First mileage test result.

I didn't want to change the cams as they looked and worked fine. The engine only has about 25k to 30k on it since the rebuild. New cams would be in the 800.00 plus range plus new followers and lifters. It adds up fast.  The engine has new cam followers, valves, pistons. I did swap the new Melling 176 oil pump with a new Melling 176HV pump. I put my efforts into getting as much power and torque out of the engine as built, by improving the breathing ability. I have attempted to achieve better breathing in several ways and I can feel a definite improvement in engine performance. To remind you and other readers of what I did to the engine, here is the list. Cometic MLX Head Gaskets which increased compression pressures from 185 to 200, up to 200 to 220 PSI in the cylinders. The increased compression due to the thinner Cometic head gaskets will make some difference. I installed the heads using ARP head studs at 90 pounds torque. Much more reliable than guessing with stock twist to yield bolts. For improved cooling, I installed the MMR coolant adaptors on the backs of the heads to improve head cooling and to provide a second path back to the water pump to insure no cooling issues will ever happen again. Don't forget the larger core aluminum radiator too. I Ported the exhaust ports and port matched them to the Gibson SS short headers. I removed the stock exhaust, getting rid of that ridiculous 180 degree U-Turn and eliminated the joining of the left and right side exhaust where the two pipes connect and flow straight into each other. It's as if the engineers designed the exhaust for maximum restriction! I replaced the stock exhaust with a Y-PIPE performance kit that straightened out the pipes and directed the flow into a large Y collector that goes into the stock 3" pipe to the catalytic converter and then to a NAPA SS stock replacement muffler with 3" in and out pipes. I fabricated a larger cold air intake and removed the restrictive comb teeth in the throttle body gasket which by my estimation, opened the air flow by a good 10%.  It's a good engine (though under powered), except for when the water pump which failed and over heated the engine, ruining the Fel-Pro head gaskets which over the course of our road trip, got progressively worse, losing coolant, then also oil, then also compression blowing into the water jacket. 

All in all, I spent close to 6000.00 doing the work I did. That amount is materials only, I did all the work myself to keep costs down. Cams with all the stuff that goes with them would have added another 1500 to 2000 to the cost all said and done. On modern engines, it is likely I would have had to have some retuning done to the engine, for the new cams to be optimized. Another option I have with the stock cams is to buy a tuner and load a torque, tow / haul program into the truck computer. Switch back and forth from stock setting, to tow/haul setting,  as needed for travel. 500.00 for a tuner.

I think I've covered everything. We hope to hit the road in a week or so to give the truck and camper a good shakedown cruise before Snowbirding South. I've installed the best parts for their purpose I could find, and hopefully it will pay off. I've made my best attempt to "Bullet Proof" if you will,  this engine!