@ZFNHSN posted:Hi ALB. The 2276 has been flawless. It has so much power down low that I'm missing the challenge of keeping it in the right power band. When I'm not fully awake in the morning (daily routing consists of driving to the coast for a cup of coffee to wake up) I sometimes start out in third gear after reversing out of the driveway
040 casting ported heads, 42/37.5. Webcam 86B with the lazy man 105 degree LC and only 1.25 ratio rockers. Compression is 9.4:1. Stock transmission 3.88.
I don't trust the accuracy of the tach in the Speedster, but the engine has power all the way up to "5500" RPMs in third gear going up a slight incline. I don't want to do this in 4th gear until my suspension is all sorted. I feel I'm leaving power on the table some where. I never got the heads flow tested. The engine was put together by a local VW dune buggy builder who once ran a 6.5 second 1/4 mile +/-. Honestly, I wanted a reliable lazy man 2276 and I didn't want to worry about over heating in traffic. And that is what i got. But now I sorta wished I went with a stock 1600
discs up front. drums rear. basic EMPI A1 look-a-like header.
Sounds like you got exactly what you wanted!
Large engines like this with narrower lobe centers run exactly like you describe, falling 800 or 1,000 rpm short of what you'd usually expect with that much duration (on 108° centers that cam should make power to 6500+ if everything else is right) but making so much torque down low they can actually be 'transaxle breakers' in the wrong hands. I believe this trick started out as a way to get better power out of stock stroke (sub 2 liter) engines in competition situations- as well as providing more grunt down low you can run almost as much compression as the higher duration cam will normally stand, which also gives a bit more power throughout the rpm range. A 2276 is large enough that even with an FK10 or 86C there's more than enough bottom end/lower midrange for every day driving (provided everything else is sized properly).
And yeah, you could say 'some power was left on the table', but (as you and I have already said) you got what you 'thought' you wanted. Even though it sounds like a really fun engine, a weekend project this winter (the bulk of it can actually be done in a day if you're prepared)- might be replacing the cam with the same (86B) but ground on 108° lobe centers. You don't disassemble the whole engine- once on the engine stand, leave the heads on the left side (do take the rockers off and pull the pushrods). Leave the crank alone (you could even leave the pistons on the rods), replace the cam and lifters (you could even leave the cam bearings in if they still look really great), put it back together, perform cam break in and voilá (you damn 'Muricans please note the spelling of that wonderful French word- it does NOT start with 'w'! Lord, we have to teach you EVERTHING!
) you're back in business! Now you get to find out if the heads (and carbs and exhaust) will give the extra 1,000 rpm.
If they do- hold on!
PS- What are you running for carbs?