which head, intake, and ignition for my '83?

[captainpegs]

Howdy all! First post!

I'm from MN and went down to Iowa last year to pick up an '83 with only 48,xxx miles on it. I drove it all year and it's been pretty good. I also added a new Weber 32/36. I'm running the stock ignition and I'm not sure it's functioning propperly, though. Anyways, to the main points of this post:

I had the water freeze in the radiator the other day and the temp light didn't work and I cracked the head - it's spraying out around the exhaust manifold - none in the oil, though.

I'm looking for a head. I saw the post by Fields with the different heads and I was wondering if the 76-78 head would fit my intake?

How much power is gained with the early head when only the carb and exhaust is modified otherwise? I'm questioning if it's cost effective for me as this is my daily driver and not really raced (occassional hill climb but that's it).

Did I mess up the ignition when I removed the controlled carb? It acts like it's way lean a low rpm but near 2500 it starts picking up. I richened the jets and it helped but it seems that the timing is off. The head was removed before I bought it and I'm suspecting the cam was not degreed propperly when they put it back in.

Thanks for the replies and I'm very glad to be aboard!

----pegs



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[hydroli]

I have a straight runners head, like new, for sale if interested. casting number ends with #343. For 100$ plus shipping we have a deal.

[captainpegs]

Is the head complete or bare casting?

[turbo16]

The D-port straight runner head will work with your intake and give the engine another 800 rpms of usable power. Now would be a great time to mill the head and pick up some compression for better throttle response and power. After the head is milled a adjustable cam gear would be a great idea as lowering the head will advance your cam timing a bit. The timing curve and centrifugal advance geometry as well as the vacuum advance should be checked throughly. It seems to me that when a chevette runs poorly we tend to jump to carburetor problems too quickly.

[captainpegs]

I still need help with my ignition. According to the manual my 83 is suppose to have a computer controlled ignition but I have a vacuum diaphram on the distributor. Would removing my computer controlled carb mess up my ignition?

[rad15E]

i would get rid of the computer,the standard dist. is a 2 wire,the controlled has 6 total

[captainpegs]

Thanks for the help Doug! I'll take your advice and sort together a complete MSD system.

[captainpegs]

Ok, I found a MSD 6A ignition and blaster coil. When the head is milled 0.50 How do you know where to put the new timing marks?

Also, I'mI want to convert the car from auto to 4-speed. Do these use the same crossmember. Will I need to get a different drive shaft, too?

[captainpegs]

I also hit a big-ass coon and need a new lower bumper cover. Does anyone have one that's not cracked? Is there an aftermarket source for fiberglass airdams and stuff?

[captainpegs]

The water pump froze and the idiot light didn't tell the idiot and the car was driven until it killed at a stop sign. It would barely turn over at that point. After an hour I got it started and got it home. Coolant was blowing out around the exhaust manifold at the #1 port. I did a compression check on all cylinders and from front to back it goes: 65 - 85 - 60 - 90.

I just pulled the head but didn't see any cracks between the valves like I expected. Could it be possible that only the head gasket went out? I find it hard to believe when it was driven so many miles with no circulating coolant.

I took pics. Note the middle head bolt hole on the driver's side is full of engine oil. I don't know if that means the block cracked or oil just seeped in under the bolt head?

I'm poor so I'm trying to do this all myself but I need some expert advise from our membership. Please help!

[smiths3racing]

LOOKS LIKE IT HAD A BLOWN GASKET ON THE 1 CYLINDER. CLEAN AND CHECK THE HEAD AND MAGNAFLUX IT

[captainpegs]

Thanks for the quick reply! Compression was, starting front to back: 65 - 85 - 60 - 90. Would they all be leaking like that? What about the head bolt hole full of oil? I'm worried the damage goes beyond just the gasket/head.

** There was NO coolant in the oil when I drained it but there was some carbon specks.

*Also, is there any way to tell if this head has been milled down? Since it's off, I'd like to boost my compression by taking .050 off of it but how do I know some hasn't been taken off already?

[turbo16]

CC the combustion chamber . On that head it should be 41cc with a total volume (head gasket and Quench area) of 47cc. Mill it to 36cc and you will get 10 to 1. Like 0.032" should do it

[captainpegs]

Head is all cracked to hell. I'm trying to find a pre-'81 now.

I'm also looking for a new distributor. What is the difference between a 1980 distributor from an automatic trans car and the distributor from the 1980 HO? Will the HO dist work on a stock auto trans car?