3.4c mods?? Want lots of N/A power

[SappySE107]

So its written in books and into software so it must be true. The answer to my question was 0, because if you had, we wouldn't disagree.

[d.o.h.c]

Ok, if you say so. I am not going to argue on the internet, its retarted

[z34phoenix]

my exhaust valves are filled with a strawberry cream Ummmm Frosting!

[gpchris]

Ok then.. I do have a few questions I need answered before I build my motor.

1. Are there any differences between cams in any year 91-97? Basically are all the cams the same and interchangeable?

2. Witch heads should I go with, the 95 heads or the 96 heads? Either one I end up choosing will get a 'valve job' and porting.

[d.o.h.c]

It depends. i know the 97 had higher compression, great for a NA car, bad for a turbo car. So you need to figue out what your end result wants to be. As far as the cams, I would think the 97 is different seeing as how they use different lifters, but i am not 100% sure on that one.

[pwmin]

Ok then.. I do have a few questions I need answered before I build my motor.

1. Are there any differences between cams in any year 91-97? Basically are all the cams the same and interchangeable?

2. Witch heads should I go with, the 95 heads or the 96 heads? Either one I end up choosing will get a 'valve job' and porting.

1. 91-95 cams are SLIGHTLY more agressive, although this is arguable. 94-97 cams have cam position sensor reloctor rings, so you can't use 91-93 cams on an OBD-II car.

2. 96-97 heads flow better than 91-95, so go with them.

[gpchris]

As of right now I only care about NA power. I'm gona build up my NA engine then fix my car up, restore it, get it painted, lowered etc then i'll move on to the turbo. Since I want forged rods for the turbo anyway i could get slightly shorter forged chevy small block rods and that should get rid of quite a bit of compression.

1. Anyway, I'll go with the 96 heads since they have better flow and compression. If I find a 97 engine in the junk yard, would the 97 cam carriers and lifters work with my 96 heads and 94 valve springs?

2. And if the 95 cams work with the 97 carriers and lifters, would it be worth using them instead of the 97 cams?

3. Hows the stock oiling system? Is it fine for NA? I'll be at high rpms quite a bit so would you suggest more oil pressure or even a higher oil capacity?

[d.o.h.c]

For the rods, unless you plan on building it past 400hp, your throwing your money away. The stock rods are forged. have them shot peened and cleaned up and you'll be good to go there. AS far as quetion 3. I have done extensive removal of all the casting flash from my motor when I took it apart. Casting flash is old material that Gm does not take out when they build the motors. I took all of mine out of the motor and the cam carriers, everywhere I could find it. Then I Blue printed my oil pump, drilled a hole in the pump gear, so it last much longer and added a high pressure spring. These motors have a long travel path for the oil, so making sure you have good oil pressure is key. I know that I have all that done and get about 15psi to the motor, then it braches off to the turbo. The motor gets around 10, which factory is 11. So without doing this modifictaion, I dont wanna know what it would be at with the turbo, proabably 7-8 which is low. As another factor of oil pressure is your clearances for the motor. If your motor has excessive clearance then it will suck oil pressure. Just another reson to have better oil pressure, so that in high RPM your bearings dont run dry.

[gpchris]

No doubt it needed for a turbo car but is it needed for my NA build? Too little oil pressure can rob HP but too much will put the engine to extra work also robbing hp. Is the stock oiling system sufficient for my build?

[d.o.h.c]

For starters your not building a race car, just a good daily driver correct? Too little pressure is bad no matter what, to high, way to high will blow the oil filter off. But we are talking about 10 psi max, not 50. Too high oil pressure, is good since your motor will not starv and knock. Too low and it will get scary at high RPM. I dont think you are plannin on running 5000 hp, and even then the amount of power that you loose compared to the amount of secuity that you get is outweighted tremendously.

[gpchris]

No its not my daily. This is more of a project car. I'll be auto crossing and racing on road courses and quarter miles constantly.

So you dont think the stock oiling system is sufficient for my build? I always assumed the oil pressure would be fine for a NA build. I could see the oil capacity being a slight problem (running out of oil) but is oil pressure really that big of a problem in these motors?

[series8217]

If you're road racing or autocrossing install an accusump. These pans are not well-baffled for hard cornering.

Removing flash like d.o.h.c. mentioned is also a good idea because it improves oil drainback in the motor. You can also smooth out and match up the oil drainback passages. I removed all the casting flash inside my block and cam carriers when I built my motor as well.

[gpchris]

What exactly is 'casting flash'?

[d.o.h.c]

When they cast a engine block, or even just casting in a normal situation there is always extra material left over. When they make wheels, normally they machine them after, where as forged it pressed into shape. Casting flash in the block is in the oil passages. When they(GM) take the engine block off the machine that makes them, someone goes through and makes sure that there is no material left over in the block that would cause oil blackage. BUT in a mass production, there is no time for perfect, so if they see light on the other side of the hole, they push it through. Where as, if you are building your motor, you can take out everything that might cause a restiction in oil flow. i wish I had taken pics. So basically casting flash=left over casting inside the block. here is a pic. Normally there would be extra material left on the holes, that would cover it, sometimes almost closed..

As far as the windige tray, thats what keeps the motor from running out of oil or running dry. The oil systems in the 3.4 DOHC is good, but the motor has and extremely long oil path. Its up to you to do the upgrades. I am doing scca, solo II as well. I am using a sunfre GT though, small and lots of parts for them.Let me know if there are any other questions.

[gpchris]

Thanks for the info you guys! I got alot of good info out of this thread.

Standing questions:

1. Anyway, I'll go with the 96 heads since they have better flow and compression. If I find a 97 engine in the junk yard, would the 97 cam carriers and lifters work with my 96 heads and 94 valve springs?

2. And if the 95 cams work with the 97 carriers and lifters, would it be worth using them instead of the 97 cams?

3. Do you think removing casting flash is somthing I could just do with the dremel?

4. I'll prob end up raising oil pressure, do you have any information on doing this?

5. Whats 'blue printing'?