Hello everyone I'm new here glad I came across this site,i have a 1979 Buick Parkave. with a 350 under the hood,my questions are what can I do to add more horsepower to this somewhat slow take off motor I replace the carb to a edelbrock in doing so I'm still not getting the HP wanted is there anything else I can do to get this to burn rubber without powerbraking,
More horsepower for my 350 buick
- Thread starter 79parkave
- Start date
https://www.teambuick.com/forums/content.php?165-Ancient-mid-12-s-secrets-for-your-Buick-*350*
https://www.teambuick.com/forums/co...st-March-06-the-Jim-Burek-350-porting-article
the TA RV cam is one a lot of people like.
the Quadrajet is a good carb, but it probably needs rebuilt.
if you can, you need to pull the cat off. dual exhaust would be a good addition.
https://www.teambuick.com/forums/co...st-March-06-the-Jim-Burek-350-porting-article
the TA RV cam is one a lot of people like.
the Quadrajet is a good carb, but it probably needs rebuilt.
if you can, you need to pull the cat off. dual exhaust would be a good addition.
GrayGhost3480
Member
More power 350
You can add power but power can be expensive, headers are good and makes better sound. A pair of header mufflers make it louder when you gas it. A cam is a good way to get power but you need to read up on cams, depending on how you want the cars drive ability. Do you want toque for low RPM power or power at a higher RPM, what parts you have in the motor determine the RPM range most of the time. I would say 6800 - 7000 is limit on stock if it’s balanced. A stall speed toque converter is good for burning rubber if you have a automatic transmission. 2300 - 2800 for driving on streets. You can just leave everything like it is and change the gear ratio in the rear end but don’t go to much if this is a daily driver I think a 375 or something in this area is a good gear to drive and still light up your tires depending on how much motor you have, more motor less gear. If you really want lots of power for less money go with Nitrous it’s the cheapest power but it can cause a lot of damage if you don’t do it correctly. You can get 100 - 150 HP easy with nitrous. The biggest thing when changing something, study up on what ever you’re doing, books million has lots of books on engine building. More power to you!
You can add power but power can be expensive, headers are good and makes better sound. A pair of header mufflers make it louder when you gas it. A cam is a good way to get power but you need to read up on cams, depending on how you want the cars drive ability. Do you want toque for low RPM power or power at a higher RPM, what parts you have in the motor determine the RPM range most of the time. I would say 6800 - 7000 is limit on stock if it’s balanced. A stall speed toque converter is good for burning rubber if you have a automatic transmission. 2300 - 2800 for driving on streets. You can just leave everything like it is and change the gear ratio in the rear end but don’t go to much if this is a daily driver I think a 375 or something in this area is a good gear to drive and still light up your tires depending on how much motor you have, more motor less gear. If you really want lots of power for less money go with Nitrous it’s the cheapest power but it can cause a lot of damage if you don’t do it correctly. You can get 100 - 150 HP easy with nitrous. The biggest thing when changing something, study up on what ever you’re doing, books million has lots of books on engine building. More power to you!
You want power? How deep are your pockets? That's the question. An engine is an air pump, more air in and out, more power. When it comes to power production, head flow is everything. If I had a Buick 350 that I wanted impressive power out of, I would wait a little longer for TA Performance to come out with their aluminum heads. I have the TA heads on my big block Buick. Those heads are the biggest contributor to the power I get from that 470. My first 455 ran low 13's with a KB118 cam and Mickey Thompson headers. Just bolting those heads on to my existing short block dropped my 1/4 mile times by over a second and boosted my traps speed 11 MPH. That is in a 4200 lb. car.
Your 79 Buick 350 is a wheezer because of the pitiful compression (less than 8:1). Add to that the rear gear is probably a 2.41, a heavy curb weight, and that car can't get out of it's own way. The single exhaust and catalytic converter don't help things.
The best way is to get the aluminum heads, get the compression to 10:1, and choose a cam. Yes, you can easily run 10:1 on pump gas with the aluminum heads. Read up on the relationship between static compression and cam timing.
http://www.empirenet.com/pkelley2/DynamicCR.html
Get some 3 series gears out back with the appropriate stall converter, put a true dual exhaust on it, and you'll think you are driving a different car.
Again, this takes money. If you don't have it, put off your plans and start saving to do it right.
Your 79 Buick 350 is a wheezer because of the pitiful compression (less than 8:1). Add to that the rear gear is probably a 2.41, a heavy curb weight, and that car can't get out of it's own way. The single exhaust and catalytic converter don't help things.
The best way is to get the aluminum heads, get the compression to 10:1, and choose a cam. Yes, you can easily run 10:1 on pump gas with the aluminum heads. Read up on the relationship between static compression and cam timing.
http://www.empirenet.com/pkelley2/DynamicCR.html
Get some 3 series gears out back with the appropriate stall converter, put a true dual exhaust on it, and you'll think you are driving a different car.
Again, this takes money. If you don't have it, put off your plans and start saving to do it right.
Get some 3 series gears out
well, if we're getting that far into it we probably ought to recommend at least a 200r4 swap as well. OD + a shorter first gear than what he's got right now is the better all across the performance range. better accel AND lower rpm when cruising.
well, if we're getting that far into it we probably ought to recommend at least a 200r4 swap as well. OD + a shorter first gear than what he's got right now is the better all across the performance range. better accel AND lower rpm when cruising.
GrayGhost3480
Member
Yep 200r4 swap
Yep I agree the 200r4 swap would be a great addition, much lower low range. I would like to have one in my 67 skylark, only bad thing is the electronics involved. I really don’t know how much you would have to do to get it to work.
Something else I thought of is advancing the cam timing. I have advanced the timing on several race motors and it really makes the engine come alive much more bottom end toque, but I have never had a street car with a advanced cam so I can’t say how it would preform on daily driving.
Yep I agree the 200r4 swap would be a great addition, much lower low range. I would like to have one in my 67 skylark, only bad thing is the electronics involved. I really don’t know how much you would have to do to get it to work.
Something else I thought of is advancing the cam timing. I have advanced the timing on several race motors and it really makes the engine come alive much more bottom end toque, but I have never had a street car with a advanced cam so I can’t say how it would preform on daily driving.
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200r4 / 700r4 is a standalone trans.
http://www.chevelles.com/forums/33-transmission-driveline/367847-200r4-vs-700r4-tranny.html
it's the 4L60E and newer that need controllers.
and, so far as i'm aware, all of the 200r4s have dual pattern bells, so they'll all bolt right up to a Buick block. i'm not sure if any 700r4s have a BOP pattern.
http://www.chevelles.com/forums/33-transmission-driveline/367847-200r4-vs-700r4-tranny.html
it's the 4L60E and newer that need controllers.
and, so far as i'm aware, all of the 200r4s have dual pattern bells, so they'll all bolt right up to a Buick block. i'm not sure if any 700r4s have a BOP pattern.
Buick Mark
Member
First thing, get rid of the "probably" 2.41 gear in the rear.
Get rid of the Edelbrock carb, get the Q-Jet rebuilt.
Put dual exhaust on it and Hi Flo cats if you have too.
Get rid of the Edelbrock carb, get the Q-Jet rebuilt.
Put dual exhaust on it and Hi Flo cats if you have too.
suntreemcanic
Experienced Member
I think you need a 455! That is the cheapest way to make horsepower.