3.4 in my sand rail - looking for more power

[Second Skin Rep]

I have a sand car with a 3400 in it. Carburated with 8 lbs boost - draw through.

She started out in a crate and only has about 500 miles on her.
The sand rail weighs about 1100 lbs so she scoots pretty good but I want a bit more umph...

I am not sure what the first thing I should do is.
I have had a lot of people tell me different things but figured you guys know this engine better than most, so why not learn from the enthusiasts.

Emissions is not a concen since it is not a street car.
It is geared for the dunes but in the sand low end torque is king.
Here are some of the suggestions I have received:

EFI - throttle body
Port and Polish
New cam/lifters/rockers
New pistons
Longer rods
Forged Crank

I would like to say that I know enough about this stuff to make sense of it all, but I don't. That is why I am hoping you can make some suggestions.
I kow that efi will be a big help,and I am pretty sure that P&P will get things flowing a bit better. Not sure about the rest of it.

I would like to crank the boost up in the 15 to 17 range, but I don't know what modifications need to be done to the 3.4 to accomidate that either.

Any suggestions are great
ANT

[SappySE107]

Is this a 3400 or a 3.4 iron head? Being carbed I would assume its the iron head version and not a custom intake on a 3400.

[Second Skin Rep]

My mistake...
it is the 3.4 l

ANT

[sharkey]

if you want to get that high in the boost id look at some forged pistons. id also beam polish the rods and install arp rod bolts, have it all balanced, and a high volume oil pump. if you plan on reving the hell out of it (higher than 7000rpm) id recomend aftermarket rods, the only thing we have is 2.2" journal 327 rods, and the big end has to be machined down .200", and custom pistons are needed.

for the top end, id port the heads and intake, some stainless valves, comp cams 1.6:1 roller tip rockers. again, if you plan on above 7000rpm, id look into a solid roller cam.

i would also go with efi. you can run a megasquirt ecm (www.msefi.com for info). now if your going to al the work of porting heads and changing pistons, in this case id go with 3400 heads and intakes and forged 3400 pistons. this will give you a lot better flowing top end and better combustion chambers. everything would just bolt on and its a well proven setup. its common to see 300hp at 10psi with a 3400.

[Second Skin Rep]

Looks like I have some homework to do.

If I were to do 1 thing at a time what would you suggest first?
Or should I plan on doing a fewt hings at once since I will have it all taken apart anyways?!

any idea on what I am looking at for cost of parts?

[sharkey]

its up to you, id personaly build it up with a 3400 top and and run efi. it is a lot of money in one shot (you have to change the pistons with the heads, and must change it to efi). i would swap it to 3400 heads and swap in a set of good stock 3400 pistons, fuel inject it and run low boost (under 10psi), and you will probobly be very happy with the increase. if not, later on you can pull it apart again, install forged pistons and build the bottom end up strong and run 20psi if you wanted.

[Kreb]

What provides the boost? Is it a roots supercharger? If so, which one? I'd be very interested in pictures of your setup whether its turbo or SC.

If you have the Fageol, there may be some limitations presented by that unit's small displacement.

[Second Skin Rep]

What provides the boost? Is it a roots supercharger? If so, which one? I'd be very interested in pictures of your setup whether its turbo or SC.

If you have the Fageol, there may be some limitations presented by that unit's small displacement.

Draw through turbo

[sharkey]

nice looking peice ya got there

isnt that a blow through system??? i always thought a draw through was when the carb was before the turbo.

[2M6]

Yes indeed that's a blow through setup.

Note air filter on compressor inlet.

[ForcedFirebird]

Subscribed, and yes it's blow through.

Nice rail , it sure beats the old days of a type1 VW, doesn't it?

[CNCguy]

Looks very nice. I have seen pics before but didn't notice the strange mix there. Odd that they used a FWD cover on a RWD engine. Maybe for clearance since the FWD setup is considerably shorter than the FWD. Where is your upper radiator hose?

Did you get your stalling during a turn issue resolved? What was the problem?