Slant Six Forum
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First time /6 owner
https://slantsix.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=65116		 Page 1 of 2
Author:  225valiant [ Wed Jul 15, 2020 9:13 am ]
Post subject:  First time /6 owner
Hello all,
I just picked up a 1969 Valiant 100 with a slant 6 225
Car needs some love on the outside but isn’t in too bad of condition.
I was wondering besides swapping engines, what could be an easy upgrade to give me that extra giddy-up I’m looking for?
For now I’m looking to port and polish head, maybe up the valves, Aussiepower manifold, headers, 2brrl carb, cam and lifters.
I really don’t want to take the engine out and do rods and pistons although maybe sooner than later

Thanks for your time and excited to hear from you all,
Andrew
Author:  Reed [ Wed Jul 15, 2020 9:20 am ]
Post subject:  Re: First time /6 owner
Hello and welcome. The three best improvements you can make are (1) free flowing 2 1/4 inch exhaust, (2) electronic ignition with a custom tuned timing advance curve, and (3) increase compression. Even before swapping intakes and bigger valves, increasing compression will wake the motor up.
Author:  Badvert65 [ Wed Jul 15, 2020 9:26 am ]
Post subject:  Re: First time /6 owner
Your best bet is to get a factory Super Six setup, keep the factory exhaust manifold, but maybe put a larger exhaust head pipe (available from TTI). Also, gather the parts necessary for the HEI upgrade (use the site's search feature). After you take care of these items, you can look into head work. I would suggest having the head CC'd, measure your piston deck height, and have a machine shop shave enough off the head to give you 8.5 to 9:1 compression.
All that will help give you a slant you will be happy to drive.
Welcome aboard.
-Matt
Author:  225valiant [ Wed Jul 15, 2020 9:30 am ]
Post subject:  Re: First time /6 owner
Thanks for your response, Reed.
How do I increase compression while keeping the block in the car? I know this /6 will never be the fastest but I’d definitely like it to be a bit quicker and definitely sound better.
I’ve seen all the Clifford packages and Aussie power. Have you used them before and if so what’s your opinion on them?

Best,
Andrew
Author:  Reed [ Wed Jul 15, 2020 9:58 am ]
Post subject:  Re: First time /6 owner
Clifford is, unfortunately, a crap shoot for parts quality and delivery. I have heard many horror stories about parts not arriving and poor quality parts. I don't buy from them.

Aussiespeed has lots of new products on the market but they are expensive. Most of their products are aimed are very high performance engines and really aren't a good choice for a street driven vehicle.

The great thing about the slant six is that if you do a little homework you can really improve the performance and economy of the engine by making several carefully selected upgrades using stock parts and doing some fairly easy machining and part replacement.

If what you are hoping to do is get a little more pep but leave the block and cam alone and installed in the car, then I suggest a two barrl carb upgrae, upgrade to HEI ignition, upgrade the exhaust pipe size to 2 1/4 inches, and have the head milled to raise compression to around 8.1:1 DYNAMIC compression, not static.

All of these topics have been covered in great detail on this site before. Use the search button to find some very in-depth discussions about these upgrades. Avoid the temptation to go immediately to a huge carburetor and a huge cam. Those won't work well on the street.
Author:  volaredon [ Wed Jul 15, 2020 10:17 am ]
Post subject:  Re: First time /6 owner
How noisey is your valve train? These engines have adjustable valve lash and if it hasn't been done in a while you might not be getting everything you can out of what you have. A good tune up with valve adjustment might well give you a noticeable difference while you shake down the rest of the car and gather parts for upgrades.
Author:  Dart270 [ Wed Jul 15, 2020 11:15 am ]
Post subject:  Re: First time /6 owner
Welcome to the site! Glad you are enjoying your Valiant. It is difficult to give you proper advice until we know a bit more about your goals and budget. Do you have a budget for engine and trans upgrades? Do you care about gas mileage and/or idle quality or perfect street manners?

Assuming your ignition is in good shape, modifying the cylinder head for higher comp and better flow along with an intake/carb swap is a good place to start, along with the 2.25" exhaust as Reed suggested.

You should definitely adjust the valve lash before you do anything else, as Don suggested. It is basically free and can make a substantial difference in performance.

Thanks and more to come...

Lou
Author:  225valiant [ Wed Jul 15, 2020 11:38 am ]
Post subject:  Re: First time /6 owner
Gentlemen,
I’m definitely gonna adjust my valves accordingly. Intake 0.010 exhaust 0.020
At the moment it’s a budget build. I’d like to get the most out of my engine without having to pull it from its home. Definitely want to make it sound beefier and decent mpg is preferred. Idle? I wanted to eventually add a mild cam (any suggestions?). I’d like to do most the work myself. I’m definitely green but I have common sense and a lot of “know how”
I also have a Haynes repair manual 8)
Well thanks for reading and for all of your responses

Best,
Andrew
Author:  Tim Keith [ Wed Jul 15, 2020 12:23 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: First time /6 owner
Do a compression or leak down test to determine whether the motor is fundamentally solid
Author:  Charrlie_S [ Wed Jul 15, 2020 2:18 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: First time /6 owner
Quote:
Gentlemen,

I also have a Haynes repair manual 8)


Best,
Andrew
Save the Haynes manual to throw in the fireplace this winter.
See here for downloadable factory part and service manuals
http://www.mymopar.com/index.php?pid=107
http://www.mymopar.com/index.php?pid=109
Author:  neilskiw [ Wed Jul 15, 2020 2:25 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: First time /6 owner
Is this your daily driver? Or a toy car that you won't mind having disabled from time to time?

With electronic ignition and a good tune-up, you can expect to have a reliable transportation vehicle for many miles (or until the rods start knocking). It won't outrun a Hellcat, but it will likely get as much attention on the road as one.

Be realistic about your budget and timeframe. My solution was to procure a second vehicle. I can take all the time necessary to collect the HotRod parts and build, while at the same time I have a dependable stock(ish) valiant that runs and drives acceptably every time I need to use it.

It is a good idea to include your state or town on your profile. You might be surprised to find another slant fan in your town or just down the street.

Have fun with your build and happy motoring!!
Author:  225valiant [ Thu Jul 16, 2020 1:26 am ]
Post subject:  Re: First time /6 owner
It’s not my daily driver but it has been getting more miles lately than my other car. I’m in Los Angeles and right now the weather is nice for cruising. I’d like to rebuild the motor but not now. I was wondering about driving on the freeway, what’s a good speed to cruise at with a 225?
Author:  225valiant [ Thu Jul 16, 2020 1:48 am ]
Post subject:  Re: First time /6 owner
I’m reading different forums and some people are saying 2.5”exhaust but you guys are saying 2.25”
Do I lose a lot with the .25 increase?
Author:  Dart270 [ Thu Jul 16, 2020 4:17 am ]
Post subject:  Re: First time /6 owner
You can only take advantage of 2.5" exhaust if you have headers or Dutra Duals exhaust manifolds. With a stock manifold, anything over 2.25" is a waste of money and time (to get the pipes to fit right).

If you have stock 2.76 or 2.93 rear axle gears, then 70-75 MPH cruising is fine.

Lou
Author:  225valiant [ Thu Jul 16, 2020 9:01 am ]
Post subject:  Re: First time /6 owner
I see the Dutra Duals on Aussiepower, how are they compared to the tubular headers?
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