1977 Cylinder #1 Mystery

[ckurtz2]

@Captain Obvious I think it is gonna have to be some old school fun (not fun) haha. I just need it to run well enough to where it doesn't bobble at idle as much and can actually work at WOT so I can have some fun while not hurting the motor. Depending on how good it works, then I will either hold out on a new EFI stuff for a few years, or next semester. Time will tell I guess. Just having a really hard time wanting to dump even more money into this car when it still has a crabby interior and I haven't even been able to drive on public roads. I've also been considering just swapping back to the original cam, but I'd rather get this one to work.

[Captain Obvious]

Well honestly, I'd consider swapping back to the original cam just to make sure you have the rest of the bugs worked out. I didn't know you had the original cam as an option.

If you can get it to run right (under all conditions) with the original cam, then maybe toss the aftermarket one in and see what happens. In other words... Baseline it running well with the OEM and then put in the high lift? At least that way you'll be able to separate cam issues from other issues.

Cam swaps aren't that bad of a job. Just don't drop the timing chain and it's no big deal.

[Jeff G 78]

27 minutes ago, Captain Obvious said:

Well honestly, I'd consider swapping back to the original cam just to make sure you have the rest of the bugs worked out. I didn't know you had the original cam as an option.

If you can get it to run right (under all conditions) with the original cam, then maybe toss the aftermarket one in and see what happens. In other words... Baseline it running well with the OEM and then put in the high lift? At least that way you'll be able to separate cam issues from other issues.

Cam swaps aren't that bad of a job. Just don't drop the timing chain and it's no big deal.

Sounds exactly like my journey 15 or so years ago.  I was right where @ckurtz2 is at and I too swapped the original cam back in just to be sure the rest of the EFI was operating correctly.  It immediately ran great and I never looked back.  The cam went into my other Z which I sold last fall.  If I wanted to get more performance now, I'd ditch the L Jet and go with something better.  SU's are getting dumb expensive, so I'd likely go triple Webers or stand alone EFI.  The reality is that I'm pretty immune to power, so I'll likely live with the low power I have.  I've spent the last 27+ years working on performance cars and no matter what power they make, you get used to it after a while.  The last one I worked on was the GT500 at 760HP.  No amount of power I put in the Datsun will make it feel fast after the Shelby, so I won't bother.

[ckurtz2]

Yes, so the original cam is an option, but only because its cheaper than going to a new EFI system (I am ruling out Fast EFI cause it doesn't have that much tuneability). The entire reason I upgraded cams is because I messed up my cam oiler and it destroyed my original cam. The comp cam and original cam were around the same price when switching to an internal oiling cam so I chose the comp cam.

So it isn't really readily available to swap to the original:( online looks like it would set me back several hundred dollars. Unless you guys know where to get a cheap one I really would rather not.

Interesting Jeff. If I could go back in time and go the original cam I probably would now. That Shelby sounds sweet. Anyways, I know the power hunger haha. Long story short I drove a friends a Warrior 302 and stick shift hellcat a lot in highschool. Lots of fun, but almost too fast as to where I would get into "criminal" territory real quick. 

Edited April 9, 2022 by ckurtz2

[Jeff G 78]

14 minutes ago, ckurtz2 said:

The entire reason I upgraded cams is because I messed up my cam oiler and it destroyed my original cam.

Interesting Jeff. If I could go back in time and go the original cam I probably would now. That Shelby sounds sweet. Anyways, I know the power hunger haha. Long story short I drove a friends a Warrior 302 and stick shift hellcat a lot in highschool. Lots of fun, but almost too fast as to where I would get into "criminal" territory real quick. 

Do you have a N47 head with a spray bar?  If so, that's a pretty rare, but not unheard of.  I have a very early N47 in my car with a factory spray bar.  I've thrown away a bunch of stock cams.  I might even have a spare from a ZX motor that's internally oiled.  I can look around and see what it is.  If you want it, I can give it to a co-worker who lives in South Tempe.

Here is video of me driving a GT350R with "only" 526HP on a race track with a journalist in the passenger seat.  

 

[ckurtz2]

Yes, my N47 originally had just the spray bar, interesting that it is considered rare for my car. Now I am running an internally oiled cam with the spray bar too. If the ZX cam would work I would love to put it to good use! Just set a price. I will see what this weekend brings about when it's at the shop if I end up throwing in the bag on the cam, or if a solution comes along.

That video is badass, the car sounds so good. The track itself looks really fun too.

 

[Jeff G 78]

4 minutes ago, ckurtz2 said:

Yes, my N47 originally had just the spray bar, interesting that it is considered rare for my car. Now I am running an internally oiled cam with the spray bar too. If the ZX cam would work I would love to put it to good use! Just set a price. I will see what this weekend brings about when it's at the shop if I end up throwing in the bag on the cam, or if a solution comes along.

That video is badass, the car sounds so good. The track itself looks really fun too.

 

If my ZX cam is good, it's yours.  

The spray bar went away with the introduction of the N47, yet there are a few with that combination.  I might even have a set of block off plates.  It's been so long, I can't remember for sure.

Yes, the GT350R engine sounds incredible at it's 8250 RPM redline.  In that video, I purposely didn't upshift in several places around the track where a higher gear would be faster, but it was more fun to scream it.  That day was close to 100F and we ran the cars all day like that.  Grattan Raceway is a fun track.  I prefer others around the country, but every track is unique and is special in its own way. 

[ckurtz2]

@Jeff G 78

Just saw this. Well, thank you!

Were u able to see if it was good? That's awesome, I love the sound of Ford V8s. The high revving gt350s make it all the better:) 

[Jeff G 78]

2 hours ago, ckurtz2 said:

@Jeff G 78

Just saw this. Well, thank you!

Were u able to see if it was good? That's awesome, I love the sound of Ford V8s. The high revving gt350s make it all the better:) 

I haven't gotten to look for it yet.  I might have time tomorrow.  I can't remember where I stored it.  I saw it after the move to AZ, I just haven't seen it lately.  I'm sure it's somewhere that made sense at the time.  🙂

 

[cgsheen1]

On 4/8/2022 at 9:32 PM, ckurtz2 said:

 Now I am running an internally oiled cam with the spray bar too.

Uh no, you're not. You're running an internally oiled cam. The spray bar is there but right now it's just acting as a block-off for the two oil ports that feed it. 

[ckurtz2]

30 minutes ago, cgsheen1 said:

Uh no, you're not. You're running an internally oiled cam. The spray bar is there but right now it's just acting as a block-off for the two oil ports that feed it. 

This makes sense. Lol I just saw the external oiler knowing the cam was internally oiled and figured they were both putting in work. I stand corrected🙃

[siteunseen]

My early n47 had both. I never saw them actually putting out oil but it had terrible oil pressure on the gauge so I thought they were both working. Never considered the spray bar was used for block off. 9/76 build date.