Joined: Sat Aug 19 2006, 05:03PM
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 2919
I've been rebuilding the 383 that originally came from my hardtop to put into my convertible because the engine that's in it now has some "insurmountable issues". I can't believe all the things that have happened to stall this project!
I took the block and crank to be overbored .030 and have the crank journals turned down .010". One of the main journals wound-up undersize when I checked it with plastigauge while assembling. I had to take both block and crank back to the shop for reinspection. They decided to turn the mains down another .010" and provide new bearings. Someone got their signals crossed and the crank came back to me with the rod journals also resized. I had to get new rod bearings as well.
I screwed-up fitting the first ring and took way too much material off it. Yeah, that one was my own fault. I discovered the hard way how hard it is to obtain a ring pack for a single piston!
In cleaning-up my old log exhaust manifolds, I discovered that one was cracked. Fortunately, a Docker from Kingston (I forget your handle right now but thank you!) had a spare that I bought from him.
The heads I already had overhauled 8 years ago and they only had a about 15k miles on them. My plan was to simply disassemble them, hand-lap the valves a bit to clean them up, and install new springs and retainers compatible with my new cam. On closer inspection, I found numerous issues: valve stem heights were very unequal, lots of burned gunk (oil) built-up on the backside of the exhaust valves, a "wiggle test" indicated a lot of clearance on the exhaust velve guides, and at one of my hardened valve seats was burned. I took them to the shop that was machining my block for their advice. (Note this is not the same shop that I took the heads to 8 years ago.) Here's what they found:
All the valve seats were installed to different heights. Three of the hardened seat inserts were loose. This caused my burned valve from poor heat transfer, and they would've eventually fallen out. !nervous The exhaust valve bronze guide inserts were honed too large, allowing oil to seep down onto the backside of the valves and burn. Consequently, the heads had to be almost fully overhauled again.
Meanwhile, my springs and retainers had arrived. They are the "stock HP" springs from 440source and the matching retainers (according to their webpage). I gave these things to the shop to setup while they had the heads. The shop called to tell me that the retainers will not fit the springs because the OD of the retainer is larger than the ID of the spring. I called 440source; they grabbed some parts from their warehouse stock and confirmed they were defective retainers.
The alignment pin on the snout of my new (Comp 252H) cam was too long. It stuck out the end of the timing gear and would've made the cam bolt washer sit cockeyed. Not good. To resolve this, I temoprarily bolted-on the gear from my old timing set and used my dremel to grind-down the pin til it was flush.
Finally, this past weekend I was doing final assembly. I had bought a new heavy-duty intermediate shaft (oil pump and distributor driveshaft) from 440source. Oil pump was already installed on the block. I couldn't get the intermediate shaft to engage the oil pump. I tried removing the oil pump and the shaft would go into place. If I reinstalled the pump it would push the shaft back up. WTF?! I removed the pump and shaft and disovered that the shaft wouldn't fit on the pump because the hex on the end of the shaft was too big. I grabbed my old intermediate shaft and it engaged the pump just fine.
Once I get a good intermediate shaft I should be able to install it without too much fuss. I went ahead and did final cleanup and painting of the engine yesterday afternoon. At least that went smoothly, once I figured out how much I should thin the POR engine enamel to get it to spray out of my gun. !thumb
That's my tale of woe (so far).
Mike
PS: Why on earth doesn't the Felpro overhaul gasket set include an oil pump gasket?! They're impossible to find unless you buy a new oil pump or an oil pump overhaul kit. I had to cut my own out of bulk gasket paper.
Joined: Sun Feb 26 2006, 08:46PM
Location: Kingston,Ontario
Posts: 5622
That was me who supplied the log,eh? LOL That's a crime what the machine shops done. Not many shops handle Mopar plants on a regular basis.Most handle Chebbie SBC's and Phord 5.0 along with today's popular remans.
If in the future,you need any machining done,I do have a very reputable shop that has a Mopar background. !thumb PM if interested.
Joined: Sun Oct 09 2005, 05:02PM
Location: ALLEN PARK, MI.
Posts: 2007
68CBARGE....YOU HAVE MAIL!
Mike, those "woes" sound scary...especially the Comp cam issue! !nervous The 440source stuff is something that "may" rear it's ugly head yet.
I can tell you YEARONE used to sell a SEAL&GASKET set for big block oil pumps and it was cheap. I have not checked recently. Was that the kit you talk about or one with actual gears in it to? Curious. Tony P.
Joined: Sat Aug 19 2006, 05:03PM
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 2919
Hi all,
I didn't mention this in my original post because it was already getting so long, but the machine shop that I took the block, crank and heads to doesn't grind and balance their own cranks. They FedEx cranks out to another shop and they're the ones that screwed-up while machining the journals. Also, the second time that the crank was returned to me it was in a different box. The box was too short so they cut a hole in the end and the snout where the damper attaches was sticking out. I thought that was risky of them. If something else heavy had fallen on the crank in transit it would have no protection.
Thanks again for the exhaust manifold Leaburn. I cleaned it up and had the manifolds jet-hot coated so they'll look like new forever. !thumb I've been taking pics of my progress. I'll post them when I get around to it.
Tony, yes I was surprised about the alignment pin in the cam being too long. My brother suggested that it might not have been pressed-in all the way. I tried tapping it with a small punch but it didn't budge.
As for the 440source stuff, the defective parts are going back for a refund as soon as I get around to boxing them up. The shop doing my heads said that the retainers from my old valve springs would work fine so they used those, and I ordered a Melling oil pump driveshaft from my local speedshop yesterday. The only 440source stuff I'm still using are the valve springs and timing chain set. I asked the shop to pressure test the springs before installing them to ensure that they're in spec, just in case. This was my first dealings with 440source, and I'm not impressed that half my order is being returned for refund.
BTW, the defective oil pump driveshaft is 440source #200-1078. I measured the hex drive widths with my calipers and they were all over the place. 440source also sells the Melling oil pump shaft for almost the same price.
The oil pump overhaul kit I was referring to is just the O-rings and gaskets, no gears. Last time I needed one I bought one from Mopar at the dealer parts counter. I don't remember the exact price but it was over $10 CDN. Sounds like the same kit that Year One sells. This time I bought a roll of DIY gasket paper from NAPA for $14 to cut my own. A little time-consuming, but there's enough material to last me a lifetime (provided I don't misplace the roll ).
Joined: Sat Aug 19 2006, 05:03PM
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 2919
The rad in my convertible now (I think its a 2-core) was pretty scaled-up. I had to flush it and change the antifreeze twice when I got the car. It sits fairly steady at 190* now with a 180* thermostat and the gutless worn-out engine in the car now.
I had a 22" 3-core rad out of a parts car. It needed some repair work to the tank seams (someone had tried to resolder the seams before but did a poor job of it) but the core looked good. I dropped it off at a local rad shop to get pressure tested this morning. I just got a call that the top tank seam leaks badly. They said that the previous "repair job" was so bad that trying to fix it again will be a waste of time/money. However, they can still get a new 3-row core to fit the tanks. My cost would be $381 fully assembled.
Joined: Sun Oct 09 2005, 05:02PM
Location: ALLEN PARK, MI.
Posts: 2007
Yea, or you could by my 22" 3 core in perfect shape for $125.00 plus shipping and packing currently for sale on the dock! Better yet, drive over and get it! Tony P.
Joined: Sat Aug 19 2006, 05:03PM
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 2919
Hi Tony, that would probably be a good price for your rad even with shipping. (I figure it'd cost me $120 in fuel if I was to drive there to pick it up in person though.) However, I looked at your ad posting and it said it was an A/C rad which has the upper hose inlet on the end. My car is non A/C so the rad inlet needs to be middle of the tank.
I would've thought it more economical if they'd used one rad style, thermostat housing and upper hose regardless if the car was A/C equipped or not, but such is not the case.
I'll have to remove the (2-core) rad that's already in the car when I get ready to swap engines. At that time, I think I'll take it in to be flushed. (I assume the rad shop can do a better job than the DIY flush chemicals that you put in your cooling system.) Then I'll install a fan shroud on it before I reinstall it in the car and see if that is sufficient.
Joined: Sun Oct 09 2005, 05:02PM
Location: ALLEN PARK, MI.
Posts: 2007
Well if you are trying to keep the car original looking, yes, it would matter. If that is not the case, it's just a different hose change. Hey, I saved the hoses which are only a few years old an PERFECT shape! So far, no takers, so it will be here if you change your mind! Tony P.