It's that time

[ThA SkInNy]

It's time for a new motor, the problem is. Can't really figure out what I want to do. I am on a budget so anything crazy is out of the question. I would really like to have stroker though HaAHA!
My car is an Opal Frost 95 gt mostly stock besides the bolts on now.....and only running on seven cylinders...
I performed a compression test Thursday and showed all cylinders were 142-147 which I don't think was bad but #8 was only at 5psi. So with that said it most definetaly that time. I have a few possible option and I'm just having trouble figuring out what it is I want and I can AFFORD to do.

I have been thinking it would be fun to biuld a stock bottom end and just use the e7 heads. I have been into making the most power out of stock parts for some weird reason. The problem is I may not see the power that I truly want. I constantly tell myself that I don't want loads of HP ans TQ.. But who am I kidding?!?!?
Can 330-340 rwhp be obtained using a standard or 306 bore and e7 heads? Of course I would like to use an RR setup but not sure what ratio I want or for that matter would need. I do know that I would like to use the Steeda #19 cam or something comparable though.

One of my concerns with a stoker motors are the oiling issues I hear about. Just From previous import experience i do know that it can be a problem but as many years as people having been building these things I'm sure there's a simple way to solve the problem. Does the 331 have the same mythical issues?
With that said I am leaning on the strong side of building one but just am concerned about how long it will last Is all.

Any info on this would be great! I'm sure I'm not the only one who has ever gone through this..lol

Thanks in advance,

 

[Raffaelli]

More than likely you just need a good valve job. Unless your car badly overheated or has north of 250K miles, probably just the top end.

Not wanting loads of HP and torque?......LOL. You dont have a v6 mustang do you?

Kidding aside, I would tear the heads off the block and have them checked. Bet ya its a cooked valve or something small. Even if you do have to go thru the motor, 3-400 bucks on new rings, bearings, seals, oil pump, water pump, ect will give you another 15+ years of use. (cylinder walls hardly wear on these motors, hone and reinstall the old pistons)

And as far as adding cubic inches, my point of view is this... 347's (and 408 +) are pushing it for a small block. Not because of oiling issues, but because the piston skirt gets very narrow. (and pistons wear the bore faster because of this). less metal to hold it straight. They will last, just not nearly as many miles as a stock motor.

If you can get a good deal on GT40's or some twisted wedge heads, you will not be unhappy with the results. You wont realize how much garbage E7s are untill you replace them w something else.

 

[ivan12]

I don't see how you could get past the 300 rwhp mark with e7s or even close for that matter even with a 306. If it were that easy then I'm pretty sure trickflow wouldn't be selling any of their 360 flywheel hp top end kits. There's plenty of people out there running ported GT40 heads and hitting the 300rwhp mark but these people also port their lower intake, gasket match everything, and have to do lots of trial and error to figure out optimal performance. Like Rafaelli said, tear it apart, clean the cylinder walls and find a good set of heads I.E. trickflow or AFRs. If you're set on using a stock head then start with a GT40 head, otherwise you're throwing your money away.