BBC 540 ramjet build

[56-210Sedan]

I wanted to put a engine build thread together even though i have just started with my 540 build. One of the discussion points i want to include in this thread is crate engine versus building your own, the first link is a earlier discussion on this topic and i felt that it has some great advice in it on this subject http://www.trifivechevys.com/showthread.php/2230-ramjet-502-craigslist

I will list my cost so far on my build as well i will give you my source if possible and try to be as accurate as can be but one thing to remember i did not buy these item's all it once and i am one of those who shops for prices and deals sometimes for a great length of time before i pull the trigger on purchasing a item, there are some here at this site that can attest to this issue i have :eek: :D RickL said it once and it has stuck with me even though i had heard it before " Champagne dreams on a beer budget" Yep that is me seriously, but there is not turning back now;).

Engine block, Standard deck bowtie sportsman block, source City Chevrolet believe this is owned by Rick Hendrick:

http://www.citycratemotors.com/Scripts/prodList.asp?idcategory=4050&curPage=2&sortField=sku my cost at time of purchase $1,686.65 I did a price match with summit and saved on shipping but over all cost was the same.

Crankshaft: Eagle 4340 4.250 source ebay did price match with summit, my cost $595.95 free shipping.

Connecting rods: Eagle 4340 6.385 purchased from dealer on ebay $375.00 free shipping.

Pistons: JE/SRP 212161 4.500 bore small dome, dome vol. 10cc 112cc-10.8.1 118cc- 10.3.1 134cc- 9.9.1 my cost $400.00 cash deal locally, purchased for build that never happened.

Camshaft: Comp Cams 11-461-8 Duration 308/314 lift 575/575 http://www.compcams.com/Company/CC/cam-specs/Details.aspx?csid=451&sb=2

Cost: $260.00 going off memory on this one so total is not exact there was some change and shipping involved, purchased from summit.

Vibration Dampner: New ATI super dampner cost $200.00 just purchased in July (2013) at Spokane Swap Meet.

Oil Pan: New never used $75.00 plus $25.00 shipping found on all of craigs.com

GMPP aluminum timing cover (black) : $75.97 purchased from summit shipping included in price.

Upper and Lower Ramjet Intake, lower used, upper brand new: $200.00 and new 502 ramjet distributor was picked up in same deal for $30.00 seller was retired form GMPP or so i was told :D

Holley new 112-503 Throttle body $125.00 bought on ebay $125.00 i paid shipping on this as well but do not have account of what i paid.

ARP 200-1502 timing cover bolts hex head $11.99 with free shipping from Jegs, Summit had them for $11.18 but wanted $4.95 for shipping.

ARP 235-1802 Oil Pan Bolts hex head Free shipping from Summit $30.96

That gets us started and i have a few other things i can add but need to locate them LOL and as you can see there are still some items to purchase one of the big ones i am sourcing and shopping is my cylinder heads i would like to use AFR 290cc # 3640 and you have gaskets, fasteners,oil pump,piston rings, which i will probably let engine builder pickup unless i possibly come across something i can not pass on :eek:

Would i ever do another build like this, No, one thing is the upper end cost for oval port stuff is very costly in my opinion and another thing is the items listed were not purchased in order so you could say i put the cart before the horse in many aspects and that seems to be the case on the entire build for my 56 i pickup things as they come along not necessarily in the order of the build.

[chevynut]

Sounds good Marty. Why did you choose that cam? I'm considering changing mine out, but I'm not sure yet. Any idea what you plan to use for an ECM?

[56-210Sedan]

The cam gets me close to what i want in my power range 630HP 630TQ caution on how you read this it is not intended to be actual just a mile marker, cam is marine grind and works with ECM look at link i provided, also on the ECM i will probably go with Dave at Autorendz for now anyway.

[56-210Sedan]

Can someone Please help me, my editing is turned off and so i have to post each time, is there anything on my end i can do to fix this? here is what it says at the bottom of my pages.



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[chevynut]

Marty, I ran into a guy with a 55 Chevy at GG's that had a RJ502 in it. He was using a FAST ECM that is sequentially fired. Apparently there is a crank trigger in the distributor. He says it made a difference in the way the car ran and is easy to tune.

[56-210Sedan]

Marty, I ran into a guy with a 55 Chevy at GG's that had a RJ502 in it. He was using a FAST ECM that is sequentially fired. Apparently there is a crank trigger in the distributor. He says it made a difference in the way the car ran and is easy to tune.

I will take note of your information Laszlo, i have heard that FAST has come a long ways with there fuel injection systems. another thing and i am testing your memory here :p since mine is not sure, anyway the billet fuel rail that autrendz sells for the 502 when that first came out was the price on it in the $285.00 area, i got a quote from Dave the other day of $385.00 plus $12.00 shipping :eek: just sounds like it has gone up to me?

[chevynut]

Don't know what the price was then...I probably have his e-mails. I think that's a lot of money for something that's buried under your manifold. I'm using the stock 502 fuel rail.

[56-210Sedan]

Don't know what the price was then...I probably have his e-mails. I think that's a lot of money for something that's buried under your manifold. I'm using the stock 502 fuel rail.

Yes, i may use the stock one as well as i do not think i can justify that price, looks good and clean but the stock will work just the same maybe not as clean and i can use the bucks saved somewhere else.

[chevynut]

Boy MArty, it looks like you picked the most radical cam that COMP makes for the BBC. Are you sure you want to go with that big of a cam? I wonder how streetable it's going to be.

The stock ZZ/RJ502 can is 224/234 duration and .527/.544 lift. That is comparable to something between COMP XR282HR and COMP XR288HR.

RJ502 224/234 .527/.544
282HR 230/236 .510/.510
288HR 236/242 .521/.540
308HR 254/260 .575/.575 (your cam)

I'm far from a cam expert, but it seems like your cam is designed for extreme high RPM power. I would think for a street engine you'd want best low end and mid-range torque. I think the idle and low end performance is going to be poor. I always understood that a good street cam should have shorter duration(less overlap) and high lift.

Anyone else who knows more about this have any input? I'm thinking the RJ502 cam is pretty stout. It's definitely in the upper end of the COMP offerings. It sounds good ;)

[56-210Sedan]

Boy MArty, it looks like you picked the most radical cam that COMP makes for the BBC. Are you sure you want to go with that big of a cam? I wonder how streetable it's going to be.

The stock ZZ/RJ502 can is 224/234 duration and .527/.544 lift. That is comparable to something between COMP XR282HR and COMP XR288HR.

RJ502 224/234 .527/.544
282HR 230/236 .510/.510
288HR 236/242 .521/.540
308HR 254/260 .575/.575 (your cam)

I'm far from a cam expert, but it seems like your cam is designed for extreme high RPM power. I would think for a street engine you'd want best low end and mid-range torque. I think the idle and low end performance is going to be poor. I always understood that a good street cam should have shorter duration(less overlap) and high lift.

Anyone else who knows more about this have any input? I'm thinking the RJ502 cam is pretty stout. It's definitely in the upper end of the COMP offerings. It sounds good ;)

Laszlo, i was very careful in my sourcing for what cam to run for the build i wanted, not to say i may not get egg on my face, here is my contacts through that process. When i started this way on back :lol: i started with Mark Cambell of S&P Mena, Arkansas who said i would be fine with this marine grind 11-461-8 he (Mark) wanted me to talk to Doug at Comp Cams and gave me his contact information, Doug and i talked quite extensively about my build and this is what we came up with 11-461-8.

I did go one step further and spoke with American Speed, http://amerspeed.com/ who also worked on my specs with me and said it should be a great cam to use for this build, Now you may not remember this place but it was you that sent me information on a article they were featured in on building up a 502 ramjet for street use.

I have also talked with the shop building my engine and they feel good about it as well even though my builder is not a big efi user he did some checking felt good as well.

One last note, today i took the time to talk to comp again and was told it should be a very good cam for the street and very tunable through the ecu and they are the owners of the FAST system so from our earlier conversation i asked for them to send me information about there systems that would work with my build, they have a system that goes up to 1200 hp.

[56-210Sedan]

Sorry can not edit my post's but here is another source, Laszlo this is the story in super chevy you told me about i have the magazine as well http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=4&ved=0CEAQFjAD&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.superchevy.com%2Ftechnical%2F engines_drivetrain%2Finduction_poweradders%2Fsucp_ 0408_502_big_block_addition%2Fviewall.html&ei=5Af8UcrHNMGligL5roGoAw&usg=AFQjCNHyUk1HZdM9_NrMZCUgOHlUouehbA&bvm=bv.50165853,d.cGE&cad=rja

[56-210Sedan]

The block and Pistons are at the engine builder now :o:D:D:D so as soon as he gives me the call for the rest of my Lower end parts Crank,Rods,Cam,tin etc... i will have at least a short block done this year, just hit a small set back this weekend on the roller coaster of life, but the year is not up yet and my goal for the 56 l was to have a complete engine built this year, so not giving up yet;)

[chevynut]

Keep at it Marty. My comments for the cam were based on the fact that it's the biggest BBC cam that COMP makes. And it's specs are a lot more radical than their other offerings.

Like I said, I'm far from an expert on cams, I just looked at the specs. Good to know the engine guys think it will be a good choice.