Level 1AM engine dyno testing results
| RPM | Torque | HP | BSFC | Fuel lbs/hr | Air SCFM | A/F Ratio | Water Temp | Oil Pressure |
| 3500 | 507.8 | 338.4 | .487 | 153.7 | 392.8 | 11.7 | 165 | 67.3 |
| 3600 | 510.0 | 349.6 | .450 | 146.5 | 401.0 | 12.53 | 165 | 68.9 |
| 3700 | 509.5 | 358.9 | .459 | 153.8 | 413.6 | 12.31 | 165 | 70.2 |
| 3800 | 514.4 | 372.2 | .501 | 173.7 | 424.1 | 11.18 | 165 | 70.9 |
| 3900 | 514.5 | 382.0 | .461 | 164.0 | 440.2 | 12.29 | 165 | 71.5 |
| 4000 | 517.2 | 393.9 | .481 | 176.4 | 452.7 | 11.75 | 165 | 72.4 |
| 4100 | 515.0 | 402.2 | .509 | 190.5 | 464.1 | 11.15 | 165 | 73.1 |
| 4200 | 514.8 | 411.7 | .484 | 185.5 | 481.1 | 11.87 | 165 | 73.6 |
| 4300 | 516.5 | 422.9 | .489 | 198.8 | 493.9 | 11.55 | 165 | 74.2 |
| 4400 | 516.1 | 432.4 | .489 | 196.8 | 503.7 | 11.72 | 165 | 74.9 |
| 4500 | 513.7 | 440.1 | .434 | 177.5 | 520.0 | 13.41 | 165 | 75.5 |
| 4600 | 512.2 | 448.6 | .474 | 197.5 | 533.9 | 12.38 | 165 | 76.0 |
| 4700 | 507.1 | 453.8 | .480 | 202.4 | 541.2 | 12.24 | 165 | 76.5 |
| 4800 | 496.4 | 453.6 | .475 | 200.2 | 552.3 | 12.63 | 165 | 76.9 |
| 4900 | 492.2 | 459.2 | .519 | 221.2 | 561.2 | 11.61 | 165 | 77.3 |
| 5000 | 488.2 | 464.8 | .481 | 207.4 | 569.4 | 12.57 | 165 | 77.8 |
| 5100 | 485.2 | 471.2 | .502 | 219.4 | 580.4 | 12.11 | 165 | 78.4 |
| 5200 | 480.7 | 475.9 | .510 | 225.0 | 589.4 | 11.99 | 165 | 78.7 |
| 5300 | 472.3 | 476.6 | .518 | 229.1 | 599.3 | 11.98 | 165 | 79.1 |
| 5400 | 462.0 | 475.0 | .514 | 226.3 | 606.4 | 12.27 | 165 | 79.3 |
| 5500 | 451.4 | 472.7 | .507 | 221.8 | 612.8 | 12.65 | 165 | 79.5 |
| 5600 | 439.1 | 468.2 | .500 | 216.5 | 616.1 | 13.03 | 165 | 79.6 |
| 5700 | 425.8 | 462.1 | .522 | 223.0 | .619 | 12.71 | 165 | 80.2 |
| 5800 | 406.8 | 449.2 | .543 | 225.3 | 619.3 | 12.58 | 165 | 80.4 |
| Averages 3500-5800 rpm | 490.4 | 430.6 | .491 | 197.1 | 524.5 | 12.18 | 165 | 75.2 |
Awesome power for a motor that is equipped with stock exhaust manifolds, a cam that idles with very little lope at 700 rpm, with 15" of manifold vacuum!
Motor is equipped with Q-Jet carb, Performer manifold that was port-matched to the heads, with the center divider milled down 1". Camshaft is .500 lift, 230/240 @ .050 duration, on a 114 LC.
As tested, the cam in this motor was installed 8* advanced. To maximize mid range torque. In a subsequent test, when the motor was equipped with long headers, we retarded the cam 4*, so it was only 4* advanced. With the breathing capability thru the long headers, the engine picked up HP from 51-5700, but lost some 3500-4500 torque.
Where to put your cam?.... that depends on the rest of your combo... with 3.23 or lower gears, a 4000 lbs car, with a 2500 rpm stall converter, we would run it 8* advanced, with higher numerical gears, more converter, and less weight, we would run it at 4* advance.
This motor, equipped with long headers, this cam, 850 Holley, and the Performer intake, made 502 HP, and 559 torque, with the cam at 8* advance. With the cam at 4* advance, it lost a bit of torque in the lower rpm ranges, but picked up 17 HP up top. We feel that with manifolds, you would not see anywhere near the difference, due to the manifold's inability to breath at higher rpm, and the fact the headers make more torque down low, which makes up for retarding the cam somewhat.
The objective of this motor.... Build the Level 1 motor with aluminum heads... and make the same power, with stock exhaust manifolds, vs. the headers! ---- Call that deal done!
It does not make quite as much mid range torque as the iron head small valve motor, with the headers, but makes a little more HP. I doubt you would notice the difference.. maybe a .1 difference slower than the header equipped motor, in the same car, all else being equal.
Would you trade the .1 at the strip, for being able to say.. "look Ma... no headers!"
I would...