For our fourth installment on Pontiac crate engines, we are taking a look at two crate engine builders who each have earned the respect of fans of both early and late-model Pontiacs and their crate engines will put a healthy punch in your Pontiac street machines.
This month, we are profiling a very hot and streetable traditional Pontiac crate engine from Nitemare Performance, as well as a very potent LS-based combination from Livernois Motorsports.
Nitemare Performance
Connecticut-based Nitemare Performance has been making a name for itself for the past five years or so, taking innovative approaches to some long-standing problems facing Pontiac owners. The company offers rebuilt A and B-Body chassis, swaybar kits, and crate engines to help hobbyists get their cars on the street at an affordable price.
Nitemare Performance was the first company to commercially advertise pre-run Pontiac crate motors back in 2005. All Nitemare Performance's engines are pre-run for 25 minutes to ensure optimum cam and lifter break-in and ring seating. The timing is set, the carb is tuned, and valvetrain is fully adjusted with the engine running. All engines come 100 percent complete from water pump/balancer to flywheel, and carb to oil pan, including ignition system.
"Our street engine combinations are tailored around real world driving," said Darrin Magro, president of Nitemare Performance. "This means that you can take them to church on Sunday morning and then to the race track on Sunday afternoon."
Engine Buildup Worksheet
Price: $11,000
Engine displacement: 462 ci
Advertised hp: 535 with box-stock Edelbrock heads
Advertised tq: 565 with box-stock Edelbrock heads
Bore/stroke: 4.160 / 4.25-in
Block/crank combo: 400 / Scat forged
Bore/stroke ratio: .0.978:1
Rod/stroke ratio: 1.6:1
Bottom End
Block description: 400
Year: '67-'75 400
Preparation: All blocks boiled, mag checked, shot-peened, sonic-tested (cylinder wall and deck-thickness sheet provided with all builds), bored and honed with super-step torque plate, line-honed with custom dowel pins, decks squared, debured, front oil-gallery holes tapped, brass freeze plugs installed
Deck height: 10.225-in
Crank: Scat forged 4.25-in stroke
Preparation: Inspected and measured for proper clearance
Balancer: USA-made BHJ, slip-fit
Rods: Scat forged, 6.800-in
Preparation: Inspected and measured
Bearings: Clevite or Sealed Power
Preparation: Cleaned and measured
Pistons: Keith Black premium forged flat-top
Preparation: Weighed, inspected, and measured
Piston-to-deck height: 0
Piston pins: Keith Black full-floating
Method used to retain piston pins in pistons: Spiral locks
Rings: Total Seal file-to-fit
Rod bolts/head bolts: ARP
Balancing specs: Within 1 gram
Oiling System
Windage tray: Optional
Crank scraper: None
Oil pan: Canton road race
Oil pump: Melling 60 pound
Preparation: Blueprinted and installed, Nitemare ¼-inch-thick Pro oil plate with oil grooves, installed bolt-on pickup; use Nitemare Pro sleeved, gun-drilled and hardened oil-pump driveshaft
Heads
Brand: Edelbrock
Chamber open/closed: Open
Head mods: Disassembled, measured guides, checked and adjusted spring heights and changed springs when necessary, lapped-in valves; stock or port work per application
Combustion chamber volume: 87 cc
Maximum flow at 28 inches of water:
Intake: 280 cfm at 0.600-in lift
Exhaust: 200 cfm at 0.600-in lift
Compression ratio: 10:1 to 10.5:1
Valves: Stock Edelbrock 2.11/1.66-in
Angles used in valve job: Stock Edelbrock
Retainers: Edelbrock
Keepers: Edelbrock
Valve guides: Bronze
Valve seals: Viton
Rocker studs: ARP 7/16-in
Rocker arms: Comp roller tip or full roller, 1.50:1 or 1.65:1
Pushrods: Comp Cams 5/16-in
Length: Per application
Cam
Brand Comp/Nitemare custom-ground hyd. flat-tappet
Duration at 0.050: 242/255-deg
Lift: 0.510/0.525-in
Centerline: Per application
Lobe separation angle: Per application
Installed position: Per application
Lifters: Comp Hi Rev hyd.
Valvesprings: Comp double or stock Edelbrock
Seat pressure: 130 lb/in
Open pressure: 325 lb/in
Timing chain: SA gear billet upper gear with bronze washer, double roller
Induction
Carb: Holley 750 aluminum with electric choke
Mods: Jetted per application and adjust electric choke
Jets: Out of the box
Fuel pump: Not included
Recommended: Holley HP 150-gph
Fuel regulator: Holley
Fuel line size: 1/2-in
Intake manifold: Edelbrock Torker II
Mods: Port matched
Ignition
Distributor: MSD Pro-Billet
Coil: MSD
Wires: Taylor
Total timing: 36-deg
Initial advance: 14-deg
Mechanical advance: 22-deg
Vacuum advance: None
Exhaust
Headers: Not included
Recommended:
Primary tube diameter: 1.875-in
Primary tube length: 26-30-in
Collector size: 3.50-in
Ancillary Components
Nitemare stainless-steel valley pan
Nitemare stainless-steel fuel-pump block-off plate
Nitemare Pro oiling cam plate
SFI-approved, neutral balanced, USA-made flexplate
Nitemare custom Imron paint job
Optional Upgrades and Prices
320-cfm ported Edelbrock heads
Source
Nitemare Performance and Restoration, LLC
(203) 239-6868
www.nitemareperformance.com
info@nitemareperformance.com