The name of the game for fuel economy is efficiency, and this combo is about as efficient as you can make a carbureted 350. Since you are looking for maximum torque with the least amount of drivetrain loss, I would get a 700R-4 overdrive automatic transmission, a lockup torque converter, and a 3.20-3.45 rear axle gear ratio.

A set of small-tube headers would also help. A free-flowing 2¼-inch dual exhaust is a must. This will give you optimum spark for more complete burning of the air/fuel mixture in the combustion chambers. You should get a calibration kit for the carburetor to fine-tune it to your engine combination.įor ignition, we recommend an MSD HEI distributor and MSD Blaster 2 ignition coil. The Trick Flow heads are also a lot lighter than iron, and the less weight you’re lugging around, the better.Īn Edelbrock Performer intake manifold and 600-cfm Edelbrock Performer four-barrel carburetor will make a good induction system. They can tolerate more compression than iron heads, making the engine more efficient. We also recommend a set of Trick Flow 23-degree aluminum heads. 421/.451 inches of lift, it’s designed to deliver good low-end torque and gas mileage.

Keep the compression ratio around 9.0:1.įor a camshaft, we recommend a COMP Cams hydraulic cam. We suggest using hypereutectic pistons because of their tighter piston-to-cylinder-wall clearances.

Start by building the bottom end of the engine, paying close attention to assembly tolerances. What would you recommend?Ī: You used the word right there in the question-“efficient.” Efficient engines operate efficiently, so here’s a tried-and-true recipe for building one. I want to keep it carbureted, if possible.

I need a recipe for a fuel-efficient drivetrain combination for this car. Q: I have a 1972 Impala with a tired 350 engine, Turbo Hydra-Matic 350 transmission, and 2.73 rear axle gears. In this week’s Mailbag, we’re recommending a drivetrain combo to breathe more energy and efficiency into a tired old 350 small block V8 engine. We work with the Summit Racing tech department to help you tackle your auto-related conundrums.

Best cam for chevy 350 4x4