The BIGGEST MISTAKES building an Engine - With Legend Bill Little - How to make Horsepower!
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- čas přidán 31. 05. 2024
- Meet Canada’s David Vizard, Bill Little.
Bill is a very successful drag racer and engine builder. Bill discusses some of his own experiences, how he got started and the biggest mistakes customers make.
Bills knowledge of race engines, camshafts, and cylinder heads is second to none in Southwestern Ontario. He designs his own camshafts, flows his own cylinder heads, and does his own custom porting and valve jobs.
He’s performed countless dyno tests to support his research and methodology, he is the real deal.
Stay tuned for more How To videos with Bill in the near future.
If you are building a SBC, big block Chevy, Ford, Mopar, Pontiac, Buick, or Oldsmobile, Bill has tips and tricks to squeeze that extra HP out of your build!
#chevrolet #racing #mopar #pontiac #buick #oldsmobile #enginebuild #chevy #horsepower - Auta a dopravní prostředky
I'm only 6 minutes in, but I can tell that every word here is going to be true. Hit the nail on the head that only good experience can speak on.
As a guy in my mid 8th decade , it feels like priveledge to see and hear this great engineer's work over decades. Thanks so much! Cheers from OZ 😊
Bill definitely did not cause any boredom:)
And old tractor and truck mechanic.
Campion race engine builder.
Thanks Alex - you’re a really cool guy too:)
Thanks Elvin. Alex, are you watching? AG
I'm sure glad I stumbled across this great CZcams channel a few months ago, at this point it is mostly nostalgia for me having given up drag racing in 1995 and all motorsports involvement by 2000.
I felt like a poster boy for Bill's advice. My drag racing partner and I started planning on racing in 1980 and attempted to use a bondo and chicken wire 1974 Firebird Formula that Ed had as a base. We even gathered parts for a Ram Air III 400 and then realized the futility. We purchased a previously raced 13 second 1975 Nova SS and progressed on our learning and money burning expedition to making it an 11 second car. Bill will remember the car as we became friends and eventually customers, it started out running as Nova-cation and eventually sported Lovers New and Used livery.
To anybody starting out on an automotive project listening to these guys early in the process will save you money and increase your fun.
Thanks Marcus, nice to hear from you!!
Great wisdom. I ran into a problem with too loose of pistons. I listened to GM's recommendation of using .005" instead of the factory .003".. The engine, a 327 became an oil burning pig. Had to clean plugs every 500 miles. I soon learned that MSD ignitions really work, because if there is a gap, the plug will fire
Good info, thanks for sharing.AG
Luved the story about the wooden blocks on the peddles,,, an plowing with a WD45 ,,,,, in 4th gear ,,,, it mirrors me alot ,,, first thing I ever drove was a Oliver 70 with wood blocks wired to the peddles,,, an plowed many acres with a wd45 ,,, been in the motor twice on the wd45 an still have it ,,, my father's tractor,, im a retired diesel mechanic,, 72 years old now ,,, ,,,,,, thank you for sharing your knowledge,,, awsome video
That's heart warming to here, there is still a few of us around, good times, simple life, it's what we make of it, they can't and won't erase our memories, .... gosh I loved that 45!!
I got to know Bill through a friend and have had the honour of learning from Bill. He is informative, precise and knowledgeable. Something that is obtained through hard work and I enjoy every conversion with him. Thank you for your time Bill.
Wow! MASS RESPECT to Mr. Little!! If I only had a 10th of his knowledge, imagine the cool stuff I could do. 😮😊😊. Great video!!
Nice compliment, Bill, are you watching? AG
Awesome video! This man really knows his stuff and i will be looking for more video's with Bill!
That was a lot of great information! It tells me that I am on the right track with my builds. Thank you, Alan and Bill!
and thank you also, good luck with your build. AG
I wanted to thank you very much for sharing this information. There is a lot of knowledge between the two of you I watch all your videos please do the quadrajet video when you have time, thanks again Bill and Allan
very nice, thank you Kenny, we will do more with Bill. AG
...God bless you for sharing the dirt flying from the plow, I'm retired now but can only imagine. power is a fun, funny, addictive thing. yep, its the package that works, not just newest shiniest parts. PEACE MAN! GRD
Really great you guys sharing this info! Thanks
Thanks Scott, AG
Fantastic video, tons of info.
I stick to my former comment, Bill is Canada's
David Vizard !
Really interesting on the cam overlap
Great video.Can't wait to get My motor back. Bill is a solid guy
That was Smokey that stared moving the ring up….good video.
Thanks Mike.AG
Hey AG,
Tim here......THIS was one of the MOST enjoyable Sun morn, sippin coffee, scratchin my butt, videos i've EVER watched.....SUPER cool, informative, and Bill dont seem to keep DRASTIC secrets.....LOTS to learn, i MOST dug his cam event timing exercise......i LOVE camshaft stuff.....TY for providing a VERY informative, and thorough vid for us gear heads!!!...😊
Thanks Tim, I always look forward to your comments. AG
Bill and Alan. great job, very interesting, love the way you share your gems and put them out there for the next generation to carry the baton further. keep up the videos.
Thanks for the nice comment Stuart. AG
Learned more today... thanks
Great video! can't wait for part 2, Thanks
I love this kind of stuff!!!
Thank you for the video, the knowledge is priceless.
I really enjoy these videos. Keep up the good work guys, much appreciated
Good video Alan. 👍👍
Bill is certainly a wealth of knowledge.
I like his individual thinking, not following the crowd.
He has learned the hard way, like most of us have.
Definitely thinks outside the box.
Good information.
Thanks for a great video.
Have a good weekend.
Take care, Ed.
Thanks Ed, good to hear from you again. AG
Another great Gold's video. Thanks for introducing us to Bill.
Bill, thanks for sharing some Oldsmobile info. I'd love your take on lifter bore restriction on a street 455 with a hydraulic cam. I have some thoughts I haven't acted on yet. But, I do fear I'm guilty of reading too many books, as you say.
I enjoyed this talk by Bill Little. I would enjoy seeing him break down the Quadrajet from his point of view. I have pretty much loved the QJ since 1968. Yes, they work and I do believe what Bill said about them being stock. Great video and thank you.
Thanks for the comment 4Speed. More to come. AG
Thanks Bill and thank you Al, fantastic information and look forward to more.
Mr. Little seems like one heck of a good guy & intelligent. Its funny how all us gearheads appeared to be raised in similar families. My dad had me on 2 wheels by 4, go carts at 5, tractors @7 & automobiles by 11. We fixed everything ourselves & would sub-out machine work when we needed to.
Thanks for sharing Terry. AG
Great to hear someone with this much experience sharing their knowledge!! Thanks!!
I’m finding the same cam timing trends in Engine Analyzer Pro, awesome to see someone sending it and winning trophies!!🏆
Excellent knowledge and experience.
Thanks for the great tips guys appreciate it very much
Thanks for watching. AG
All very thought-provoking info. You hear the well known racers talk about lap times and 1/4 mile times, then they say "but I can't give you the cam specs", so much time and work goes in it why would they! Lots of good advice here too, thanks AL and Mike.
Thanks for your comments Cliff. AG
I like this kind of video here
Thank you very much for taking the time ,
I look forward to the transmission videos ,
Also , That Quadrajet feature would be good also,
I have about 6 of those around here
Thanks Nerrad.AG
Right on Bill - you're correct, very few people understand cam timing. I get it, and appreciate when I find someone else that does too.
First off congratulations to Bill and Janice on 50 years of marriage.
That's a lot of love and commitment.
The comment on exhaust vs. intake pressure and the staggering of the overlap triangle was a "wow" moment for me.
I'd seen a video on a visible engine and noticed the exhaust was mostly gone prior to the exhaust stroke and thought it was weird that the exhaust stroke is mostly just along for the ride, but this put 2 and 2 together for me. I quit racing a quarter century ago, but I'll figure out a way to use this bit of enlightenment just for fun. (-:
The gas porting of pistons to back feed pressure to the rings, looks great delivering maximum sealing right when you want it, however it doesn't look like something which would transfer well to a daily driver.
Quadrajets have to be the Rodney Dangerfield of carbs, no respect, but I've always had a love of the noise they make and how efficient they can be under the right right foot. (-;
Back in the hazy past, I remember having a conversation with Bill, over my success mixing and matching different years of Quadrajet parts in my truck for better performance, it was not a surprise for him and he mentioned that some stock racers use that approach. I don't have a Quadrajet on anything these days, it's sad in someways that the simplicity of carbs is lost and replaced with electronic complication and a much fatter service manual.
Anyway Bill's list of advice, brought a smile to my face.
One of those, "if I knew then what I know now things". (-:
I grew up on a sod farm near Chicago, and if "it" broke, you didn't eat that week!
Driving by 6-7yrs old, was better at taking stuff apart than putting it back together 😅.
LOTS of knowledge without arrogance!
Sub'd!
Thanks for the nice compliment.AG
Bill would the gas ported thin rings perform good for a street engine (with minimum oil useage)? Thank you Bill for allowing Al and his viewers to see what your actually doing, a lot of people would never have allowed us to see a lot of what you showed, thanks again.
Yes , I've used gas ported pistons on street strip engines with good results with narrow rings and low tension second, but would use a 15 lb oil ring, the second ring should be a Napier if low tension, hope this helps
@@billlittle4285 👍
So informative. I have had to learn the hard way how Quadrajets work, now, I finally understand their circuits by combining Ruggles book with the Rochester manual.
Thanks george, lots of interest in Q-jets. AG
Great video .Great info on na engine building.
Great content here thanks
Awesome video!
Thanks gentlemen
Thanks for watching Robert. AG
Good video! Really liked the quadrajet info 👍
Amazing knowledge
Experience costs money. LOTS of MONEY!
Thanks Gary, my good friend Frank Van de Peer coined the phrase, "experience is expensive". i often quote him. AG
Very interesting and educational video 👍
This is a wonderful video! I love the discussion between experienced folks. Please do more with others and dont be scared of the video getting too long! Stories welcome.
Thanks UMMR, We will do more like this, by popular demand. AG
That was a good informative vid.
Great video! Thanks
Glad you liked it basil.
AG
When I was 18 I'm 68 now I lived near Detroit CJ batten did a set ahead for my 302 Chevrolet he guided me through the whole process that car ran extremely well
Thanks Ron, Batten was a name from the past. I had Batten heads on my MP car in 73. Hand ported, no CNC, cast iron heads. AG
Nice video thanks
Rings are like bearings, if it to loose,only you know. If it is to tight,everyone will know.
Great video! Very interesting and informative!
Glad you enjoyed it! AG
Thank you for your time and information. Nothing irritates me more than a guy who comes in to the shop with a drivability problem and he has an Edelbrock AFB where the Quadrajet should be. Why did you do that, "the Internet told me too". Where's the Quadrajet? "I tossed it, Internet told me it was junk". Nice job, thanks again for sharing.
Good point, thanks JD. AG
That carb was and still is know in my country as Quadrajunk so I thought until this video. I’ve throw at the very least 100 Quadajets away damn it’s hell being dumb!!! We took them off a bolted on Holly’s, Elderabrok’s for years. I’ve got one Quadrajet that would out run anything around and I’ve still got it. Couldn’t understand why I never could get any other to match it.
Exellent video, learned some !
Thank you. AG
Great video👍
Amazing work thanks for sharing the secrets guys
Thanks you! AG
Great stuff and I learned alot
Thanks Justin.AG
Good advice on the gap that’s actually outside the piston is that little rectangle and not the entire depth of the ring
just awesome ty
Thanks! AG
Great video and so much valuable information!! Yes please show the turbo 350 and 400 transmission tear downs and I would like if possible the difference between these 2 transmissions??? The gearing I believe is very similar but what about strength and durability and performance mods??? Thank you!!!!!
Awesome video
Great info guys
Thanks Ricky. AG
Great video! I would really like to see an in depth tutorial on modifying the Q-Jet for drag racing.
Thank you for sharing a little of your knowledge, would like to hear some of your racing stories. I bet you have some good ones.
Thanks Van, we will have more with Bill for sure, by popular demand. AG
Excellent video! I can’t wait to see the follow-on videos with Bill
Thanks for watching and commenting Cabot.AG
Enjoyed it Gyzz
Great info guys. I don't understand it all. I understand some of it. It was a very good video sir. Tell your friend people from CZcams I said hello and thank you!!!
Thanks Hugh.AG
London is right in the middle of two awesome tracks one is St Thomas Dragway and Grand Bend Motorplex so there are many racers in this area that's for sure.
For sure, also if you like circle track racing, I live 15 minutes from Delaware Speedway, the biggest oval in Canada. Very lucky!. AG
This is so interesting. I have a set of J heads that put my 2900# 69 442 into the 9s on 150 shot of giggle juice. Everyone says J is for junk but with Edelbrock Heads I lost almost a sec.
Edelbrock heads work great on a 455 not so good on 350 and 403, that's what I've found a good set of ported 7a's made 530 lbs of torque and 460 up with a street cam around .500 lift
@@billlittle4285 I have a 74 455 Block, 68 forged crank from a 400, 1980s Mondello cam with almost .580 lift on intake and exhaust with a 108 Lsa.
He is great ...needs his own channel...... The volumetric efficiency is Not caused by overlap it's actually caused by inertia ram and the closing point of the intake valve ...I did a video about it ...... He has the best view on flow bench work I have seen in a long time .... Minimalist approach helps maintain airspeed and allows the proper use of that big camshaft ..... This was a great video
Scott,I will add this,if you can clean out the chamber and fill it before the piston starts to go down, you added roughly 6 cubic inches to the volume of the cyl,that makes the engine think it's bigger, plus ram effect is the key, the trick is to close the exhaust before it escapes on overlap and the int before you have intake reversion,ex reversion will show up in the intake port or manifold as black stains a little bit close to the valve is normal
Great comments and discussion Bill and Scott. Thanks AG
LOL. For what it’s worth. Listen to Bill and Al. Find a local expert in engine trans rearend brakes. Listen and probably do what he suggests. So. I bought my 69 Camaro in maybe 1988. Car was 2500$. Lucky it was solid. Typical quarter rust, fender rust bubbles. The frame was GREAT! Trunk was good with minor rust. I was fresh in USAF. Drove it a while with the oil burning ‘74 350. Built a 468, a strong Powerslide, used 410 12 bolt. I drove and ran it at the track off and on till I retired. I never touched the interior. Added a hurst quarter stick because it had a column shifter. Every little thing I did required an upgrade somehow. Engine required BB pedestals. Rearend needed springs changed from single to five leaf. Originals were sagging. Polyurethane bushings. Competition engineering traction links from leaf spring mounts to front spring attachments. FUEL TANK! Don’t forget the tank. Replace the tank if it’s original. Upgrade fuel outlet somehow to 1/2” for strong BB. I had a bung soldered in bottom and added an electric pump. Could have used a good mechanical. 1/2” line from tank to engine. You’ll probably want a bypass regulator for fuel temp to avoid vapor lock. Today it’s been 18 years since I retired. It hasn’t run since then. I just received the engine from builder(I told him what I wanted and he built it). It’s a 498 w/ 627hp 600ftlb of torque. Gearstar is building a th400 and converter(I told them how I was driving it and all the engine and rearend specs. My son replaced any sheetmetal and did the bodywork and paint. Interior is in work. TMI seat covers upgraded for extra bolstering. All the interior will be new. I still need to upgrade axles and maybe differential. All new body mounts, radiator and electric fans. Replaced gas tank with Tanks Inc and in tank pump. New fuel lines and filters to engine. Engine was 13,000$, trans 5k$, rearend not done but maybe 1500$. Radiator 1500+$. Gas tank and pump and hoses from tanks inc, over 1000$ said and not done yet. WELL over 25,000$ not counting interior cause I’m tired of counting. Can’t enjoy and keep a tab on expenses. Should run again this summer, incomplete, after 1988-2024! I probably shouldn’t have said anything. Listen to Bill!
Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience Gary. AG
that's a good one
William Tyler [aka "Bill] Jenkins (RIP) thought the Q-jet was the best carburetor available.
Being $pon$ored by Holley precluded any development time. Jenkins ran his shop as a business.
Btw "Grumpy's" moniker was an act [or "shtik"] as anyone who knew Bill (as client/competitor) realized he was (Cornell engineering background) always seeking "why" and didn't tolerate mindless questions. He was always helping others. 💯✔
Thanks Sam, he was a great inspiration in my youth. I read his book years ago but lost it somewhere. i am trying to buy it again, do you know how expensive it s now? AG
I absolutely love the ORIGINAL thinking on the camshaft. How about designing one for my 331 SBC NA, No power adder for 3100lb Nova with clutch assisted 4 speed. I will be happy to provide additional stats. Thanks again.
This one is for you Bill. AG
In my late teens, early twenties, I sent off for a Batten catalog which I still have. I was too broke to buy the parts but I could buy the catalog. Can’t think there are too many of those around nearly 40 years later. They were promoting offshore racing 32 valve engines then as well as the Olds stuff
Thanks for your comments Gordon. I had Batten heads on my MP drag car in 73, they worked awesome.AG
I think alot of us needed to know how things worked when we were kids lol.
good point, thanks Hugh.AG
Great info. grew up in dairy county
Rings and overlap I have BBF cast head big intake small ex would my cam overlap have cominsate for that
Bill, can you please comment on Laurence's question? AG
Sage advice on saving the engine build for final stages. Design/plan front to back, ok, but build back to front.
That was a fun visit. The cam graph was from a spintron test?
No it wasn't from a spintron,just campro machine, sorry for the misinformation
I use my engine bible the Mopar engine book I have the 8th edition. I look at it this way: They have paid for and done the research and testing. I have had no problems and the big thing is the engines last.
Good point, I refer to the manual often as well. They were pretty smart. Ag
I have the same book, even the one.that Shepard did, good info, I bet that yellow covered book is worth hundreds of dollars?
Great informative video.
I’d love to see a Quadrajet video please. 👍🇦🇺
We will do one after the race season, it will be very informative I hope
@@billlittle4285 much appreciated mate 👍🇦🇺
Heads matching intake and camshaft.heads to big can be fixed with nitrous or boost lol just add more
@ 16:22 thats a piston! That's where I like my top ring for NA pistons. Reduced crevice loss. Nowhere for the spent gasses to hide and contaminate your fresh air charge.
Bill have a plan HAHA 🤣🤣🤣, guys don't even ask for directions, nothing like putting press on us.😀😀😀👍👍👍
Thanks for commenting Mark.AG
I worked at Batten, until they closed, and dealt with a bunch of those heads. They started as NASCAR iron heads for diesel converted block small blocks, later poured in aluminum.
Thanks GDFP, you had a great experience.AG
Would love to see that Qjet video
Thanks, we will get to it. AG
Holy cow! Now that was a learning experience. I do have a quick question, that cam profile was very interesting, in general, should the lobe lift be higher on the intake then the exhaust? Thanks.
Higher lift on intake,it's not uncommon to run .100 less on the exh on race engines, I run less on everything
@@billlittle4285 Wow ok, The intake lift on my 440 mopar is .502 and exhaust is .511, i still have 15 inches of vacuum and power brakes, could I install 1.6 ratio rockers on the intake or should I leave it alone? Thanks so much for replying.
@@ws2664 1.6 rockers would do the trick, remember the lower the lift the slower the valve moves, perfect for the exhaust
@@billlittle4285 Wow, thank you so much for the tip, I really appreciate it.
Thanks for sharing, what about conrod weight and length?
Connecting rods should be as light as possible ,no excess weight especially the big end, most aftermarket rods are very good weight wise This way, use a long road, it makes the piston lighter and moves the pin higher to reduce rock,the rod helps friction on the piston skirt,hope this helps
I can hardly make out that graph on my phone and im trying to wrap my head around this, but when you talk about the overlap split, lobe over lap is split right down the middle from the cams point of view so are you talking about before and after dwell, like where the cam is degreed in relation to the crank. So the decent of the piston effects scavaging different depending whether you have more degrees of overlap before or after dwell?
You got it, you have intake overlap in relation to TDC, and exhaust in relation to TDC, you don't want the piston pulling exhaust gas back in.
If you thought you knew stuff, listen carefully and you will.
Thanks guys.
Thanks Jimmy. AG
Do a video on a q-jet .. please I'd love see some one Explain it
Thanks, we are working on it. AG
302/303 @ .006", 274 /272 @ .050", 105 LSA, 8 degree advance ~ give or take.
Camshaft specs ? For magical cam
What book do you recommend for a QJ carb?
The one from Cliff Ruggles is the best.
On that sheet with port flow, where is port velocity shown?( At about 38:30)
I see cfm only, but hear you talking about port velocity in fps.
Also- thanks for the great video!
It wasn't on that sheet I don't always print it, it takes double the time, I check velocity at max valve lift, swirl is the same deal,I just watch it at each lift to make sure it doesn't do anything goofy, if it does you can hear it, thanks
I only listen to my father. The man’s forgot more than anyone I’ve ever met knows.
Great comment!, thanks. AG
Interesting cam timing info... which leads me to wonder how to achieve max HP in a 535cube marine engine without creating exhaust reversion and pulling water back into the exhaust... ultimately finding its way past the exhaust valve and into the chamber.
Currently using a Comp XM296HR (242/248@.050 and 75degrees overlap) with 1.8 rockers but havent put it in the boat yet.
Put the exhaust at 23 degrees atdc and work with the other events to get hp, remember peak torque on a boat 4000 rpm, the hp will be where you want it, I've done a few small block cams for 383's ran well over 50 mph.
Thinking about it more, you'll end up with a 113 Lobe seperation, advanced 6 to 8 degrees, duration is fine
@@billlittle4285 I have this cam installed straight up and have several videos of it running on my channel. It sounds great but I still have alot to learn on the Holley Terminator X system. Really need to put it on a dyno. The Comp Cams spec card on this cam has it at 112 lobe sep. Measured @ .050, the intake opens @ 38btdc, exhaust closes @ 37atdc.
If I see any reversion problems, I may just need to make changes to the wet exhaust to compensate.
Thanks for responding Bill. AG
Whats the Plan with that FE on the Engine Stand?.
Going in a 64 Galaxy
59:10 All that money spent and he wouldn't buy shaft rockers? With that much spring pressure on a canted valve engine I'd stay away from guideplates. Good video none the less.
Thanks Yarrda, AG
Bill is blowing me away with his tech on pistons rings and everything. That’s why I didn’t tell my builder what I wanted in my engine. Just what I wanted to do with it.
Good point, thanks for commenting Gary.AG