[mrrepodude]

ok guys, let me here ya...
We have decided to keep the original 230 in our wagon. The block,crank,rods,head are @ the machine shop.
My question................................... is it worth maybe bumping the cam or going with a header or 2bbl intake to help with what power this thing makes.

Since we already run 3 mouse motors and 1 large rat I think the lack of fuel consumption with this L6 will be rather nice for a change.

Just looking for food for thought.


Peace, Jim & Lisa

 

[bowtie0069]

I think the lack of fuel consumption with this L6 will be rather nice for a change.

I'd be willing to bet a small V-8 will get better mileage than the 230. My 69 had one when I bought; best mileage ever, on a trip driving nicely, was 19. I can do that with my Suburban!
Later I added a 2 1/4" exhaust and an Offy 4bbl. intake with 390cfm Holley; ran slightly better, but mileage was in the toilet with the Holley, even after playing with jetting and idle restrictions for weeks trying to improve driveability. It's a good, reliable engine, but it's not much for economy.

 

[Denis the Menace]

I can do that with my Suburban!

:awkward: :shh:

 

[onecarnut]

I have a stock 230 c.i. engine in my 68 Chevy II. I am getting around 20 MPG, with the standard shift transmission.

Those inline engines can be made to produce horsepower, but it will really bite into your gas milage.

If you are not into an ego trip, I would recommend you leave that engine bone stock.

Lou

 

[69NovaSS]

I think the lack of fuel consumption with this L6 will be rather nice for a change.

Based on that comment I would leave it bone stock and possibly even look into getting an OD tranny for it...that should help a bit with low gear acceleration and help improve the MPG on the highway to boot...just a thought....I would think just about any bone stock OD tranny would be HD enough for a L6 without doung any mods to the tranny

 

[mrrepodude]

Thanks for the info.
With that being said, it will be left stock alond with the powerslide tranny. Heck, even 19 mpg sounds good.. Try driving a fat rat with a 4:56 gear or a monster mouse ground pounder @ 9 mpg !!!!

 

[69NovaSS]

Try driving a fat rat with a 4:56 gear or a monster mouse ground pounder @ 9 mpg !!!!

Been there done that......my 355 got 9mpg with 3.73's.....didnt bother me at all back then but today with the price of fuel I hope to pull off a few more MPGs if possible...it would be nice to be able to drive it farther than just around the block once in a while

 

[bowtie0069]

I can do that with my Suburban!

On a trip to Arizona my 2000 Suburban w/ 4.10's will get 17.5-18.7 with the a/c on--one trip in cool weather w/o a/c it got 19.2. Commuting to work at 75 in the morning/bumper to bumper stop and go in the evening it averages over 15. Towing the Nova to track at 75-80mph it gets 14.

Try driving a fat rat with a 4:56 gear or a monster mouse ground pounder @ 9 mpg !!!!

On the Power Tour in my Nova(406 when car ran 10.80's) I got 10.5-11 mpg driving around 3700rpm.

 

[hecticblasts]

You can probably gain some perf. and MPG's by installing a good cam in it,Crane,Comp,and others have some readily available grinds for us inline people.Check inline.org for more feedback if needed.

 

[tpinovaII]

Thanks for the info.
With that being said, it will be left stock alond with the powerslide tranny.

With a Powerglide, it will be a slug from 0-60 mph. At the very least step up to a TH350. The extra gear will make a world of difference.

For years I had two '70 Novas in my driveway. My daily driver was an all original 230 six, Powerglide, & 2.75 gear combo. (My weekend car was an SS with a 383.) This went along fine until one day an old VW Super Beetle walked off and left my six banger in the dust.
I had already added an HEI distributor (this helps fuel economy and driveability). I looked over the factory specs for the 230 six to see where I might find more power. From the factory they made 140hp @ 4400 rpm and 220 lb ft @ 1600 rpm. The 230s were low compression (8.5:1) with a very little lift on the camshaft. I decided to go with a bigger cam. Trouble was, all the aftermarket cams looked too aggressive for my needs. I called up Reed Cams and had a custom grind made to my specs. It didn't turn her into a V8 but that extra mid-range power was sure nice.
The stock cam had .332 lift. I wanted more lift without adding a lot of duration. The idea was to get more air into a low compression engine to gain more torque without sacrificing fuel mileage or street manners. The idle still sounded bone stock. Here are the specs.

Reed Cams
Serial #I8974
Grind:TM244HDP
Running Duration: IN 244 degrees EX 252 degrees
Lobe Lift: IN .277" EX .287"
Valve Lift: IN .485" EX .502" @ 1.75 RR
DUR @ .050: IN 198 EX 205
Lobe Centers 108 degrees

http://www.reedcams.com/

In '93, I paid $176.82 for the custom cam and lifters. Two years later, my SS was stolen and I was down to one car. Without the power of a V8 to push me back in the seat, I was like a drunk on the wagon. The withdrawal was too much for me. So I pulled the six (that still was running perfectly), dropped in a V8 (with TPI & 700R4) and the rest, as they say, is history.