What would you change on your 1997 500 Carb motor if you had too? I got heads off and was planning on getting them serviced just because its 380 hrs now. Started looking at head gaskets and it looks like its sharing compression on several holes. Ive always used MLS gaskets in my race car motors so maybe thinking that on this too I dont know. BUT if I go that route Id want the block decked too which I had not planned on since I didnt really want to tear into the short block. Thoughts?

Planned on keeping the iron heads since Ive heard from several people they flow pretty decent for what they are. Not sure if thats true but if Im wrong please correct me. Didnt see the cost vs return on going to aluminum heads after you buy em, have em machined again, then build em all out vs just redoing the iron ones.

Also is there a better cam out there these days? I like this one but just checking. I want to try to keep this close to stock to keep the reliability as I know all to well once you go down that rabbit hole its a long hard road down....lol.

I know what I want but at the end of the day its still just a 1997 Checkmate Convincor 253.

Any input is appreciated.


Chris

I'd use a 525EFI cam Teague Custom Marine | BBC Gen V-VI Billet Camshaft - Stage 2

I would do a different intake like an etelbrock Air-Gap

Sorry havent responded been busy.

Whats the 525 cam going to do better than the stock one does? I wanna keep this on 87 octane.
Does it raise RPMs?
Will the 114* LSA make it sound less rowdy?
Fix the reversion problems?
Just a swap and go or will it need mods somewhere? As in will PTV clearances be an issue?

Im taking heads to the machine shop tomorrow. Think Im just gonna stick with these 088 ones if they check out. Whats the deal on exhaust valve seats falling out? Is that really common? Should I do Inconel exhaust valves and SS intakes?

Just tryin to get ideas from others who arent in the middle of Ohio and have had machine work and motor work done by shops that have done this more often and know the probs so I can do it the right way the first time.

Thanks, Chris.

525EFI cam will prob make an extra 10-15hp and prob add 50-100rpms at WOT. It will still sound great and should eliminate reversion issues at idle rpms

088 Heads jave the 2.19/1.88 int/exh.

The exh port is pretty rough for flow. A SBC port flows almost the same.

The biggest issue with them is the valve seat throats (1/4" below the valve seat) is just hogged out. The throat ends up being massive with no venturi shape.

The solution would be to use larget int valves to get some shape into the throat and ensure a 90% throat diameter of the valve. That's a lot of work/cost and you don't need or want valves bigger than 2.19.

BBC valve guides are drilled off-center of the guide holes. For some reason. The exh guides are water cooled and have a ridge on them not the easiest to replace. The better solution is to drill them out and put a smaller 0.502" guide inside the old guide, or get bronze liners installed. You'll need to go a valve job after that. Not sure what machoje shop costs are...but likely cheaper/close to same price to get yourself a bare set of aluminum 290 Flotek heads. About $1500. That is probably the machining costs for the 088 heads with deck surfacing, guides, valve seat work.

The 290s are pretty good out of the box. Cleanup is minimal. A cleanup 45° stone by hand (pilot and stoneholder) on the seats would ensure they're concentric.

I have twin 365 Mags, I'm not putting the 088s back on. I'll go 781 or 049 oval ports, if not 290 alum heads. Even early Peanut Port heads are good for an easy 500hp if lightly massaged and setup. Wouldn't that be an interesting setup...PP heads with my 420 Megablowers...

Just an FYi...there's an guy that runs his 3700 lb Chevelle 10.37 sec 1/4mile with a 461 BBC using PP heads. He gets about 587hp out of the package. Not high rpm, about 5600.

Carb HP500's came with 2.25 intake valves and 1.88 exhaust valves