GTX motor progress... UPDATE... VROOOM!

[471_Magnum]

Gonna let the old thread die. It's gotten a little too long. 

Anyway... I got the block and crank home last night. Mounted the block on the stand and started file fitting the rings. Got the tops done. Called it a night.

First thing tonight I file-fit the middle rings. After that I spent some time cleaning up the block. Knocked off some casting flash and wire wheeled the rust off.  I think this block once served as a boat anchor judging by the heavy exterior rust.

After cleaning the outside, I chased all the threads. Don't want to get halfway into assembly and find a stripped hole. Better to find and fix now than have to break out the drill and helicoils, risking getting filings into a new motor. Fortunately, no stripped holes were found. I then pushed the block to the side.

Next I disassembled the rods. Much easier to do without a piston flopping around on the end.

Finally I assembled the pistons to the rods. I hate spiroloxs. 

Just for giggles, I threw a new rod and piston assembly up on the scale: 3 lbs 8 oz. I followed that with one of the old ones (LY rod, cast piston) that maxed out my 4 lb 8 oz scale (barely). That's over a pound reduction per cylinder. 

New bobweight is 2281 grams for those keeping score. This sucker is going to zing.

Tomorrow I'll start with a thorough scrubbing of the block. Then I'll mock-up the bottom end and check clearances. If all checks out, I should be able to get the long block assembled.

The pile of parts in the last picture should just get smaller from this point forward. 

[69bronzeT5]

Good to hear that is coming along.

[Silver R/T]

good progress

[Charger-Bodie]

sounds fun , thats always a good time anticipating the first run on a new gine!

[471_Magnum]

Quick update.

Rotating assembly is installed. Stuck the cam in and installed the timing chain.

Later this evening I'll degree the cam.

Moving right along...

[TUFCAT]

I love reading your updates...and I learn a lot. Keep posting them. They're great! 

[471_Magnum]

Quick break.

Cam came in just right installed "dot to dot" (106 CL). The nine-way billet timing set seems like waste. LOL

Timing cover installed (don't forget the oil slinger). Oil pump installed. Oil pick-up installed.

Windage tray and pan are next. I forgot I needed to clean-up the used windage tray I bought. I'll do that, install the pan and probably call it a night.

I need to swing past the hardware store and pick-up some grade 8 washers tomorrow for the engine stand. I'm going to reinforce the mounting bolts before I install the heads. The grade 5s are starting to pucker.

[Rolling_Thunder]

keep it up man...    I just assembled a customer 440 myself these past 3 days and broke in the cam today on the run-up stand...     

[bull]

Are you going to balance the rotating assembly?

[471_Magnum]

Are you going to balance the rotating assembly?

Machine shop took care of the balancing.

[OttawaCharger]

 

[bull]

Are you going to balance the rotating assembly?

Machine shop took care of the balancing.

So they weighed everything? I'm interested in this because I'm wondering if doing a spin balance is better. I'm getting closer to doing something with my engine so I'm starting to have questions.

[471_Magnum]

Pretty much got the assembly done today. Still have to install the water pump and valve covers. Then it's time for paint.

Spent WAY too much time cleaning up the valve covers today. Cork gaskets and HiPo manifolds DO NOT MIX.  Damn things were crumbling, but glued on with Lord knows what. Still haven't gotten them completely clean.

I'm tempted to put the stock covers aside and install some chrome ones. Really not in the budget though.

So tomorrow I'll finish the assembly and start painting.

[471_Magnum]

Are you going to balance the rotating assembly?

Machine shop took care of the balancing.

So they weighed everything? I'm interested in this because I'm wondering if doing a spin balance is better. I'm getting closer to doing something with my engine so I'm starting to have questions.

Not sure what your getting at. Machine shop weighed the rods and pistons and equalized them (if necessary). Then the bobweight was calculated. Crank was spun balanced accordingly.

[Rolling_Thunder]

cork gaskets....      yuck!  I know all too well what you mean...     I'm lucky - I have a media blasting cabinet at work...    does a great job - otherwise it was a wire wheel on a bench grinder...       before that is was a razor blade and many cut fingers   

[firefighter3931]

Looking good Jim....allways fun to assemble a new bullet ! 



Ron

[bull]

Are you going to balance the rotating assembly?

Machine shop took care of the balancing.

So they weighed everything? I'm interested in this because I'm wondering if doing a spin balance is better. I'm getting closer to doing something with my engine so I'm starting to have questions.

Not sure what your getting at. Machine shop weighed the rods and pistons and equalized them (if necessary). Then the bobweight was calculated. Crank was spun balanced accordingly.

I thought they spun the crank, rods and pistons when they did a spin balance. What the heck do I know.

[chargerman68]

 

[bull]

By coincidence I just talked to an engine rebuilder here in town who explained the process, so now I'm informed.

[471_Magnum]

I've got an issue/concern with the timing set. Seems kind of tight and it isn't rolling quietly. Chain wants to climb up on the teeth of the crank sprocket. It's a standard length chain. Not sure what the issue is.

Been trying to get a hold of 440Source to discuss it.

Might have to get a different chain. That will cost me a couple of days.

[rav440]

471 , whats the deck height ? it looks like it was milled down about .060 or so . what heads are you running ?  keep the pics comming 

[471_Magnum]

Okay. I think I got the chain issue resolved. After turning the motor over repeatedly while squiring oil on the chain through the fuel pump hole, it still made noise. Pulled the cover and found the chain LOOSE!

Last night, I had a devil of a time getting it installed, like it was too tight. After installing it, the tension felt fine. Now tonight I find it loose.

Fortunately, since I had the block line hone I had ordered a 0.005" under sized chain, just in case.



So I installed the 5 under chain and the problem is fixed. Weird.

471 , whats the deck height ?  what heads are you running ? keep the pics comming

Those pistons are 2.067" CH, 12 cc dished. 452 heads milled to about 84-85 cc. Big valves. Gasket matched. Nothing fancy. ~9.3:1 CR. Just a pump gas friendly torque monster.

[471_Magnum]

Update time.

Didn't get much done last night since I didn't make it out to the garage until about 9:00.

Re-installed the timing cover. Installed the water pump. Finished cleaning the valve covers. That's about it.

Tonight I installed the valve covers, installed the fuel pump and got it all painted-up.  I left the exhaust manifolds off for paint. Not sure whether or not I want to do the overspray thing. This car will be driven, so the paint probably wouldn't hold-up very long anyway.

After the paint dried a bit, I pulled it off the stand and installed the bell housing to check the run-out. It checked out right at .007" TIR. Spec is .008" max. I'd like it to be a little better, but I won't sweat it at this point.

Plan for tomorrow is to paint the bell housing and clean-up all the clutch parts. I also need to touch-up a couple of scratches in the transmission tunnel.

Friday night I'll install the clutch and mate the engine and transmission.

Saturday the crew will come over and we'll stab it in and start reconnecting everything.

With a little luck, Sunday it should be ready to fire-up.

[471_Magnum]

The engine hoist anyway. 

Tomorrow morning, 9 AM, the crew comes over to help drop the motor in. 

I'll spend the rest of the day re-attaching, re-connecting, and re-installing everything. 

Maybe Sunday morning we'll get it started.

[Rolling_Thunder]