaced the stock stamped-steel rocker arms with COMP Cams 1.5:1 roller- tip Magnum rockers.Avg 390 tq, 278 hp

Test 4: We retarded the cam 2 degrees.
Max 405 tq, 349 hp
Avg 390 tq, 278 hp

Danger Mouse has seen four different cams so far, and it loved every one of them. Even though it keeps making more power and revving higher the bigger we go, we're still well within the realm of street-worthy cams with these tests.

Danger Mouse has seen four different cams so far, and it loved every one of them. Even tho

	Stock		Weiand		COMP		Retard cam
	Baseline		8004		1.5 rockers		-2 degrees
	Test 1		Test 2		Test 3		Test 4
RPM	TQ	HP	TQ	HP	TQ	HP	TQ	HP
2600	389	193	384	190	385	190	379	188
2800	385	205	381	203	382	203	377	201
3000	388	222	384	219	389	222	384	219
3200	395	241	391	238	396	241	395	241
3400	393	255	391	253	399	258	398	257
3600	393	270	394	270	402	276	401	275
3800	389	282	394	285	404	292	405	293
4000	383	292	390	297	404	307	403	307
4200	374	299	384	307	398	318	398	319
4400	363	304	375	314	391	327	395	331
4600	351	307	367	322	384	336	388	340
4800	337	308	354	324	374	342	380	347
5000	322	306	339	323	356	339	366	349
Max	395	308	394	325	404	342	405	349
Avg	376	266	380	270	390	278	390	278

Tests 5-8: Bigger 1 3/4-inch headers, full-roller rockers, bigger XE256H cam, stud girdle added (November 2002).

Test 5: Installed larger 1-3/4 Hooker headers. Compare Tests 4 and 5 and you'll see that average torque was down by 2 lb-ft, but peak toque and horsepower were up slightly, and average horsepower increased by 9. That's a fair trade to us.
Max 407 tq, 351 hp
Avg 388 tq, 287 hp

Test 6: Swapped in COMP Cams full-roller 1.5:1 aluminum rocker arms. Peak and average power didn't change at all (compare Tests 5 & 6), but we did get 5 more lb-ft of torque at 3,200 rpm.
Max 407 tq, 351 hp
Avg 389 tq, 288 hp