48 Jp jpmagazine.com OCTOBER 2019
DON’T DITCH THAT AMC V-8
Sources
Edelbrock, 310/781-2222,
edelbrock.com
FlowKooler, 805/239-2501,
flowkooler.com
Howell EFI, 810/765-5100,
howellefi.com
KB Pistons, 800/648-7970,
uempistons.com
Proform, 586/774-2500,
proformparts.com
SI Valves, 800/564-8258,
sivalves.com
Valley Head Service,
818/993-7000, valleyhead.comOiling: There can be inadequate lubrication if
the aluminum housing of the pump wears out.
A Milodon single or dual pickup bypasses
the stock restriction and provides superior
oiling. You can also run an external line to the
back of the block in the lifter valley to provide
bet ter oiling to the back of the block.Timing Cover: These can wear out and cause
issues for the AMCs. Proform actually came
up with a reproduction piece if you can’t find
one that’s not worn through.Water Pump: AMC V-8s don’t have big
overheating issues unless water pumps wear
out or radiators clog. If you could use a new
water pump, FlowKooler has a high-flow unit
with an increased vane count.Valves: We used SI Valves one-piece forged
valves with fusion-welded tips in our last
couple of builds. They haven’t let us down
yet. A four-angle valve job (35-, 45-, 55-, and
finally 75 degrees) on the heads will help
smooth flow out. Stock valve size for all third-
gen AMCs: 2.025 intake and 1.680 exhaust.
Rockers: Roller rocker s are nice to add and
can cut down on friction (power loss) as well,
but stock rocker arms can work just fine.
Intake Manifold: Get rid of that heavy iron thing on your engine; there are other options.
Edelbrock even has a 50-state-legal aluminum intake manifold.