[DeTomaso] Compression Ratio Question

[Mad Dog Antenucci]

Garth wrote;
   
  "Aluminum heads usually increase the likelyhood of deonation so forget a high compression engine"............
   
  Wooooooooooooooooooooot?!  I know you said your advise wasn't worth 2-cents but I disagree with you buddy. ;-]>
   
  Didn't Bob's engine break?! ;-]>
   
  Detonation can be caused by allot of issues including going too LEAN, incorrect timing blah-blah....and maybe  I misunderstood DR. DAN on this point but if you are running alum heads my understanding is all things being equal and you are runnng a healthy cam with lots of duration like Art is planning you should be able to GAIN  a point on compression or go from 10:1 to 11:1 but I could be wrong....my 302B heads are 11:1 or 11.4:1.....OKAY DAN wotta say?
   
  Dawg
   
  Garth Rodericks <garth_rodericks at yahoo.com> wrote:
  Art,

Your 377 stroker was running 10:1 compression with iron, closed chamber heads, and you 
believe detonation killed it. Was the aforementioned CR before or after the additional .020 
was milled off the heads? 

You want...
- 408 stroker Cleveland built with CHI 3V aluminum heads
- Max HP
- Durability - I don't want to blow up any more engines due to detonation.
- Plenty of compression ratio, 11 or 11.5:1
- MSD knock sensor this time around

My 2-cents, and that's about all it's worth...
You're throwing your money away building a high compression engine. This engine will fail in 
short order the way you want to drive it. Also, aluminum heads usually increase the 
liklihood of detonation. So, forget high compression. The knock sensor and in-car timing 
adjustments are merely band aids for the high CR and pump gas. And you WILL NOT get 
max HP when you dial it back.

Build a high HP low compression engine that will be durable and reliable on pump gas. Bob 
Benson's Pantera has a 411 Windsor Dart block, Brodix heads, Scat crank, steel rods, etc. 
and makes 550-600 HP with a CR less than 10:1 (I think it was 9.8:1, but I don't recall for 
sure - Bob?)

The point is you can make BIG power with a durable low compression engine and pump gas.

Here's a 9.2:1 CR 2V Cleveland that makes 520 HP on unleaded pump gas:
http://www.kostecki.com.au/articles/art_of_power.html

I think this engine will be much better suited to the way you want to drive your car and will 
far outlast your proposed build.

Keep us posted!
Garth




---------------------------------
Tonight's top picks. What will you watch tonight? Preview the hottest shows on Yahoo! TV. 
_______________________________________________

Detomaso Forum Managed by POCA

Archive Search Engine Now Available at http://www.realbig.com/detomaso/

DeTomaso mailing list
DeTomaso at list.realbig.com
http://list.realbig.com/mailman/listinfo/detomaso



Mad Dawg Antenucci 
Team Pantera Racing 
  The 1st & still the only vintage race team in open road racing 
www.teampanteraracing.com